• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Food Banjo

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
    • Air Fryer Salmon Recipes
    • Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
    • Air Fryer Dessert Recipes
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
  • Air Fryer Guide
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
    • Air Fryer Salmon Recipes
    • Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
    • Air Fryer Dessert Recipes
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
  • Air Fryer Guide
  • About
×
Home » Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Tuna Patties

Published: Oct 12, 2022 · Last Updated: Dec 4, 2023 by Aimee - This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Air fryer tuna patties are so easy to make! The tuna patties come out crispy and golden brown after cooked in the air fryer. They are ready in less than 15 minutes and require no preheating.

Tuna patties on a plate with fresh parsley.

Have you ever had tuna patties? I grew up eating them. They are basically tuna cakes that are formed with a can of tuna and then held together with egg and breadcrumbs.

Tuna patties (sometimes called tuna cakes or tuna balls or air fryer tuna croquettes) can be seasoned in a variety of ways, but are always cooked so the outside is a crispy, golden brown.

Growing up, my mom would deep fry tuna patties in oil, but now I love cooking them with MUCH less oil in my air fryer. The air fried tuna patties come out perfect every single time. Still that same golden brown and crispy.

Why air fry tuna patties?

Healthy - This recipe uses only a little oil, so it's much uses a lot less than deep frying tuna patties. And that means less cleanup too!

Customizable - You can easily customize the tuna patties with whatever seasonings and spices you prefer.

Family-friendly - What kid doesn't love crispy, crunchy things? Tuna patties were always one of my favorite foods as a kid, and I still love them today.

Key ingredients

  • Canned tuna
  • Egg
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Seasonings
  • Olive oil

How to make air fryer tuna patties

Drain the can of tuna and add to a bowl and break apart any large chunks with a fork.

Canned tuna in a bowl.

Add the egg and panko breadcrumbs to the bowl.

Tuna, panko, and egg in a bowl.

Next, add any seasonings, spices, or herbs to the bowl.

Tuna, egg, panko, and seasonings in a bowl.

Mix together with a fork until completely combined.

Tuna patties mixture.

Form into 6 tuna balls, packing the tuna mixture together, then flatten to form tuna patties.

Forming tuna patties.

Place the tuna patties in the air fryer basket and brush the tops with oil.

Air fry for 6 minutes, then flip the tuna patties and brush the tops again with oil. Air fry for another 4-6 minutes until golden brown.

Uncooked tuna patties in air fryer basket.

Remove from the air fryer. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Tuna patties on a plate with fresh parsley.

I also love serving with a chipotle mayo.

Tuna patties with chipotle mayo and parsley.

Recipe tips

  • All air fryers cook differently. You may need to adjust cooking times based on your air fryer.
  • If not using parchment paper, spray or brush air fryer basket with oil to prevent sticking.
  • Press tuna patties together firmly to hold them together before cooking. If needed, place in the refrigerator for several minutes before cooking.

How to customize

To customize, you can easily swap out any of the seasonings.

Not a fan of dried parsley? Give the air fryer tuna cakes some Italian flavors and use Italian seasoning or some dried basil or dried oregano.

Want to add a bit of heat? Add some red pepper flakes.

Want to give the tuna patties some Moroccan vibes? Season with harissa and lemon zest.

What to serve with the tuna patties

The air fryer tuna patties are delicious on their own! I also love serving mine with a homemade chipotle mayo or honey mustard bbq sauce.

The tuna patties make a great accompaniment to a salad, and I've enjoyed them in these CAVA copycat bowls.

If serving with a side dish, they would pair well with air fryer green beans and bacon or air fryer Mediterranean vegetables.

Tuna patties with chipotle mayo and parsley.

How to store leftovers

Cooled leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

To reheat the tuna patties, simply pop back in the air fryer until heated through or you can also reheat in the microwave or oven.

More air fryer recipes to love

Air Fryer Cinnamon Toast on a White Plate
Air Fryer Cinnamon Toast
Flaky air fryer blackened cod.
Air Fryer Blackened Cod
Cooked salmon on a white plate with a fork.
Air Fryer Brown Sugar Salmon
Air fryer tuna patties on a plate with a fork.

