Air Fryer Recipe
Herb-Infused Air Fryer Mushy Pea Croquettes
An easy, cheerful recipe for mushy pea croquettes, lifted with fragrant herbs and given a fresh air fryer twist on a British favourite.
Ingredients
- 300g frozen peas
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
- 100g panko breadcrumbs
- 50g plain flour
- Olive oil spray
Method
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, then cook the peas and diced potato for about 10 minutes, or until the potato is tender.
- Drain well and leave to cool slightly before tipping into a mixing bowl.
- Mash the peas and potatoes with a potato masher until smooth.
- Stir in the mint, parsley, garlic, and seasoning.
- Shape the mixture into small balls or croquettes, then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Set up a breading station: put the flour on one plate, the beaten egg on another, and the breadcrumbs on a third.
- Take the pea mixture from the fridge. Coat each croquette first in flour, then in egg, and finally in breadcrumbs, making sure the coating is even.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- Lightly spray the croquettes with olive oil.
- Arrange the croquettes in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 10–12 minutes until golden and crisp, turning halfway through.
- Serve these crisp little bites with your favourite dipping sauce.
Why this works in an air fryer
Potato starch binds the pea mash while chilling firms it enough to coat. Flour dries the surface, egg glues on the panko, and the air fryer’s fast convection dehydrates that crumb coating; a light oil spray helps browning because peas and potato contain almost no surface fat.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding about 10–12 small croquettes with space between them; in a single-drawer model, cook one layer only and shake or turn at halfway, while dual-zone drawers usually brown slightly slower, so swap sides or add 1–2 minutes if one drawer runs cooler.
Common pitfalls
- Croquettes slumping or cracking as you bread them? The mash is too warm or wet; chill for another 20 minutes and, if sticky, fold in 1–2 tablespoons extra breadcrumbs before shaping.
- Pale crumbs after 12 minutes? The panko is too dry and has not been oiled evenly; mist again with olive oil spray and cook 2–3 minutes more at 180°C, rather than raising the heat sharply.
- Filling leaking through split seams? The shapes are too large or the coating has gaps; make smaller croquettes, press the panko on firmly, and ensure the flour layer covers all sticky spots before egging.
- Brown patches but soft undersides? The croquettes are touching or sitting in moisture; leave clear gaps, turn gently with tongs at halfway, and wipe excess condensation from the basket if cooking a second batch.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap mint for dill and add a little lemon zest; the brighter herbs cook at the same temperature but taste fresher, so avoid adding extra garlic which can dominate the peas.
- Use crushed cornflakes instead of panko for a coarser, crunchier shell; they brown faster, so check from 9 minutes.
- Add 30g finely grated mature Cheddar to the cooled mash; it makes the centre richer and softer, so chill the shaped croquettes for 25–30 minutes before coating.
- Use tinned marrowfat peas, well drained, instead of frozen peas; the mixture will be softer, so reduce added salt and firm it with extra breadcrumbs before shaping.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked croquettes chilled in an airtight container for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 5–7 minutes until hot through and crisp again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
