These sweet potato tuna patties are proof that a $3 tin of fish can still taste like a treat.
I make a double batch every fortnight so there's always a stash ready for quick and easy freezer meals, and if you're into sneaking extra veggies onto the plate, my Cheesy Zucchini Fritters get the same treatment in this house.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Sweet Potato & Tuna Patties
🕒 Ready In: 1 hour 6 minutes (but only 20 minutes of that is actual work, the rest is chilling time)
👨👩👧 Serves: 12 patties
🔥 Calories: 143kcal per patty
🐟 Main Ingredients: sweet potato, canned tuna, parmesan, eggs
🌿 Dietary Info: freezer-friendly, nut-free (contains dairy, egg & gluten)
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Cheap tinned fish turned into something even fussy kids will actually eat.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
★★★★★ 5 from 11 votes - not one reader has rated this recipe less than perfect.
- Bake Play Smile readers
That's an 11 out of 11 track record, which is more than I can say for my Tuesday night parenting.
These patties freeze beautifully alongside my Mashed Potato Cakes and Easy Fish Cakes, so I always keep a batch of each on hand for the nights when dinner needs to happen with zero brain power.
If you love a good Tuna Pasta Bake, this is basically its lunchbox-friendly cousin.
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Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Budget-Friendly - one big tin of tuna and a sweet potato make 12 patties for just a few dollars. Cheap tinned fish never looked so good.
- Healthy - tuna is packed with protein and virtually no fat, and sweet potato adds a good hit of fibre. A proper win-win dinner.
- Kid-Friendly - my son is the fussiest eater on the planet and he still asks for these. The sweet potato and cheese completely mellow out the tuna flavour.
- Freezer-Friendly - make a big batch on the weekend and you've got dinner or lunchbox filler sorted for a month.
Patty Ingredients
There's no need to break the bank with these cheap and cheerful ingredients.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
- Tuna - use canned tuna chunks in brine, drained really well. If it's still wet when it goes in, your patties will be mushy and fall apart in the pan. Not a good look.
- Sweet Potato - sweeter and softer than regular potato, which is exactly why it works so well here. You can swap in regular mashed potato in a pinch, but you'll lose that natural sweetness that helps mellow out the tuna flavour.
- Parmesan - gives the patties an extra flavour boost. Cheddar works as a swap if that's what you've got in the fridge, though the flavour will be a bit stronger.
- Breadcrumbs - regular or panko both work fine, so just use whatever's in the pantry. Panko will give you a slightly crunchier edge.
Variations
Once you've made the basic recipe a few times, have a play around with these:
- Swap the tuna for salmon - canned salmon works a treat if that's what you've got, or if you want a change from tuna.
- Add some herbs - a handful of chopped parsley or chives stirred through the mixture adds a nice freshness.
- Give it some heat - a pinch of curry powder or paprika is a great way to sneak in extra flavour for the grown-ups without upsetting little taste buds too much.
- Make it gluten-free - just swap the regular breadcrumbs for a gluten-free variety.
How To Make Tuna Patties
You won't believe how easy these are. It's a great one to get the kids helping with too.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
- Step 1: Make the sweet potato mash. Boil the sweet potato until tender, drain, then mash with the butter until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
- Step 2: Mix it all together. Add the parmesan, drained tuna, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to the cooled mash. Mix well with your hands or a spoon.
- Step 3: Chill the mixture. Pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This isn't optional, the mixture is too soft to work with otherwise.
- Step 4: Shape and cook. Using wet hands, shape into 12 patties and flatten slightly. Fry in batches over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes each side until golden.
Serving Suggestions
These are delicious on their own, but here's how I like to dress them up:
- Condiments - my go-to is sweet chilli sauce and Kewpie mayo. Sour cream and sweet chilli is another good combo, or try a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of tartar sauce if you want something a bit more grown-up.
