Healthier Real Scotch Egg

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 02/12/21
Healthier Real Scotch Egg

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 9 mins
Resting time: 15 mins
Total: 39 mins
Servings: 4 servings

The Scotch egg recipe I first learned as a schoolgirl fell out of favor in recent years, I am guessing because the one I was taught was heavily breaded and then deep-fried. The 21st century Scotch egg, however, is lighter, uses free-range eggs, good quality sausage meat, fresh herbs and light crumbs for the coating and is only lightly fried, then baked in the oven. I for one am glad to see it back.

Scotch eggs are a neat, portable, self-contained parcel of food, the only other so handy is the Cornish Pasty and both of which are perfect in a lunch box, at a summer picnic, a party or as a snack. 

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
  • 1 cup/225 grams sausage (skinless)
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 spring onions (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped, or any other fresh herb that takes your fancy)
  • Optional: 1 pinch mace
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (home-made dry breadcrumbs or a good quality crumb such as Panko)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Healthier Real Scotch Egg ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Place the eggs in a pan of boiling water and cook for exactly 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and plunge into iced water to stop them cooking. Once cool, peel the eggs and put to one side.

    boiled eggs in a bowl

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Dust the hard-boiled eggs by rolling them in the seasoned flour.

    Dust the hard-boiled eggs by rolling them in the seasoned flour

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Place the sausage meat in a large bowl, add the Worcestershire sauce, spring onions, fresh herbs, and mace, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

    Place the sausage meat in a large bowl, add the Worcestershire sauce, spring onions, fresh herbs, and mace

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Divide the sausage meat into 4 equal portions.

    Divide the sausage meat into 4 equal portions

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Form each portion into a flat cake large enough to fit around the egg. Work the sausage meat around the egg as evenly as possible whilst working hard to keep the egg shape and making sure there are no cracks. Place the meat coated eggs on a plate in the fridge for 15 minutes.

    Place the meat coated eggs on a wood cutting board

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Pre heat oven to 190 C / 375 F. Roll the eggs first in the seasoned flour, followed by the beaten egg, then into the crumbs and press lightly.

    Roll the eggs first in the seasoned flour, followed by the beaten egg, then into the crumbs and press lightly

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Heat 4 cm / 1 1/2" of oil in a deep frying pan. Heat the oil to 180 C / 350 F (or until a cube of bread turns golden brown) in less than a minute. Place the coated eggs in the oil, raise the heat slightly and cook the eggs, turning frequently for 3 minutes. Remove the eggs and then place on a tray.

    fry the scotch eggs

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Put eggs in into the preheated oven for 6 minutes or until golden brown all over.

    Put eggs in into the preheated oven

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm or cool if for a picnic or lunch box.

    Healthier Real Scotch Egg on a paper towel

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
306 Calories
15g Fat
27g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 306
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 288mg 96%
Sodium 754mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Protein 16g
Calcium 122mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)