Baked Tuna Potato Patties with Garlic Aioli

Baked tuna potato patties with garlic aioli are an excellent way to turn basic pantry staples into a delicious complete meal. These mashed potatoes and tuna patties are coated with panko to give them a crispy exterior and best of all they’re baked, not fried!

These canned tuna patties with mashed potatoes are a great last minute dinner idea. Or you can also make smaller patties and serve them as a bite sized appetizer. Just don’t forget to serve them with garlic aioli. Trust me, it is a must!

Self proclaimed fish haters that I’ve encountered throughout the years love my tuna potato patties recipe! Here’s why:

• Everyone loves mashed potatoes and combining them with tuna gives these fish cakes a creamy texture.
• Lemon zest added to the tuna potato mixture adds a wonderful tangy flavor.
• They have a crispy exterior thanks to a light coating of panko even though they are baked, not fried. Be sure to grease your baking dish and add a little extra drizzle of olive oil over the top to ensure a crisp exterior.
• Topping the fish cakes with a dollop of tasty garlic aioli takes this dish to another level!

Origins of this recipe

This is one of the recipes I taught in my cooking classes about 7 years ago. I first made them with cooked white fish, usually cod.

However throughout the years the recipe evolved. In order to simplify the process, I began using canned tuna only to discover they are just as tasty, not to mention quick and easy to make.

However, if you prefer, you can blanch about one pound (454 grams) of fish such as cod, haddock or even salmon for about two minutes. Let cool and use your fingers to flake the fish into small pieces. Proceed to use in this recipe.

And lastly, you can use leftover fish to make this recipe as well.

How to serve tuna fish cakes

• Make smaller sized patties and serve them as an appetizer.
• Serve as a main dish along with a green salad; kale salad; steamed broccoli; green bean salad; grilled vegetables or any vegetable of your choice except for perhaps more potatoes!

Ingredient list

For the tuna and potato cakes

• Tuna packed in water, drained.
• Potatoes
• Green onions
• Panko or unseasoned Italian breadcrumbs, if you prefer
• Freshly chopped parsley
• An egg
• Freshly grated zest of one lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the garlic aioli

• Mayonnaise
• One small garlic clove
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.

How to make Baked Tuna Potato Patties with Garlic Aioli

Prepare the fish patties

• Cook the potatoes: Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes for quick cooking. Place them in a sauce pan, cover with water, add salt and bring to a boil.
• Cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
• Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher and set aside to cool.
• Be sure to let the potatoes cool before adding the remaining ingredients to avoid a gummy consistency.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease generously with olive oil. Place half of the panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl for dredging.
• Combine all ingredients: Once cooled, add the remaining ingredients into the bowl with the mashed potatoes: drained tuna; chopped green onion; chopped fresh parsley; panko; lemon zest; egg; salt and pepper.
• Stir all ingredients until well combined. If the mixture is on the dry side, stir in a spoonful or two of olive oil.
• Shape the patties: Use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop the tuna potato mixture and shape into patties.
• Dredge both sides of each patty in the panko and place on the prepared pans.
• Continue with the remaining mixture to make a total of 12 patties. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over each patty.
• Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the patties halfway, until each side is golden and crisp.
• Serve hot with garlic aioli sauce.

Prepare the garlic aioli

• Make a garlic paste: mince the garlic finely and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Place the flat side of the knife’s blade over the garlic and scrape it back and forth over the garlic to mash it until it turns into a paste.
• Stir the garlic paste into a bowl with mayonnaise. Add lemon juice and pepper, to taste.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Check out more delicious fish recipes!

• Pasta with Tuna and Peas in a Cream Sauce
• Oven Baked Fish with Chickpeas, Spinach and Tomatoes
• Sicilian Fish with Onions, Mint and Vinegar
• Grilled Tuna and White Bean Salad
• Baccala alla Ghiotta
• Portuguese Cod and Potato Casserole