Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Butter Bean and Feta Fritters
Butter beans are a fantastic choice for fritters, as their creamy centres contrast beautifully with a crisp exterior. The air fryer is perfect for this dish, ensuring the fritters brown nicely without excess oil, while keeping the feta intact.
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed well, then patted dry
- 100g feta, crumbled into small pieces
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 35g plain flour, plus 1 tbsp extra if the mixture feels loose
- 45g panko breadcrumbs (or fresh white breadcrumbs dried for 5 minutes in a low oven)
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp lemon zest, plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, depending on how salty your feta is
- Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus oil spray for the basket and tops
Method
- Drain the butter beans, rinse away the canning liquid, then spread them on kitchen paper and pat them dry.
- Put the beans in a bowl and mash roughly with a fork or potato masher until about two-thirds are crushed and a few chunky pieces remain.
- Add the feta, beaten egg, flour, panko, spring onions, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Mix with a fork until evenly combined, pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl if any beans remain whole.
- Test the texture by squeezing a heaped tablespoon of mixture in your hand. Adjust with more breadcrumbs or water/yoghurt if needed.
- Shape into 8 compact patties, about 55–60g each, and chill on a tray for 15–20 minutes while the air fryer preheats to 190°C.
- Lightly spray the air-fryer basket or perforated liner with oil. Arrange the fritters in a single layer with space between them, then spray the tops with oil.
- Air fry at 190°C for 7 minutes. Check that the undersides have set before turning.
- Turn the fritters gently with tongs or a thin spatula, spray the second side lightly with oil, then cook for a further 4–6 minutes until crisp, golden and hot through.
- Rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
