Perfect Soft-Boiled Scotch Eggs (Air Fryer Recipe)

Scotch Eggs - crisp, savory sausage encasing creamy soft-boiled eggs - are quintessential British pub faire; perfect for brunching, munching, and picnicking. Now you can easily make perfect Scotch Eggs at home in your air fryer! 

Jump to:

• What is a Scotch Egg?
• What Goes into this Recipe
• How to Boil a Perfect Egg for Scotch Eggs
• How to Make Air-fryer Scotch Eggs
• FAQs & Expert Tips
• Related Recipes
• Perfect Soft-Boiled Scotch Eggs (Air Fryer Recipe)

What is a Scotch Egg?

In its most basic form, a Scotch egg is a soft or hard-boiled egg wrapped in ground sausage, then coated with bread crumbs and baked or deep fried. Scotch eggs have a long history in London and beyond as a tidy, handheld snack item; perfect for pocketing and picnicking. 

The origin of Scotch Eggs is as foggy as a cold morning on Loch Ness, but that’s about as close to Scotland as they come. While it is generally agreed that Scotch Eggs originated in London, theories - dating back as early as mid-18th century - abound as to the actual genesis of these savory, protein-rich balls-o-breakfast.

Claims have been linked to everything from Indian koftas to Scots Guards stationed at London's Wellington Barracks. One particularly distressing account, from the Culinary Delights of Yorkshire, alleges they are a Yorkshire creation and were originally wrapped in fish paste rather than sausage meat. (Fish paste. That's a hard No for me.) 

Today in the UK, you can buy Scotch eggs everywhere from pubs to grocery stores to gas stations. In the US, Scotch eggs are known more as a Sunday brunch item and Renaissance faire staple. They can be found on British-style pub menus as well, usually offered with dipping sauces on the side. 

Until recently, for those who eschew deep-frying at home, Scotch eggs have been reserved for once in a blue moon. However, with the dawn of air-frying, making them at home has never been easier. 

What Goes into this Recipe

Scotch Egg Ingredient Notes 

• Eggs: This recipe is based on using USDA large eggs [EU size M]. If you use different size eggs, the boiling and cooking times may need to be adjusted. 

• Jimmy Dean Sausage: The cooking times are based on using one pound of Jimmy Dean regular pork sausage. If you use more or less, or use a sausage with a different fat content, cooking times and/or temperatures may vary. 

• Wondra: Wondra is finely ground flour that has been pre-cooked and dried. Ultra-light, Wondra is lower in protein and gluten than all-purpose flour, which all translates into a light and crispy crust for fried foods. 

You can use all-purpose flour in place of the Wondra in this recipe, but your results may not be as crispy. 

• Panko Breadcrumbs: The texture of panko makes it especially suited for fried food because it absorbs less oil than regular breadcrumbs, keeping food more crisp and crunchy. Panko crumbs brown up evenly and consistently, even in an air-fryer! 

How to Boil a Perfect Egg for Scotch Eggs

Personal preference dictates how long to boil your eggs. Mr B and I typically eat Scotch eggs for breakfast (or brunch) with a knife and fork, and prefer our eggs creamy and runny: a 6-minute egg is usually perfect for us. Simply increase your boiling time if you prefer a more solid center. 

How to make a Perfect 6-Minute Egg

1. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. (Do not remove your eggs from the refrigerator until your water has boiled.)
2. Remove eggs from refrigerator and use a slotted spoon to carefully place them into boiling water. Do not crowd eggs in pan.
3. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for EXACTLY 6 minutes. While eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath for the eggs in a large bowl. 
4. After 6 minutes, use the slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the boiling water and immediately submerge them in the prepared ice bath for 10 minutes to halt the cooking process. 

Now you're ready to cover the your eggs with sausage!

How Egg-Boiling Time Affects Scotch Eggs

Results of the eggy centers differ, depending upon how long you boil the eggs. A 6-minute Scotch egg is perfect for eating on a plate with a knife and fork. However, if you plan to pack your Scotch Egg for picnicking and eat it by hand (also perfectly acceptable!) you may want to increase the boiling time to somewhere between seven and nine minutes to avoid unwanted drips. 

How to Make Air-fryer Scotch Eggs

The Trickiest Step: How to Successfully Cover a Wobbly Soft-Boiled Egg with Sausage

Be sure to watch the demonstration in our Scotch Egg Video for a simple technique for doing this step!

Covering soft, wobbly boiled eggs with sausage can be challenging, but it's easier if you know a few simple tricks. 

First, divide the sausage into 6 equal portions, each weighing 2⅓ ounces [66 grams].

