These Tuna Patties with Sweet Potato are a crowd-pleasing, quick recipe—ready in about 30 minutes. Crispy on the outside and tender inside, they make a great light meal, snack, or appetizer.
This recipe uses simple pantry staples: canned tuna, sweet potatoes, onions, breadcrumbs, and a few seasonings. It’s versatile and easy to scale for meal prep—leftovers keep well in the fridge and reheat beautifully in a skillet.
Sweet potatoes add moisture and help bind the mixture, so the patties hold together while cooking. The result is a soft interior and a golden, crispy exterior—delicious served with lemon wedges or a simple yogurt-based dip.
How To Make Tuna Patties with Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes — 2 small, peeled and cut into chunks.
- Tuna — 2 cans, drained and flaked. Use your preferred variety.
- Green onions — about ½ cup, sliced.
- White onions — about ½ cup, finely diced.
- Breadcrumbs — ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs or almond flour).
- Eggs — 2, to bind the mixture.
- Seasonings — ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp chili pepper, salt and black pepper to taste.
- Lemon — 1/2 lemon juiced; extra wedges for serving (optional).
- Mayonnaise — 1 tbsp for creaminess (use any mayo you prefer).
- Olive oil or cooking spray — for frying.
Instructions
1. Cook the sweet potatoes:
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potato chunks and cook 10–15 minutes, until fork tender.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl and mash with a fork until mostly smooth.
2. Combine the ingredients:
- Add the flaked tuna, green onions, white onions, breadcrumbs, eggs, mayonnaise, garlic powder, chili pepper, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the mashed sweet potatoes.
- Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
3. Shape and cook the patties:
- Form the mixture into evenly sized patties using your hands or a scoop for consistency.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a little olive oil or spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Cook the patties 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and heated through. Avoid overcrowding the pan so they brown nicely.
4. Garnish and serve:
- Let the patties rest briefly after cooking. Garnish with chopped scallions or fresh herbs if desired.
- Serve with lemon wedges and a dipping sauce such as plain yogurt or a lemon aioli.
Expert Tips
- For uniform patties, use a large ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to portion the mixture.
- Cut sweet potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly; pre-cut sweet potatoes are a convenient shortcut.
- Pulse green and white onions in a food processor if you want them very finely minced.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan and avoid flipping too soon—give patties space to develop a good sear.
- If the mixture is sticky and hard to form, chill it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or wet your hands before shaping.
What To Serve with Tuna Patties
- Flavorful sauce: A lemon aioli, yogurt-based dip, or creamy avocado sauce pairs well.
- Side salad: Serve with a simple green salad or a roasted sweet potato and kale salad for a complete meal.
- Grains: These patties are delicious over fluffy rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a heartier plate.
Tuna Patties Recipe
Author: Olivia Ribas
8 people
15 minutes
21 minutes
36 minutes
This Tuna Patties Recipe is quick, flavorful, and naturally adaptable for gluten-free or regular diets—perfect for a light meal or appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 small sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into chunks
- 2 cans tuna drained and flaked
- ½ cup green onions
- ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup white onions
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil or cooking spray
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a medium pan and add sweet potato chunks. Cook 10–15 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and rinse under cold water, then mash the sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add tuna, green onions, breadcrumbs, eggs, white onions, garlic powder, chili pepper, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into patties using your hands or a scoop.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add oil or spray the pan, and cook patties 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Notes
- Use a scoop for evenly sized patties and consistent cooking.
- Trim sweet potatoes to similar sizes or use pre-cut pieces for even cooking.
- Pulse onions in a food processor for very fine mince.
- To store: refrigerate cooked patties in an airtight container up to 4 days.
- To reheat: warm briefly in a skillet for best texture.
- To freeze: flash-freeze on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8, Calories: 90kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 8.8g, Fat: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.