- A side salad - my Pear and Rocket Salad is light and summery, or try my Roast Pumpkin Salad with Feta for something heartier.
- Homemade bread rolls - my Soft & Fluffy White Bread Rolls turn these into a proper burger-style meal.
- Rice, pasta or steamed veggies - for a more filling family dinner.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the tuna properly - press it against the side of a strainer to get out as much liquid as possible. Wet tuna means mushy patties.
- Don't skip the chill - 30 minutes in the fridge makes the mixture so much easier to shape, and stops it sticking to your hands.
- Wet your hands - before forming the patties, this stops the mixture sticking and makes shaping way easier.
- Keep the heat medium-high - too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through; too low, and they won't get that golden crust.
Tuna Patties FAQs
Yes! Make the mixture up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. It actually helps to let it sit a little longer than the 30-minute chill, so this is a great one to prep the night before.
Store cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To freeze, place cooked patties in an airtight container with baking paper between the layers and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge before reheating, or pop them straight into a lunchbox cold.
Yes, canned salmon works really well as a swap if that's more your thing (or what's in the pantry). You can also swap the sweet potato for regular mashed potato, though you'll lose a bit of the natural sweetness.
This almost always comes down to two things: the tuna wasn't drained well enough, or the mixture wasn't chilled for long enough. Press the tuna firmly to squeeze out excess liquid before mixing, and don't skip the 30 minute chill. If your mixture still feels too soft to shape, add an extra tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs.
More Kid-Friendly Recipes
Savoury fritters, patties and cakes are one of my favourite ways to smuggle extra veggies onto the plate. Here are a few more of my most popular ones:
Tuna Patties
Ingredients
- 500 g sweet potato peeled and chopped into 3cm cubes
- 100 g (ml) milk only required for Thermomix method
- 20 g butter
- 100 g grated parmesan cheese
- 425 g can tuna chunks in brine drained
- 2 eggs
- 50 g breadcrumbs or panko crumbs
- salt and pepper to season
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Place the sweet potato into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 8 minutes or until tender when touched with a fork. Drain the water. Add the butter and mash until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
- Place the cooled sweet potato mash into a large bowl and add the grated parmesan cheese, drained tuna, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix together well.
- Chill the mixture for 30 minutes (this helps when forming into patties).
- Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 12 patties. Press down lightly to flatten.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- In batches, cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and thoroughly heated through.
Thermomix Method
- Place the parmesan cheese into the Thermomix bowl and grate for 5 seconds, Speed 8. Set aside.
- Insert the butterfly and place the sweet potato cubes and milk into the Thermomix bowl. Cook for 25 minutes, 90 degrees, Speed 2. Add the butter and mash for 30 seconds, Speed 3. Remove the butterfly and allow to cool.
- Add the parmesan cheese, tuna, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix for 5 seconds, REVERSE, Speed 2.
- Chill the mixture for 30 minutes (this helps when forming into patties).
- Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 12 patties. Press down lightly to flatten.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- In batches, cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and thoroughly heated through.
Notes
- Tuna - choose canned tuna chunks in brine and then drain well.
- Breadcrumbs - use regular breadcrumbs or substitute with panko crumbs.
- Calories - tuna is low in fat making these a great option for those looking for a healthy recipe. Each tuna cake contains 143 calories.
- Tuna flavour - the taste is very subtle thanks to the sweetness of the sweet potato mash and the flavour of the cheese. Even readers who don't usually like tuna, find these patties delicious.
- Chilling the mixture - it's important to chill the mixture before forming into patties as it's quite soft and difficult to work with otherwise. Once chilled, use wet hands to form the patties (this will stop the mixture from sticking to your hands). If you find the mixture is still to difficult to form into patties, add a little extra breadcrumbs and mix through.
- Storing - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- Freezing - place cooked patties into an airtight container with baking paper separating the layers. Freeze for up to 1 month. Allow to defrost in the fridge before reheating or placing into lunchboxes cold.
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