These Pesto Tuna Fish Patties are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The patties are cooked and served in 30 minutes, making them super easy for a quick weeknight dinner. I love to make these when I need a quick meatless meal.
I love having handy canned tuna on hand for quick and easy meals. Here are two of my all time family favorites: my tuna melt panini and my classic tuna casserole.
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Why this Pesto Tuna Fish Patties Recipe is a Keeper
Pesto tuna fish patties are a fantastic way to elevate a simple pantry staple into a flavorful and healthy meal. Here’s a breakdown to help you make the best pesto tuna patties.
- Pantry-Friendly and Economical: It relies on readily available and affordable pantry staples like canned tuna and pesto. This makes it a go-to meal when you need something quick and budget-friendly.
- Quick and Easy: It’s a fast meal to prepare, especially if you have pre-made pesto. This is invaluable for busy weeknights.
- Healthy and Protein-Packed: Tuna is an excellent source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. 1 Adding vegetables and using healthy binders further enhances its nutritional value.
- Flavorful and Versatile: The pesto adds a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor that elevates the humble tuna patty. Its versatility allows for easy customization with different vegetables, herbs, and spices, catering to individual preferences.
- Kid-Friendly: Even picky eaters often enjoy these patties, especially when served on buns as sandwiches.
- Great for Meal Prepping: The patties can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, making them perfect for meal prepping.
- Multiple Uses: They can be used in numerous ways, in sandwiches, on salads, or as a main course.
- Elevated Comfort Food: It takes the simple tuna patty and makes it into something special.
What Type of Canned Tuna is Best Fish for this Recipe?
Tuna packed in water is generally preferred for tuna cakes because it allows you to control the moisture and fat content. Tuna in oil can make the cakes greasy. Some of the best balances flavor, texture, and moisture.
Pro Tip for Tuna Fish Cakes
Chill the mixture before shaping the patties.
Ingredient Notes and Recipe Variation Suggestions to Make Fish Patties
All of the required ingredients are easy to find at the store, but there may even be some of them in the kitchen already. Feel free to use different ingredients to substitute or experiment with flavors.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Tuna: Tuna is perfect for making fish cakes. I can use fresh or frozen fish, but it needs to be thawed to use.
- Different Protein: Use salmon or shrimp in place of tuna for recipe variations. Feel free to also use any type of white fish fillets like cod, haddock or halibut.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Bread crumbs help keep the tuna or salmon patties together.
- Crackers: Crackers are a great replacement for bread crumbs. Just crush them up with a food processor for this easy recipe.
- Vegetables: Add onions, peppers or other vegetables to the fried tuna patties.
How to Make Tuna Patties
This recipe comes together in 4 quick and easy steps. This canned tuna fish recipe is so good, it quickly became one of my favorite seafood recipes.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Make the Fish Patties: In a bowl, combine olive oil, egg, tuna fish, capers and pesto sauce together. Divide the fish mixture to form 16 patties.
- Bread the Patties: Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and dredge each side of the tuna cake into the breadcrumb mixture.
- Cook the Fish: In a pan over medium high heat add about ¼ inch or 2 tablespoons of oil and heat until shimmering. When oil is hot, add tuna cakes. Saute for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Top and Serve: Remove from pan with a spatula. Squeeze fresh lemon juice or grate lemon zest on top of your tuna cakes. Top with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Make Ahead Suggestions for Fish Recipe
Preparing ingredients ahead of time can help to save me time and kitchen space when it comes to making the recipe.
- Pesto: If you’re making homemade pesto, prepare it several days in advance and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Vegetable Prep: Any vegetables you’re adding to the patties (like finely chopped onions, bell peppers or celery) store in the refrigerator.
- Mixing: The tuna mixture itself can be prepared a few hours ahead of time and kept refrigerated. This allows the flavors to meld.
- Breadcrumbs: If using homemade breadcrumbs, make them in advance.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers Fish Cake Recipes
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the fridge or up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven or in the air fryer to ensure it stays crispy.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy leftovers on a bun with any of your favorite sandwich toppings.
Common Questions About This Simple and Delicious Tuna Fish Patties Recipe
Try adding more bread crumbs to the fish patty mixture so they hold together better.
If you find that your patties are dry, next time add more of the wet ingredients.
Yes. These fish sandwich patties freeze well. Place the fish patties in an airtight container, individually wrapped, and freeze for up to 3 months.
I can also air fry the patties. If cooking in the air fryer, I lightly spray the patties with cooking oil.
Expert Tips for Making This Easy Fish Recipe
- Double this Recipe: It’s super easy to double this tuna cakes recipe. If cooking in batches, be sure you’re wiping out the skillet clean and adding fresh oil each time.
- Fine Chopping: Finely chop any vegetables you add to the patties to ensure they cook evenly and don’t make the pesto with tuna patties fall apart.
- Even Cooking: Cook the tuna fish cakes over medium heat to ensure they cook through without burning.
- When pan frying, do not move the patties until a crust has formed.
- Taste Testing: Before forming all the patties, cook a small patty to check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Resting: Let the cooked patties rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Squeezing the Tuna: Drain the canned tuna well, and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Condiments: Add sauces on top of these patties, such as homemade tartar sauce or mayonnaise.
- Seasonings: Try a tablespoon of seasonings such as salt and pepper, lemon pepper seasoning, dill, garlic powder, or onion and celery powder.
- Serve With: Serve with side dishes like Make Ahead Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Best Caesar Salad or Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing.
More Recipes You Might Like
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Pesto Tuna Fish Patties
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 large Egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon Capers, optional
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 15 ounces Tuna fish in olive oil, 3, 5 ounce cans; drained and flaked
- ¼ cup Pesto sauce
- Fresh parsley, optional garnish
- Canola oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine olive oil, egg, tuna fish, capers and pesto sauce together.
- Divide the mixture to form 16 patties.
- Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and dip each side of the tuna cake into the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat about a ¼ inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add tuna cakes in batches.
- Fry for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Squeeze lemon juice or grate lemon zest on top of your tuna cakes. Top with fresh parsley as a great garnish (both optional).
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Christina’s Notes
- Double this Recipe: It’s super easy to double this tuna cakes recipe. If cooking in batches, be sure you’re wiping out the skillet clean and adding fresh oil each time.
- Fine Chopping: Finely chop any vegetables you add to the patties to ensure they cook evenly and don’t make the pesto with tuna patties fall apart.
- Even Cooking: Cook the tuna fish cakes over medium heat to ensure they cook through without burning.
- When pan frying, do not move the patties until a crust has formed.
- Taste Testing: Before forming all the patties, cook a small patty to check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
- Resting: Let the cooked patties rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Squeezing the Tuna: Drain the canned tuna well, and squeeze out any excess liquid.
- Condiments: Add sauces on top of these patties, such as homemade tartar sauce or mayonnaise.
- Seasonings: Try a tablespoon of seasonings such as salt and pepper, lemon pepper seasoning, dill, garlic powder, or onion and celery powder.
- Serve With: Serve with side dishes like Make Ahead Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Best Caesar Salad or Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
I’ve never made tuna cakes but I’ve made salmon. I bet these are delicious. I love that used pesto. Great idea!
Sounds like a tasty combination!
I love that you made this with pesto mashed potatoes–so good!