Air Fryer Tuna Patties

Recipe by Aimee
Air fryer tuna patties are so easy to make! The tuna patties come out crispy and golden brown after cooked in the air fryer.
4.74 from 60 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Air Fryer, Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine American
Servings 6 tuna patties
Calories 75 kcal

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Air Fryer Parchment Paper optional

Ingredients
  

  • 7 oz canned tuna
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • olive oil

Instructions
 

  • To a medium bowl, add the tuna. Break apart any large chunks with a fork.
  • Add the egg and panko, then the all the seasonings and spices.
  • Mash together until all the ingredients are incorporated together.
  • Form the mixture into 6 balls. Flatten each ball into a flatter UFO shape, pressing together so that tuna patty stays together.
  • Line the air fryer basket with air fryer parchment paper or brush/spray with oil.
  • Place the 6 tuna patties in the air fryer basket. Brush the top of each patty with olive oil.
  • Air fry at 360 degrees F for 6 minutes. Flip tuna patties, then brush the tops with oil again. Air fry for another 4-6 minutes until tuna patties are golden brown and cooked through.
  • Remove from the air fryer and serve as desired.

Notes

  • All air fryers cook differently. You may need to adjust cooking times based on your air fryer.
  • If not using parchment paper, spray or brush air fryer basket with oil to prevent sticking.
  • Press tuna patties together firmly to hold them together before cooking. If needed, place in the refrigerator for several minutes before cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 8gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 156mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.

Tried this recipe?Tag @foodbanjo on Instagram and share your photos!
« Air Fryer Butternut Squash Halves
Roasted Honeynut Squash Seeds »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Renard

    May 17, 2025 at 7:04 am

    Flatten each ball into a flatter UFO shape gave my daughter a good laugh! Thanks, I've been looking for a recipe without potatoes for a while

    Reply
  2. Lisa

    March 24, 2025 at 6:26 pm

    4 stars
    Mine came out a little dry but I paired with chipotle aioli and they were great! I added Old Bay to the mix for a little extra kick.

    Reply
  3. Chris

    January 18, 2025 at 1:00 pm

    5 stars
    These came out great for me! I added an extra egg because mine weren’t holding together super well, but hey I got some extra protein in there!

    I served with a raising cane’s copycat sauce just from stuff I had on hand.

    Reply
    • Aimee

      January 19, 2025 at 3:45 pm

      Sounds delicious! I love Raising Cane's sauce. :)

      Reply
  4. Shameela Collier

    July 07, 2024 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe..easy to follow and 😋 tasty
    .Does the calorie count /nutritional information relate to one tuna cake\patty?

    Reply
    • Aimee

      July 07, 2024 at 3:44 pm

      Hello! Yes, it is per tuna patty in this case. Hope that's helpful!

      Reply
  5. Isa Turner

    May 31, 2024 at 6:08 pm

    2 stars
    Tasted bland I would add garlic salt instead of powder i had to add chick fila special sauce to make it taste better

    Reply
    • Aimee

      May 31, 2024 at 6:58 pm

      Appreciate the comment and feedback!

      Reply
4.74 from 60 votes (56 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hello!

foodbanjo-authors
Hi! I'm Aimee, and I'm so glad you stopped by! I love sharing easy recipes that are flavorful and delicious.
Read more about Food Banjo!

Air Fryer

Air fryer pigs in a blanket on a white plate

Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket

potstickers in a bowl

Air Fryer Ling Ling Potstickers

Air fryer pizza quesadilla on a white plate topped with chopped basil leaves.

Air Fryer Pizza Quesadilla

Flaky air fryer blackened cod.

Air Fryer Blackened Cod

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Nutrition Disclaimer

Recipes

  • Air fryer recipes
  • Ninja Creami recipes
  • Recipes for one
  • Recipes for two

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Food Banjo® and Raspberry Picnic LLC

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.