I encourage you to use a kitchen scale for this step: the cooking times for this recipe are calculated based on using a specific type and amount of sausage. If you use too much or too little, or use a sausage with a different fat content, your cooking times may be different.

Roll each portion into a ball, and place in refrigerator.

TIP: Slightly wetting your hands before forming the balls will keep the sausage from sticking as much. You want damp hands, but not so wet that they are dripping. 

GENTLY peel the prepared soft-boiled eggs. Six-minute eggs require a delicate hand; unlike hard-boiled eggs, the yolk inside is too soft to offer any resistance against the white while being peeled, so they will break if you are too rough taking off the shell. 

Once the eggs are peeled, rinse each one and use a paper towel to carefully pat it dry. (Sausage sticks much more easily to a dry egg than it does a slippery, wet one.) When eggs are dried, set aside. 

The eggs I used here were fresher than I had hoped: older eggs are easier to peel. When I make deviled eggs, gnarly eggs are a real concern; however, I don't really worry about how the eggs look when making Scotch Eggs, because any rough spots will be covered up with sausage. 

To cover an egg with sausage, start with one prepared egg and one cold sausage ball. (Watch Video below!)

1. Place meatball in the center of a parchment square. Gently pat the meatball down until you have an oval that is about a ¼-inch thick, and roughly 3 eggs long and 2 eggs wide. 
2. Place the parchment square in your palm. Gently lay a cold, dry, soft-boiled egg on top of the sausage oval, with the ends of the egg perpendicular to the long sides of the oval.
3. Carefully  pull the sausage away from the parchment as you wrap it around the egg. Continue until the sausage has completely released from the parchment and the egg is covered with sausage. I do this by folding the two sides into the middle, and them pressing the meat out to the sides. Don't be too concerned about the oval being perfect; it's just a starting point.
4. Pinch off the thick sausage points that will form at each end as the oval is sealed. Check the egg carefully for areas where the sausage may be too thin or too thick. Even them out using the sausage you pinched from the ends.
5. When the sausage appears to be distributed uniformly around the egg, gently pass the egg carefully from one hand to the other a couple of times, allowing the warmth of your palms to smooth the outside surface a bit and the gentle pressure to even out any bumps or rough spots on the surface. 

Breading the Scotch Eggs

You will need three small bowls.
Bowl 1: Wondra & garlic powder. (Stir to combine.)
Bowl 2: Beaten egg.
Bowl 3: Panko crumbs, brown sugar, and chili powder.

Roll each sausage-covered egg in flour mixture [Bowl 1] and shake off excess, then dip in the beaten egg [Bowl 2], and finally roll in the Panko crumbs [Bowl 3].

When I finish rolling the eggs in the last bowl, I like to pass it carefully from one hand to the other a couple of times, to help form and structure the outside crust a bit; much like you would form a meatball, but exerting far less external pressure.

Place breaded eggs on a plate until you have enough done for one batch. (2-6 depending on the size of your air-fryer.).

Air Frying Scotch Eggs

Preheat air fryer at 380°F [193°C] for 10 minutes.

Set the scotch eggs on the bottom of your air fryer basket. Be sure to leave generous space around each one for air to circulate.

Air-fry eggs for 12 minutes, turning halfway through for more even browning.

See NOTES for alternate cooking times.

FAQs & Expert Tips

Scotch Egg Cooking Times (Soft-cooked Center)

In all cases, follow instructions for 6-minute soft-boiled eggs in this recipe.

These cooking times are based on using a specific size egg, and type and amount of pork sausage. If you change any of these factors, you may need to adjust your cooking times.

Once eggs are boiled and have had their 10-minute ice bath, you may [A] wrap and bread the scotch eggs immediately, [B] prepare them to be cooked up to 24 hours later, or [C] refrigerate the prepared eggs and wrap, bread, and fry them up to three days later.

A. For Eggs completely prepped right before Air-Frying [No Refrigeration], cook 12 minutes in a preheated air-fryer, turning once halfway through cooking.
B. For Eggs completely prepped and then refrigerated up to 24 hours before Air-Frying, cook 13 minutes in a preheated air-fryer, turning once halfway through cooking.
Note that prepping ahead of time will result in a slight change in the egg white's color (it will turn a bit gray), but has no affect on flavor or texture.
C. For Eggs boiled and refrigerated in shell, then wrapped and breaded right before air-frying, cook 13 minutes in a preheated air-fryer, turning once halfway through cooking.
Always allow Scotch Eggs to stand for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Serve Scotch Eggs as is, or with your favorite dipping sauce (i.e., Whole Grain Mustard, Sriracha-Mayo, or Honey-Mustard Sauce, etc.).

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