Tuna Fish Cakes Recipe – Simple Home Edit

Name: Tuna Fish Cakes
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 medium sebago (Maris Piper/russet) potatoes; 425 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked (see note 1); 75 g frozen corn kernels, or fresh or canned corn; 90 g freshly grated colby or cheddar; 30 g panko breadcrumbs; 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced; 1 egg; 1 tsp dijon mustard; 2 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise; 1 tsp freshly grated garlic; ½ tsp sea salt flakes; ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper; Olive oil spray; 60 g panko breadcrumbs, plus extra if needed; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 25 g freshly grated parmesan; 150 g sweet chilli sauce; 2 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro); 1 tsp all-purpose soy sauce; ½ tsp freshly grated ginger; Lime wedges; Fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs

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Crispy parmesan-crumbed tuna fish cakes with a soft, cheesy potato filling and sweet chilli and lime sauce. Baked instead of fried, and just as good for lunch the next day.

Friends, family … if you’ve found something that everyone in your house happily eats, I want to know about it. Then I want to make it at my house, and, if it works there too, I’m clinging to it for dear life and sharing it with you all.

That’s how these tuna fish cakes came about. A really good friend told me she bakes her fish cakes and her family loves them. I hadn’t made them in years and was blown away by how good they were.

I use canned tuna, potato, corn, spring onion (scallion), cheese, mayo and dijon mustard, then coat each fish cake in parmesan-panko crumbs and bake until crisp on the outside. The potatoes cook in the microwave first, which keeps things moving on a weeknight. No waiting for a saucepan of potatoes to boil, no frying in batches, no standing over the stove.

I loved them so much that they quickly became a regular on our meal plan and earned themselves a well-deserved place in my cookbook Simple Weeknights. Aside from tasting incredible, they really are so easy to make.

Half a fish cake being dipped into sweet chilli lime sauce — These are also brilliant in lunchboxes. Allow them to cool completely before refrigerating, then pack them cold with a little dipping sauce separately.

And then there’s the sauce. Sweet chilli, lime, coriander (cilantro), soy and ginger. It’s sweet, sharp and fresh, and I like enough on my plate to get some with every bite. The kids love these, Heath (hubby) and I love them, and a simple green salad or whatever vegetables need using up in the fridge is more than enough on the side.

I’m also very picky about tuna, so I use yellowfin in olive oil because I prefer the flavour and texture. And one practical thing before you make these – use a metal tray. It really does make a difference to how crisp the outside gets.

Hot, cold, dinner, lunchboxes, leftovers – these are useful little things to have in your life. Tuna fish cakes. Who knew? 😂

Tuna fish cake ingredients ready to be mixed together — I prefer yellowfin tuna in olive oil for its milder flavour and softer texture, but tuna in springwater works too. Just make sure it’s drained really well so the mixture isn’t too wet.

Tuna fish cake ingredients mixed and ready to be shaped — The mixture should feel soft and slightly sticky but hold together when pressed. If it’s too wet to shape, add another tablespoon or two of panko breadcrumbs.

One shaped fish cake measured out with ¼ cup measure — Using a ¼ cup measure keeps the fish cakes roughly the same size, which helps them cook evenly. There’s no need to make them perfectly round!

Fish cake coated in panko parm coating — Gently press the coating onto all sides of each fish cake so it sticks. There’s no need for an additional egg wash, as the mixture is already moist enough to hold the crumbs.

Fish cakes lined on tray ready for baking — Don’t overcrowd the baking tray. Leaving a little space between each fish cake helps the hot air circulate so the coating crisps rather than steams.

Fish cakes fresh out of the oven after baking — Let the fish cakes rest for 5 minutes before serving. This gives the filling a chance to firm up slightly, making them easier to lift off the tray without breaking.

Sweet chilli lime sauce ingredients ready for mixing — Fresh lime juice makes a big difference here, balancing the sweetness of the chilli sauce. You can adjust the lime to taste if you prefer a slightly sharper dipping sauce.

Sweet chilli lime sauce mixed and ready for dipping — This sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving, as the ingredients may settle.

Sweet chilli dipping sauce — The lime juice cuts through the sweetness of the chilli sauce, while the ginger, soy and coriander (cilantro) give it a lovely freshness. It’s also brilliant with chicken, prawns (shrimp) or spring rolls.

What can I serve with Tuna Fish Cakes?

