Quick and Easy Air Fryer Scotch Eggs

Name: Quick and Easy Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: ▢ 1 pound bulk pork breakfast sausage; ▢ 6 medium-size eggs boiled; ▢ 2 eggs beaten; ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour; ▢ 1 cup breadcrumbs

by All that's Jas

6 eggs

30 min

These amazing air-fried Scotch Eggs are lower in fat and calories than deep-fried. Best of all, these delicious sausage-wrapped boiled eggs are easy to make and cook in minutes!

Boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, breaded, and fried or baked are trendy pub food, game-day party appetizers, and favorite on-the-go bite. You can also buy them ready to eat from the supermarkets in the UK, but nothing beats homemade food.

There are several different theories about the origin of this dish. Some say they were invented in London by the department store Fortnum & Mason in the 18th century.

Others believe that their source is in Yorkshire. So, perhaps these little "bird's nests" are not Scottish, but they are incredibly delicious!

Typically, Scotch eggs are made with hard-boiled eggs, and that's how I prefer them too (nothing more off-putting for me than runny egg yolks).

However, you want to prevent the eggs from overcooking, as they will continue to cook in the air fryer and end up with that ugly green hue around the yolk.

Below is my method for soft and hard-boiled eggs, in which I add them to cold water. Another option is boiling the water first. You can read more about that in this article.

Soft-Boiled/Runny Yolk

If you love your yolk soft or runny, it's best to undercook the egg. Place in a pot with cold water with one teaspoon of salt (it prevents the egg from seeping out if there's a crack in the shell), and cook them on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes after coming to a boil. Transfer them to a bowl with ice water, rest until completely cooled (this helps them peel easier), or run them under cold water for 5 minutes.
You could also soft "boil" them in your air fryer for 10 minutes instead.
Soft-boiled eggs are easier to handle if they've been refrigerated first.

Hard-Boiled

Place the eggs in a pot with cold water with one teaspoon of salt and cook them on medium heat for 6-7 minutes after coming to a boil.
Transfer them to a bowl with ice water and allow them to cool completely in the ice water, or run them under cold water for 5 minutes.
Remember, the egg will continue cooking in the air fryer!

If you don't have an air fryer, we have included other cooking methods in the original post (click the link below to follow).

Quick and Easy Air Fryer Scotch Eggs

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Recipe details

Yield 6 eggs
Time spent: Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 15 Minutes Total time: 30 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Instructions

Put six eggs into a saucepan, cover with cold water (an inch above the eggs) and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, turn heat to medium-low and simmer for four minutes.
Transfer them into a large bowl of ice water for at least 10 minutes. Peel and pat dry with kitchen paper towels.
Meanwhile, divide the sausage into six equal pieces; flatten meat between your hands or between two pieces of cling wrap. You'll need to end up with a shape large enough to cover the egg.
Roll the boiled and peeled egg in flour, then place it in the center of the flattened sausage ball. Lift to roll the meat layer around the egg evenly, closing up the gaps with your fingers. Dip the coated egg in flour, then into the beaten eggs, then into the panko.
Place the eggs in your air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 13-15 minutes, turning once halfway through until golden brown. Depending on the size of your fryer, you may need to cook in batches. Do not overcrowd!
Carefully remove the Scotch eggs with tongs and allow them to stand for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Tips

Instead of breakfast sausage, which is already seasoned, use ground pork and add seasonings and herbs to taste. Check out our substitutions and suggestions in the Ingredients section of the post above.
Instead of your hands, you can also use a rolling pin to roll out the meat between two pieces of cling wrap until it's large enough to encase an egg.
If you want an extra crispy outer layer, coat them twice, skipping the flour the second time, and only dipping them into the egg and then breadcrumbs.
To keep the sausage from sticking to your hands, slightly wet them (damp, not dripping) before forming the balls.
You can assemble them a day ahead and cook before serving.

Comments

Nicole P on Apr 11, 2021

Looks absolutely delicious!

1 Reply
- All that's Jas on Jun 08, 2021
  
  Thank you so much, Nicole!
  
  Like
Deena Panjabi on Apr 12, 2021

Awesome

2 Reply