Korean style tuna cakes are particularly popular among kids. It will make a great snack or banchan (side dishes) in their lunch box!
Until recently, I didn’t realise that there are tuna cakes (also known as tuna patties) available in another cuisine! I don’t know what influenced what, I want to share how our family enjoys tuna cakes.
Korean Style Tuna Cakes and Chamchijeon
In Korea, we have Chamchijeon (참치전). Roughly translated, it means tuna pancakes. (Though they are different to a typical Korean pancake as there isn’t much ‘batter’ so to speak.)
Chamchijeon is more thinly spread than the typical tuna cakes, and it’s reliant on egg as a glueing agent. So it is slightly eggy. (You can definitely see the egg colour in the bottom of the cake.)
Also, you don’t shape it before you cook it (like you would do for the tuna cakes or patties), but rather, you use a spoon to gently place the scoop of tuna/vegetable/egg mixture.
So why I’m telling you these here instead of spelling them out in the recipe section? Because I didn’t quite follow this traditional Korean cooking style. (Check my old tuna pancake recipe here if you want to!)
I decided to make the tuna mixture into patties, just for something different. Also, I figured it would save me some time as I don’t need to scoop out a spoonful of the mixture and turning these small cakes around during cooking sounds a bit too labour intensive for such a simple dish. 😉
By all means, if you want to try this way, go for it. Though, I would suggest, you add one more egg to the below recipe so that the mixture will hold better.
The recipe below is slightly improvised from the typical Korean cooking style, and I like it this way better.
What I love about these Korean style tuna cakes is that they are so moreish particularly when coated with panko bread crumbs and lightly fried. (Though I said that panko bread crumbs are optional below, I prefer the tuna cakes this way!) It’s delish!
It’s particularly so good when it is paired with “1 minute, 4 ingredients, Korean sweet tangy soy dipping sauce”. You may be tempted to try these tuna cakes with ketchup, tartar sauce or whatever, but I think it goes best with Korean dipping sauce. This dipping sauce is something I make to go with all the other savoury type Korean pancakes.
Another beauty of Korean style tuna cakes is that they are something that you can make with your everyday pantry ingredients. You don’t even need “KOREAN” ingredients at all.
You can serve these tuna cakes with a bowl of steamed rice as a side dish or munch down as afternoon snacks, and it will go well in a lunchbox too. You can even put them in a sandwich or a burger!
I love this versatility! I hope you do too!
P.S. If you like tuna, you might also like this. Try my Multipurpose Korean Spicy Tuna recipe!
Ingredients for Tuna Cakes (Serves 4)
Main
- 185g/6.5 ounces canned tuna (net weight of the tuna 130g/4.6 ounces, FYI, the tuna was in spring water), drained
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 20g/0.7 ounces green onion, finely chopped
- 45g/1.6 ounces brown onion, finely chopped
- 1 red cayenne chilli (15g/0.5 ounces)
- 1 green cayenne chilli (10g/0.4 ounces)
- 1 tsp all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- A few sprinkles of ground black pepper
- (optional) 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) – Use this if you love crunchy texture. It also helps with holding the tuna cake firm.
- Some cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
* You can replace the chillies with bell peppers/capsicum.
Dipping sauce (Mix these in a bowl until the sugar dissolves)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp white sugar
* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
**If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my 30 essential Korean cooking ingredients list!
How to Make Korean Tuna Cakes
1.Combine all the main ingredients (except for the panko if you’re using it, and the cooking oil) thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Divide the mixture into four sections to make 4 medium sized tuna cakes. (You can make smaller or bigger cakes per your preference. Just know that the larger the cake, the longer it takes to cook.) Make round shaped patties with each divided mixture.
2. (Optional) Coat each tuna cake with the panko.
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan (or well-seasoned cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat and add some cooking oil. (If you are using panko, add oil more generously.) Gently place the tuna cakes into the pan and cook both sides until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes each side. (Panko crumbed patties will take slightly longer to cook. For these, once both sides are golden brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook covered until the inside is cooked.)
4. Serve with the dipping sauce. (They taste best while still hot.)
Korean Style Tuna Cakes
Ingredients
MAIN
- 185 g canned tuna (net weight of the tuna 130g / 4.6 ounces) FYI, the tuna was in spring water), drained
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 20 g green onion , finely chopped
- 45 g brown onion , finely chopped
- 1 red cayenne chilli (15 g / 0.5 ounces)
- 1 green cayenne chilli (10 g / 0.4 ounces)
- 1 tsp all purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- Few sprinkles ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) optional – Use this if you love crunchy texture. It also helps with holding the tuna cake firm.