They’re pretty much a complete little meal on their own with the tuna and potato, so I usually just add something fresh on the side. A few recipes that would work really well are:

Creamy Garlic Cucumber Salad – Cool, fresh and really good with the sweet chilli and lime sauce.
The BEST Coleslaw – Crunchy, creamy and easy to make ahead.
Quick Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad – A great option if you want something punchier and a little lighter.
Green Leafy Salad with Balsamic Dressing – An easy way to round out dinner without much extra prep. The tangy balsamic dressing works beautifully with the cheesy filling, and you can pull the salad together while the fish cakes cook.
Cheat’s Caesar Salad – Crisp lettuce and a creamy caesar dressing make this feel like a very generous dinner for surprisingly little effort. You could even serve the dressing as an alternative dipping sauce.

You could also keep it really simple with steamed greens, a supermarket bagged salad, corn on the cob or whatever vegetables need using up in the fridge.

Fish cakes cut in half to reveal filling — The inside should be soft and tender, with little pieces of tuna, potato, corn and melted cheese throughout. The contrast with the crunchy outside is what makes these so good.

What else can I add to the Tuna Fish Cakes?

You can add up to ½ cup total of extra ingredients, such as peas, finely diced capsicum (bell pepper), chopped herbs, extra spring onion (scallion) or a little parmesan. For wetter additions, like grated zucchini (courgette), keep it to around ¼ cup and squeeze out as much moisture as possible first.

Finely diced red capsicum (bell pepper)
Grated zucchini (courgette), squeezed really well to remove excess moisture
Peas
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, dill or coriander (cilantro)
A little lemon zest
Extra spring onion (scallion)
A pinch of chilli (red pepper) flakes
A little extra parmesan in the filling
Finely chopped pickles or cornichons if you like a sharper flavour

Fish cake being dipped into sweet chilli lime sauce — You can freeze these before or after baking for up to 3 months. I love having a batch ready to go for those nights when I haven’t thought about dinner until 5 pm.

Can I make Tuna Fish Cakes smaller to serve as a party canapé or starter?

Absolutely! These are brilliant for entertaining, and you can easily make them smaller to serve as bite-sized canapés or as a starter. Instead of using ¼ cup of mixture per fish cake, use approximately 1 tablespoon for bite-sized portions or 2 tablespoons for a slightly larger starter. Shape into small patties, coat in the parmesan-panko crumbs and bake as directed, reducing the cooking time to approximately 12–15 minutes, or until the fish cakes are golden and crisp, turning halfway through. Keep an eye on them, as smaller fish cakes will cook more quickly.

Serve them on a platter with the sweet chilli and lime sauce from the recipe, or try them with tartare sauce or spicy Gochujang Mayo. You could even offer a couple of dipping sauces so everyone can choose their favourite.

The fish cakes are also perfect for getting ahead when entertaining. You can shape and crumb them the day before, refrigerate, then bake just before your guests arrive. They’re lovely served warm or at room temperature.

Platter of fish cakes with sweet chilli dipping sauce — These fish cakes are great for making ahead. You can shape and crumb them the day before, then keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

How do I stop Tuna Fish Cakes from falling apart?

Drain the tuna well and let the mashed potato cool slightly before mixing everything together. The egg and breadcrumbs help bind the filling, which should feel soft but hold its shape when pressed. If it’s too wet to shape, mix in another 1–2 tablespoons of panko breadcrumbs. Gently turn the fish cakes halfway through baking, then let them rest for 5 minutes before serving, to give them a chance to firm up.

Tuna fish cakes with panko breadcrumb coating — The parmesan-panko coating gives these fish cakes a lovely crunch without needing to shallow-fry them. For the best result, use an unlined metal baking tray sprayed generously with olive oil.

If you enjoyed Tuna Fish Cakes, I think you’ll love:

Cheesy Corn Fritters Recipe – Made with only a handful of simple, low-cost ingredients, these delicious fritters are on the table in less than 15 minutes.

Tuna Fried Rice Recipe – Got a can of tuna, some frozen veggies and rice? If so, then whip up this simple pantry meal in just 13 minutes. It’s a hit with kids – clean plates guaranteed! If they don’t like tuna, you can easily swap it out for cooked bacon strips or bits.

Supercharged Tuna Mornay Recipe – A creamy, cheesy tuna mornay stuffed into giant pasta shells and baked to golden perfection. This comforting mornay is packed with family-friendly flavours and pantry staples, making it the ultimate weeknight dinner.

Baked Chicken Rissoles Recipe – These rissoles are quick to prep, oven-baked (no splatter), and deliver on juicy centres with crispy edges. They’re freezer-friendly, kid-approved and flexible enough to pair with whatever sides you’ve got on hand. On the table in 30 minutes.

Juicy Beef Rissoles Recipe – This easy rissoles recipe is the perfect quick and easy family dinner. Make a big batch to freeze, ready for a rainy day! Just 25 minutes to make.