Easy Tuna Croquettes (Air Fryer)
Quickly make these Tuna Croquettes in the Air Fryer with canned tuna, mashed potatoes, and a crispy Panko coating. An under-5-ingredient, budget-friendly, and perfectly healthy bite for the whole family!
Treat yourself to these air-fried Tuna Croquettes with a crispy crunch without all the oil! Made with just four simple ingredients: canned tuna, potato, panko breadcrumbs, and a light spray of olive oil, these croquettes are ready in under 20 minutes, making them a quick family favorite. Bonus: They freeze beautifully, so you can always prepare a backup meal for the kids. Convenience and flavor in one delicious dish—perfect for busy days!
Air Fryer to the Rescue
Air fryers are a new mom’s best friend. It was a great revelation to make my family healthy yet appealing food in no time! It brings this nice crunch everyone loves without all the oil. Plus, it takes half the time as with the oven. However, the one thing I’ve learned with my air fryer is to always coat some food with olive oil before cooking. It’s not much; just a little spray is all you need! Otherwise, this machine dries up food relatively fast. This recipe is also suitable for the oven; it requires double the time at the same temperature, and voila! It will be slightly less crispy but as delicious!
Type of Tuna
Bonito is a small Tuna in the Northern Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas. It is considered to have a lower mercury level, just like the Skipjack in Light Tuna cans in the USA. Mercury levels are high in Albacore, yellowfin, and Big Eye tunas. So, keep an eye on the type of tuna you buy, especially if you feed it to kids.
In Spain, tuna is often canned and conserved in olive oil, which is perfect for this recipe! Ensure the canned tuna you choose is preserved in olive oil, not brine. You’ll need the extra fat to bring taste to your fritters. Alternatively, you could substitute the Tuna fish for any canned fish, like salmon, crab, or leftovers.
To Serve with
A lovely butternut squash soup or any soup would be a great side dish for these fritters. Even a simple side of Broccoli or caramelized carrots would do wonders here! A green salad would go well for the grown-ups!
Other Air-Fried Bites Ideas
Tuna Croquettes (Air Fryer)
Equipment
- Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 1 big potato russet style
- 80 g canned tuna in olive oil
- 50 g panko or normal breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start by boiling the potato.
- Take off the skin with a paper towel.
- Add the potato to a bowl with the tuna, oil, salt, and black pepper, and mash it.
- Oil your hands, form the croquettes, and cover them in Panko breadcrumbs.
- Add the croquettes to the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes, or bake in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Did You Make This Recipe?
Share your thoughts on it! Leave a comment or share a picture and tag me @littlenomadsrecipes on Instagram.
I always have canned tuna in the house. What a great idea. This would be an awesome party appetizer.
Easy breezy recipe, and easy to make ahead and freeze for those last minute dinner ideas.
So glad you mentioned BLW – I have a few friends in that stage now. Will be sharing with them!
It’s not in the post, but this recipe was inspired by my baby-led weaning book! Kids loved the texture of these croquettes!
Oooo! I love the looks and sound of these. I have a new oven and it has a built-in air fryer that I need to figure out. I can’t wait b/c I really want to try these – they look fab!
Thanks, Patricia! They do look extra nice because of their remarkable designed can, too!
I made these for my boys and they loved it! Such a tasty dish for the family for a weeknight.
Glad I could help! Thanks for stopping by!
Are babies allowed to eat tuna?
Hi and thank you for you question! It’s a good one that needs to be talked about. Depending on where you live, tuna is mostly recommended, Health Canada recommend 75g for babies 1-4 yo, the NHS (UK) recommend it to babies, while the FDA (USA) suggest the light Tuna cans which are made with smaller tunas (meaning less mercury) as part of their ‘Best Choice’ type of fish. Although, the amount recommended for kids under 2 years old isn’t clear in the USA. Also, to start slowly with fish, being an allergen, start with small quantities and keep an eye on baby the first times he ingest it, to make sure he’s not allergic. So, hope I could help out, ultimately it’s a personal choice.