Air Fryer Recipe
Air Fryer Cheese and Onion Pasties
Cheese and onion pasties are a comforting British treat, perfect for air frying to achieve a golden crust without excessive oil.
Ingredients
- 250g of mature cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 500g of ready-made shortcrust pastry
- 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A pinch of mustard powder (optional)
Method
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Optionally add mustard powder.
- Mix cooled onions with grated cheese, season with salt and pepper.
- Roll out shortcrust pastry to 3mm thickness and cut out 15cm diameter circles.
- Place cheese and onion mixture in the center of each pastry circle.
- Fold pastry over filling to create a semi-circle, seal edges, and crimp with a fork. Brush with beaten egg.
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C. Cook pasties for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Why this works in an air fryer
Shortcrust browns well in the air fryer because fast convection dries the egg-washed surface while the pastry fat melts into layers. Pre-cooking the onions drives off water, so the cheese melts into a savoury filling rather than steaming the base soft or forcing leaks at the crimp.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5-6 litre basket holding 2-3 pasties with clear gaps; in a single-drawer model cook in batches on the middle of the basket, while dual-zone fryers may need 2-3 extra minutes because each smaller drawer has less airflow and more heat loss when checked.
Common pitfalls
- Pale, floury pastry at 15 minutes? The surface is too dry or under-heated: brush with a fuller egg glaze and continue at 180°C for 3-5 minutes, checking that the pasties are not touching.
- Cheese bubbling out of the crimp? The filling was overpacked or the edge was greasy: use less filling, keep a clean 1cm border, press firmly, then fork-crimp twice before glazing.
- Soggy bottom with a golden top? The onion mixture was still warm or wet: cool it fully before filling and sauté until no liquid is left in the pan; reheat the pasty upside down for 2-3 minutes to dry the base.
- Split pastry corners before browning? The pastry was rolled too thin or stretched over the filling: keep it near 3mm, avoid pulling when folding, and make a tiny steam vent on top if the filling is generous.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap half the cheddar for Red Leicester for a deeper colour and milder melt; it may brown slightly faster, so start checking from 14 minutes.
- Add finely diced cooked potato to make a cheese, onion and potato pasty; keep the pieces small and cold, as bulky filling slows the centre heating.
- Use puff pastry instead of shortcrust for a lighter, flakier pasty; cook at the same temperature but leave more space between pasties as they expand.
- Add a teaspoon of chutney or caramelised onion to each pasty for sweetness; use sparingly because extra sugar can darken the glaze before the pastry is fully cooked.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled pasties refrigerated for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 6-8 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the centre is hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
