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Nothing beats a golden gluten free scotch egg! A soft boiled egg encased in herby sausage meat and gluten free breadcrumbs, then deep fried for a golden look.
You just cannot beat a perfect homemade scotch egg and they’re remarkably easy to make.
If you’re wary of deep fat frying, I have methods for air fryer scotch eggs and baked scotch eggs below too.
These tasty treats are perfect for a picnic or lunchbox if you have coeliac disease and can be eaten hot or cold.
They’re very versatile and ideal for lunch on-the-go, perfect for children’s school lunchboxes or lunch al-desko.
Bake up a batch of gluten free sausage rolls to go with them and you’ve basically got the gluten free picnic of DREAMS.
Are scotch eggs gluten free?
Because scotch eggs are made with a breadcrumb coating, they are not usually gluten free.
You may find there is also gluten in the sausagemeat as well.
If you see scotch eggs being served up at a buffet, I’d recommend steering well clear.
You used to be able to buy gluten free scotch eggs in Marks and Spencer but these were discontinued quite some years ago.
It’s a shame because they were a great alternative to a gluten free sandwich when you wanted lunch.
But don’t worry, making your own gluten free scotch eggs at home is really easy and much better than any shop-bought one.
Gluten free scotch eggs ingredients
To make these gluten free scotch eggs you need only a few ingredients.
There’s a full printable recipe card below with the ingredients and full method, but for the shopping list you’ll need:
- Eggs – Essential for the centre of the scotch egg! I use UK large eggs for this but you could use medium eggs if you prefer.
- Gluten free bread – you’ll need this to make the breadcrumbs. This is a great way to use up any stale bread and you can freeze excess breadcrumbs too. I use a white gluten free bread but any will work.
- Plain Gluten Free Flour – You’ll need gluten free flour to coat both the egg and the sausagemeat. The flour binds with beaten egg to help ‘glue’ the breadcrumbs on. Any plain or all purpose gluten free flour will work.
- Gluten Free Sausages – Most supermarket sausages nowadays are gluten free but always check as some do contain wheat. I prefer to use a good quality pork sausage with a high meat content.
- Herbs – Dried sage and thyme add extra flavour to the sausagemeat in my scotch eggs recipe. However if you’re using a herby of flavoured sausage you can omit these.
- Oil – You’ll need around 1 litre of vegetable or sunflower oil for frying. It needs to be approx. 5cm (2 inches) deep in the pan.
Gluten Free Scotch Eggs FAQs
Below I’ve tried to answer some of the most common questions I get asked about making scotch eggs gluten free.
Can I make these scotch eggs dairy free?
As well as being gluten free, these scotch eggs are easy to make dairy free.
Simply ensure the gluten free bread you’re using doesn’t contain milk, and double check the sausages too.
Otherwise the rest of the ingredients are naturally dairy free.
Can I make vegetarian gluten free scotch eggs?
If you want a meat-free version of my gluten free scotch eggs you could use a vegetarian sausage instead.
Vegan sausages that try to closely replicate the texture of meat will probably work best for this recipe.
Just ensure they are also completely gluten free.
Can you make scotch eggs in the air fryer?
If you want a lighter version of this scotch egg recipe without the deep-fat frying, the good news is you CAN make them in the air fryer.
Making air fryer scotch eggs is actually really easy, without all the oil needed for frying.
Follow the method below for constructing the scotch eggs, and then spray the air fryer basket with spray oil.
Place the scotch eggs into the basket, then spray them with a little extra oil.
Air fry for 12 minutes at 185’C, turning half way. You can then eat them hot or cold.
Can you make baked scotch eggs?
If you don’t want to deep fry your scotch eggs you can also make baked scotch eggs instead.
Follow the method in the recipe card below for constructing the scotch eggs and then preheat the oven to 200C / Fan 180C / Gas Mark 6.
Bake on a lined baking tray until golden brown, around 30-35 minutes. Eat them hot or cold.
How to get a runny yolk in scotch eggs?
For a runny yolk, I’ve found the best results come from boiling the eggs for 5-6 minutes, and then cooling them straight away.
Peel the eggs very gently and just be careful when wrapping them in the sausage meat – you don’t want to break them and burst the yolks.
You’ll need to handle them with care but it can be done if you’ve got the patience and a light touch!
I’d recommend if it’s the first time you’re making these, boil your eggs for slightly longer (7 mins or so) for a practice run, so you can get used to making them.
How to stop the sausage meat sticking to your hands?
Another trick is to wet your hands with cold water when handling the sausage meat.
This stops the sausage meat from sticking to your hands and makes the process a lot easier.
You can also flatten the sausage meat in clingfilm to make it easier to handle.
