These air fryer scotch eggs are really easy to make, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a delicious snack. Boiled eggs are covered with sausage meat and breadcrumbs, and air fried to crispy perfection.
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Scotch eggs are a British specialty and are commonly found at a picnic, buffet, or even in a lunch box. They are really easy to make and store really well if you prefer to cook them in bulk.
This easy scotch eggs recipe allows you to adjust the seasoning and flavors as you please, and you can use your favorite method of making the boiled eggs.
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Why you'll love it
- Easy oil free scotch eggs made from scratch
- Can be prepared in advance
- Perfect as a snack or light meal on the go
- Tastes much better than the store bought version
- Dairy free and nut free
Ingredients
Boiled eggs: You can make boiled eggs using your favorite method, and both hard boiled and soft boiled eggs work well in this recipe. Keep in mind that the egg whites need to be set, or they might fall apart when you feel them. I like to use my air fryer hard boiled eggs or Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs, but you can also boil them on the stove.
Breadcrumbs: Toasted bread crumbs give the scotch eggs a crispy coating. I like to use Panko breadcrumbs, but you can also make your own if you like.
Flour: Plain flour or all-purpose flour are perfect for this dish. It allows the sausage meat to keep its shape and helps to create the crispy coating.
Sausage: You can use any sausage meat you like. Sausage meat can be bought in most supermarkets, but you can also buy raw pork sausage, remove the casing from them, and just use the meat inside.
Raw egg: A raw egg is essential, as it allows the Panko bread crumbs to stick to the sausage meat.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Peel the boiled eggs, and use your hands to wrap the sausage meat around them in a thin, even layer. Make sure that none of the eggs are exposed.
Two: Add breadcrumbs, flour, and a cracked raw egg into three separate bowls. Use a small whisk or a fork to whisk the egg together.
Three: Dip one of the sausage balls into the bowl of flour, and roll it around until the surface is completely covered in flour.
Four: Then, place the sausage ball into the bowl with the whisked egg. Use a fork to roll the ball around until it's completely covered in a thin layer of egg. Shake off the excess egg as you lift it out of the bowl.
Five: Finally, transfer the ball to the bowl with breadcrumbs, and roll it around to cover it completely. Place the scotch egg on a plate.
Six: Repeat steps 3-5 until all of the scotch eggs are covered in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
Seven: Preheat your air fryer to 400 F / 200 C. Optionally, brush or spray some cooking oil on the sides to prevent the eggs from sticking to it. This is not necessary if you have a non-stick air frying basket.
Eight: Place scotch eggs in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave some space between each egg; you might have to cook them in two batches. Air fry for about 12 minutes, turning the eggs once halfway through cooking.
Top tips
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the sausage meat reaches a temperature of 71 C / 160 F before you remove it from the air fryer.
- Spray the scotch eggs with some olive oil spray to give them an even, golden finish.
- Make sure to thoroughly coat each scotch egg in each layer of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. This will ensure that they have a perfectly crispy coating.
- Feel free to season the sausage meat, or add seasoning to the flour if you want to change the flavor of the scotch eggs. You can also use sausage meat of any flavor that you like.
- Use tongs or a fork to transfer the scotch eggs between the different bowls as you assemble the coating.
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Serving suggestions
Scotch eggs are often served at a buffet as finger food, as a snack, at brunch, or as breakfast. Pair them with a dipping sauce, like honey mustard sauce, ketchup, or Honey BBQ Sauce.
They are also commonly enjoyed along with other traditional British picnic dishes, like Sausage Rolls, Coleslaw and Ham, Egg and Cheese Rollups.
You can also serve it as a main dish for lunch or dinner, paired with a vegetable side dish or salad.
Variations
Bacon wrapped scotch eggs: Halfway through cooking, remove the scotch eggs from the air fryer, and wrap them in 1 or 2 bacon strips. Then, continue cooking them for the remaining time.
Beef scotch eggs: Instead of sausage, you can use lean ground beef or a combination of the two. This will make them leaner and suitable for other diets.
Different seasoning: Feel free to add seasoning to the flour, or to the sausage meat if you want to adjust the flavor of the scotch eggs. For example, add black pepper, finely diced red onions, garlic paste, mixed dried herbs, Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
Different types of eggs: You can also make scotch eggs with boiled quail eggs, duck eggs, or other types of eggs. Keep in mind that eggs of various sizes will require smaller or larger amounts of the other ingredients.
Equipment
To make this recipe, you will need an air fryer. There are different types of air fryers, and they come in a variety of sizes. If your appliance is smaller, you might have to cook the scotch eggs in several batches.
Additionally, you will need tongs or a fork, and a handful of small mixing bowls.
Storage
If you want to prepare them in advance, you can store uncooked scotch eggs in a sealed container in a fridge for up to 3 days. Simply add them to your air fryer and cook them fresh before serving.
Cooked scotch eggs can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days, and reheated in an air fryer or oven at 400 F / 200 C for about 5-10 minutes, or until they are warm throughout. Keep in mind that the breadcrumb coating might be a little less crispy after refrigerating the sausage eggs.
Scotch eggs can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and defrost the eggs in a refrigerator overnight, and reheat as described above.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes! Homemade scotch eggs made in the air fryer will get just as crispy as the deep fried version, but with less grease.
Absolutely. Storebought or leftover scotch eggs can be air fried at 400 F / 200 C for about 5 minutes, or until they are warm throughout. This will give them a much better texture.
You might also like these recipes
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Air Fryer Fish Sticks
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Air Fryer Sausage
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound sausage meat
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 egg (uncooked)
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Peel the boiled eggs, and use your hands to wrap the sausage meat around them in a thin, even layer. Make sure that none of the eggs are exposed.
- Add breadcrumbs, flour and a cracked raw egg into three separate bowls. Use a small whisk or a fork to whisk the egg together.
- Dip one of the sausage balls into the bowl of flour, and roll it around until the surface is completely covered in flour.
- Then, place the sausage ball into the bowl with the whisked egg. Use a fork to roll the ball around until it's completely covered in a thin layer of egg. Shake off the excess egg as you lift it out of the bowl.
- Finally, transfer the ball to the bowl with breadcrumbs, and roll it around to cover it completely. Place the scotch egg on a plate.
- Repeat steps 3-5 until all of the scotch eggs are covered in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 F / 200 C. Optionally, brush or spray some cooking oil on the sides to prevent the eggs from sticking to it. This is not necessary if you have a non-stick air frying basket.
- Place scotch eggs in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave some space between each egg; you might have to cook them in two batches. Air fry for about 12 minutes, turning the eggs once halfway through cooking.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to add seasoning to the pork or flour, or use seasoned sausage meat.
- The sausage can be substituted with ground beef or ground pork if you prefer.
- Store cooked or uncooked scotch eggs in a fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the cooked eggs in an air fryer for about 5 minutes before serving.
- You can also freeze scotch eggs for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Food safety tips
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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