- Some cooking oil (I used rice bran oil)
DIPPING SAUCE (MIX THESE IN A BOWL UNTIL THE SUGAR DISSOLVES)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp white sugar
Instructions
- Combine all the main ingredients (except for the panko if you’re using it, and the cooking oil) thoroughly in a mixing bowl. Divide the mixture into four sections to make 4 medium sized tuna cakes. (You can make smaller or bigger cakes per your preference. Just know that the larger the cake, the longer it takes to cook.) Make round shaped patties with each divided mixture.
- (Optional) Coat each tuna cake with the panko.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan (or well-seasoned cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat and add some cooking oil. (If you are using panko, add oil more generously.) Gently place the tuna cakes into the pan and cook both sides until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes each side. (Panko crumbed patties will take slightly longer to cook. For these, once both sides are golden brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook covered until the inside is cooked.)
- Serve with the dipping sauce. (They taste best while still hot.)
Notes
Nutrition
Hi im wondering is there a gluten free alternative to the flour?
Thanks!
I’m pretty sure you can get all purpose gluten free flour from a shop. Alternatively, you can use rice flour. 🙂
Hi, these sound delicious! I wondered about making them for my son, who is 7 but he doesn’t like ANYTHING spicy. So would they still be good if you left out all of the peppers? Could you create a version with canned chicken and it still be good as well? Would love your advice. Thank you!
Hi Kelli, Yes, you can skip the peppers. If you want to add some colors, you could use bell peppers/capsicums instead. I haven’t tried it with canned chicken, so I can’t tell you much opinion on that. 🙂 Enjoy!
I haven’t made tuna patties for a long time. Alas, our Coral Hawaiian tuna is too wet and mushy and by the time you squeeze out the water(or oil), you really need two cans, so I buy a more expensive, solid-pack brand and use 2 cans anyway. I use gochugaru and finely diced jalapeño peppers since we can’t get cayenne peppers. Since you posted the recipe, I am motivated to make it again. BTW: since tuna patties can be a bit dry, I sometimes use a little mayo or even a couple of ounces of mashed tofu to add moisture.
Where do you buy brown onion?
From a regular grocery store or a green grocer. Brown onion = yellow onion. It’s the most common variety of onions, I think.
hello I tried this but my pancakes wouldn’t stick together 🙁 Do you have any tips for making them more cohesive? Thanks 🙂
Hi Zen, did you use panko? Panko should have helped.
Also/Or you can add more flour and egg to make them more cohesive.
Finally, don’t turn the pancakes around too much while cooking. Once should be sufficient. Hope they turn out better next time!
Thank you! 🙂 I didn’t use Panko- trying to be healthy – but will try that next time 🙂 my first attempt came out very dry tasting for some reason 🙁 need to practice more! Trying your spicy tuna next! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe.I love it.Btw can you add some photos?☺️
I mean more.Thank you!
I thought I added too much photos alread. 🙂
Could you make these with another kind of fish? Maybe leftover salmon?
Good question. I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work! What type of salmon would you use? Fresh? or canned? I love red salmon (canned)!
I made very similar salmon patties with my home smoked salmon. Turned out very good, but a bit dry since I put panko in the mixture too. Added some chopped capers, dill and garlic chives also. Next time will add some green/red peppers and will do a trial patty and if needed I’ll add a spoonful of mayo to the mixture.
Your smoked salmon patty sounds very delicious! Did you pair it with the dipping sauce? I found that the dipping sauce really moisten a lot. Anyway, hope your next one turns out even better! 🙂
I love Korean food and this is a must have! Cant wait to make these tonight! Thanks for the recipe!
Hope you like it, Amy! 🙂
This tuna cake looks very great and refreshing. I love Korean food. Thanks for recipe.
Im happy i found your website! Ive just recently been introduced to korean food and i would like to try my hand at a few easier dishes. Looking forward to making this recipe this week.
Hi Renee, Welcome to My Korean Kitchen! Hope you enjoy my tuna cake recipe! Let me know how you go! 😉
Hi Sue,
This recipe is definitely a keeper and I will make this soon. I feel so lucky that I found your website.
Throughout my Air Force career, I was fortunate to meet many women from Korea who introduced me to recipes like kimchi and bulgogi. Korean food is great because it is delicious and healthy.
Thank you,
Chuck
Thanks Chuck! I hope you enjoy my recipe! 🙂
This recipe is similar to my mother’s recipe. My mother is not Korean, so that’s ironic. The exception is that my mother didn’t use panko, and she only used bell peppers not the hot ones. Isn’t it amazing how different cultures can make similar dishes? I wish my mom had your dipping sauce, though. Catsup and tartar sauce aren’t as tasty.
I know, it’s amazing! I hope you get to try my tuna cake recipe with the dipping sauce! They’re seriously the best combo! 😉