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This oven baked turkey scotch eggs recipe is a healthier version of traditional Scotch eggs recipe.
Peeled soft boiled eggs are wrapped in raw ground turkey and breaded in buttery panko bread crumbs. Scotch eggs are then baked in the oven instead of deep fried.
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What are Scotch Eggs?
Traditionally, scotch eggs were made with fish paste wrapped around the peeled egg and then fried or baked. Nowadays, scotch eggs are generally hard boiled eggs made with ground or minced sausage and deep fried.
This recipe attempts a healthier scotch egg version by switching to a leaner ground turkey meat. Then the scotch eggs are baked instead of fried.
Scotch eggs originated in Whitby, England. So, no, Scotch eggs are not really Scottish. Although, they are a popular snack / pub / picnic food in both Scotland and England. They are called "Scotties" in Scotland.
Troubleshooting The Yolks On Oven Baked Scotch Eggs
I like to play with the softness level of the egg to attempt to get a little run and ooze out of the yolk. Having said that, if you make the eggs hard boiled, do not fret, as that's how they are traditionally made anyway.
Making scotch eggs the first time can be a little challenging if going for a runny yolk as the eggs are harder to peel when they are soft boiled.
Because of the frustration associated with peeling soft boiled eggs, I recommend boiling the eggs a little longer while learning this recipe to avoid any frustration with the whites.
If the egg whites end up undercooked, try to throw them back in boiling water to cook more or set them aside for tomorrow's breakfast and start over with new eggs.
This baked turkey scotch egg is very easy if you don't fret about getting the eggs on the soft boiled side.
Nerd Alert: Cooking time is always dependent on the BTU's (power) of the stovetop, the size of the eggs, and the size of the pot. It's better to have hard boiled eggs than to be frustrated, especially when learning this scotch egg recipe.
Browning The Breadcrumbs
Cook the breadcrumbs in butter on the stovetop until desired brownness.
There may be extra bread crumbs after rolling the eggs with turkey in them. Throw the extra breadcrumbs on the sheet pan with the turkey scotch eggs as they cook.
They will really brown up / toast and make an excellent addition as a crisp salad or vegetable garnish. Or throw the extra bread crumbs over your scotch eggs (pictured above).
Variations on Baked Turkey Scotch Eggs
The herbs and spices are optional in the breading for scotch eggs. Use them specifically or use your favorite herbs.
I've used Italian seasoning, oregano, thyme, ground curry, or rosemary. Omit the cayenne pepper if sensitive to heat.
Additionally, ground sausage or ground beef can be substituted for the ground turkey.
Increase the baking time for ground sausage by a couple minutes or until it's cooked through (slice into the meat if unsure).
How To Cook and Peel A Hard Boiled Egg
Plenty of great cooks/chefs have their preferred way to make a hard boiled egg. This boiled egg recipe works for me nearly all the time, although there are the occasional outliers.
I use just water (no vinegar, no baking soda, and no holes poked in the egg). I have learned that the faster the egg cools (ice water bath is a MUST) and how long it stays in the cold water in the fridge (at least 20 minutes) are the defining factors for easier egg peeling.
The best advice for the most consistency I can give is to plunge the cooked eggs in ice water and let sit at least 20 minutes. This will pull the egg shell and membrane a little bit away from the egg and SHOULD make it easier to peel.
Lastly, gently crack theentireegg gently and seduce the peel off with your gentle touch and patience! This is easiest to do under a gentle flow from the water faucet which helps push the shell away from the egg. Once you're in there, peel away!
Eggs aren’t peeling and playing nice? Bummer… Take a breathe and do the best you can.
Older eggs are generally easier to peel, so use older eggs first.
Serve turkey scotch eggs over asaladand garnish with any leftover cooked bread crumbs. These are also great snacks for a picnic or outing because they are easy hand held food.
You May Also Like
Looking for more St. Patrick's Day recipes? Along with some other classic Irish recipes, you can never go wrong with a Reuben Sandwich!
- Easy Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Potato Leek Bisque / Soup
- Ground Beef Cottage Pie
- Lamb And Pearl Barley Stew
- Irish Beef and Stout Stew
- The Best Reuben Sandwich
Things In My Kitchen:
- Fish spatula- Perfectly thin for lifting the sticky turkey off a plate or cutting board.
- "Jellyroll" Baking Sheets- Affordable, good reviews, and two of them to boot.
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Oven Baked Turkey Scotch Eggs
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EatSimpleFood.com
This recipe is my healthy version of a traditional Scotch egg. It's a soft boiled egg, wrapped in turkey, breaded in a buttery panko and baked in the oven instead of fried.
- Author: beckie
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop / Oven
- Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ cup Japanese panko (this is thicker than regular panko)
- ½ tsp dried thyme, divided
- pinch black pepper
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place 4 eggs in a cold pot of water. Cover and bring to a boil (usually ~5-7 minutes). Once the water is boiling ( whether that takes 5 minutes or 7 minutes or however long), remove from heat and let sit for 4 minutes.
- Place eggs in an ice water bath and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
- These eggs are soft boiled and therefore, will be hard to peel. Have patience and don't panic if you see the yolk - it is still relatively strong on the outside so should be ok if you don't squish the heck out of it! If it's too much for you boil the eggs for another 4 minutes and they will be harder. See notes above or below for troubleshooting.
- Bring a small pan to medium heat and add butter, panko, ¼ teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pinch black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring consistently, or until panko is golden brown to your desired color. Set aside.
- Mix together ground turkey, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, sage, ¾ teaspoon salt, pinch black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Form 4 "thinnish" patties and place on a cutting board or flat surface.
- Place a cooked peeled egg in the middle of each. Lift the patty up (I find a fish spatula super helpful for this job because the turkey is so moist) and GENTLY "coerce" the turkey around the egg. Be patient. Be zen.
- Gently roll the egg in the pan of breadcrumbs until covered and lay on lined baking sheet. Repeat.
- Bake for ~23 minutes if you want a little egg yolk to run when you cut it up. If not serving right away, the yolk will harden up as it cools. Enjoy! Beckie
Notes
- You will have extra bread crumbs. Throw them on the sheet pan with the turkey scotch eggs. They will brown up and make an excellent addition as a crisp salad or vegetable garnish OR you can throw the toasty breadcrumbs back on the scotch eggs.
- Make sure to plunge the cooked eggs in an ice water bath. This will help pull the membrane and egg away from the shell.
- I recommend boiling the eggs a little longer while learning this recipe to avoid any frustration with the whites. Cooking time is dependent on the BTU's (power) of the stovetop, the size of the eggs, and the size of the pot. Better to have hard boiled than to be frustrated, especially when learning. If the egg whites end up undercooked, try to throw them back in boiling water to cook more or set them aside for tomorrow's breakfast and start over with new eggs. This turkey scotch egg is very easy if you don't fret about getting the eggs on the soft boiled side.
