Air Fryer Recipe
Goat Cheese Croquettes
Goat cheese croquettes are a delightful dish with a crispy exterior and creamy filling, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 200g goat cheese
- 1 tbsp honey
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup plain flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil spray
Method
- In a bowl, combine goat cheese, honey, lemon zest, and thyme leaves. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Shape the mixture into small balls approximately 1 inch in diameter.
- Place flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes. Roll each cheese ball in flour, dip in eggs, and coat with breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F) for about 5 minutes.
- Lightly spray croquettes with olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy, shaking the basket midway for even cooking.
- Allow croquettes to rest for a minute before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
A dry flour–egg–breadcrumb coating insulates the soft goat’s cheese while the air fryer’s fast convection dehydrates and browns the crumb. The honey slightly raises browning, but also softens the filling, so brief cooking is key: crisp shell first, before the cheese fully liquefies and escapes.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding the croquettes in one layer with gaps; in a small single-drawer model cook in batches rather than crowding, while dual-zone air fryers often need the tray nearest the outer wall rotated or the zones swapped halfway as airflow and browning can differ.
Common pitfalls
- Cheese leaking through cracks before the crumb is golden? The balls were too warm or the coating too thin; chill them for 20–30 minutes after breading and add a second egg-and-crumb layer next time.
- Pale, dusty patches after 10 minutes? The crumb was not oiled evenly; spray until the surface looks lightly speckled and turn or shake gently so the dry underside gets exposed to airflow.
- Flattened croquettes instead of round balls? The goat’s cheese mix is too soft, often from extra honey or a very creamy chèvre; chill until firm and use a firmer log-style goat’s cheese.
- Breadcrumbs browning but centre still cold? The croquettes are oversized or straight from a very cold fridge; make them closer to 2.5cm wide and add 1–2 minutes at 170°C to warm through without bursting.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for a rougher, crunchier shell; it browns a little faster, so check from minute 7.
- Swap thyme for rosemary, but chop it very finely; larger needles can catch and taste woody after air frying.
- Replace lemon zest with orange zest for a sweeter profile; it pairs well with the honey but may brown slightly quicker around the surface.
- Add finely chopped walnuts to the breadcrumbs for extra crunch; keep the pieces small so they adhere and watch closely as nuts darken faster than crumb.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked croquettes refrigerated for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 4–6 minutes until hot and crisp, avoiding higher heat which can split the coating.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