But I prefer the wet hands approach as there is less waste involved!
How to make gluten free scotch eggs
Making scotch eggs gluten free only takes a few simple steps. There’s a printable recipe card below but here is a brief overview of the process.
Firstly boil your eggs, then cool them, peel, and dust with gluten free flour.
Use your hands to carefully shape the sausage meat around the boiled eggs, before rolling in the GF flour, egg and then GF breadcrumbs.
Once you’ve done this, deep fry your scotch eggs for the most amazing gluten free lunch!
My gluten free scotch eggs recipe
So here we have it, my recipe for gluten free scotch eggs, which makes four golden, gorgeous portions.
I’d highly recommend picking up a food thermometer if making this on the stove without a deep fat fryer.
It’s a much safer way of working with hot oil and they’re very inexpensive – this is the one I use.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
Gluten Free Scotch Eggs
These gluten free scotch eggs are so simple and only require a couple of ingredients. They're quick to make and make an excellent gluten free lunch or picnic staple. This recipe makes 4 Scotch eggs.
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- 4 slices white gluten free bread
- 3-4 tbsp plain gluten free flour
- Salt and Pepper
- 6 gluten free pork sausages
- ½ tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Oil for frying (around 1 litre – you want this to be approx. 5cm (2 inches) deep in the pan)
Instructions
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and add four eggs. Boil for seven minutes (or 5 minutes if you want a runny yolk) then remove from the boil and place the eggs straight into ice cold water. Allow them to cool completely and then carefully peel them. Note – if you’re aiming for runny eggs, be careful, as they might be a bit more delicate!
- Add the gluten free bread slices to a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Turn out onto a large plate and spread into an even layer
- On a second plate, add the gluten free flour, season generously with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Spread the flour out evenly over the plate surface.
- On a third plate, crack an egg and lightly beat until mixed.
- Remove the skins from the sausages and discard. Place the sausage meat in a bowl and add salt and pepper, dried sage and dried thyme. Mix together with your hands (or a fork) until the herbs are combined through the mixture.
- Take a quarter of the mixture (the best way to do this is to place the empty bowl on the scales and zero them, add the mixture and then divide the weight the by four, so you know you’re getting an even split for each Scotch egg) and roll it into a ball. Using your hands, press the ball out into a thin oval shape, around 1cm thick. It may be easier to do this between two sheets of clingfilm, or wet your hands to stop the sausage meat sticking.
- Take one of the eggs and lightly dust it in the gluten free flour. Place in the centre of the sausage meat oval and use your hands to gently bring the sausage meat together around the edge, pinching any lose bits together. Wetting your hands helps with this and you’ll want to be gentle if you’re using runny eggs, so you don’t break them!
- Once the sausage meat is completely sealed around the egg, roll it first in the flour mix, and then in the beaten egg. Finally roll it in the breadcrumbs, using your hands to press the breadcrumbs into the meat, ensure it stays sealed when frying. Place to one side and repeat with all of the eggs.
- Add the oil to a large saucepan so that it is approx. 5cm (inches) deep and place on a medium heat. Bring the oil to 160’C - I’d highly recommend using a food thermometer for this for safety. If you don’t have one, the oil is ready when you drop a couple of breadcrumbs in and they rise to the surface, sizzling and turning golden.
- One-at-a-time-, carefully lower the Scotch eggs into the oil using a slotted spoon. I like to cook two at a time due to the size of my pan – you need to ensure they are not touching each other. Set a time for eight minutes, and every two minutes gently turn the Scotch eggs over.
- After eight minutes they should be lovely and golden all over. Use the slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the oil, draining off any drips, and then place on kitchen towels to cool slightly. Repeat with the rest of the Scotch eggs if cooking in batches.
- Once they are all cooked, enjoy the Scotch eggs warm or leave them to cool in the fridge – they’ll keep for a couple of days and are perfect for picnics! I like to serve them up with ketchup or some gluten free piccalilli.
Notes
- These will store for 2-3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Make sure you're super careful when peeling the eggs - for a softer yolk boil for just 5 minutes but be aware the eggs will be fragile so will require some care when handling!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 402Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 262mgSodium: 588mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 18g
Need more gluten free picnic ideas?
I’m trying to build a whole collection of gluten free lunch recipes, so if there is anything you’d like to see, please give me a shout in the comments!
Here are a few ideas you might like to try…
- Gluten free smoked salmon and chive egg muffins
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Watermelon and Feta Salad
- Gluten free sausage rolls
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
LIKE THIS GLUTEN FREE SCOTCH EGGS RECIPE?
Make sure you pin these recipe cards below for later!
