Name: Oven Baked Turkey Scotch Eggs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter; 3/4 cup Japanese panko (this is thicker than regular panko); ½ tsp dried thyme, divided; pinch black pepper; 1 lb ground turkey; 1/2 tsp dried sage; 1 tsp salt, divided; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

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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 minced turkey and breaded in buttery panko bread crumbs. Scotch eggs are then baked in the oven instead of deep fried.

Cooked Soft boiled Egg Wrapped in Turkey, Coated With Panko, Baked And Cut In half on a plate. — *Making soft boiled eggs is difficult. Try not to focus on how runny the egg is the first time you make this recipe.*

Serve turkey scotch eggs over a salad and garnish with any leftover cooked bread crumbs. These are also great snacks for a picnic or outing because they are easy hand held food.

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 minced turkey scotch egg recipe attempts a healthier version by switching to a leaner ground turkey meat. The scotch eggs for this recipe are baked instead of fried.

Scotch eggs originated in Whitby, England. So, Scotch eggs are not really Scottish. Although, they are a popular pub food in both Scotland and England. They are called "Scotties" in Scotland.

Side view of a cut open turkey scotch egg revealing a the egg and the egg yolk wrapped in cooked turkey and breadcrumbs. — *This turkey scotch egg recipe is easy if you focus on the technique first and then refine it to get the egg yolks the consistency you want.*

Troubleshooting Yolks On 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 turkey scotch eggs the first time can be challenging, especially if trying for a runny yolk. Eggs are harder to peel when they are soft boiled.

Because of the frustration associated with peeling soft boiled eggs, I recommend hard boiling the eggs avoid any frustration with the whites.

This baked turkey scotch egg is very easy if you don't fret about getting the eggs on the soft boiled side.

Ingredients for Scotch eggs: raw ground turkey, 4 eggs, 4 tabs of butter, container of panko bread crumbs, 2 containers of spices.

Brown Breadcrumbs For Turkey Scotch Eggs

Cook the breadcrumbs for the turkey scotch eggs 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.

Breadcrumbs will 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.

Small saucepan of lightly browned breadcrumbs and a small stainless steel bowl filled with 4 eggs and ice water. — Submerge hot boiled eggs immediately into ice and water. This ice water bath will cool the eggs down fast and also pull the eggshell and membrane a wee bit away from the egg. This makes it a little easier to peel generally. Cook the breadcrumbs in butter on the stovetop until desired brownness. These breadcrumbs are toasted on the lighter side. If you want them darker, then continue to cook them until your desired color.

Variations on Baked Turkey Scotch Eggs

The herbs and spices are optional in the breading for turkey 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 minced turkey.

Increase the baking time for ground sausage by a couple minutes or until it's cooked through (slice into the meat if unsure).

Bonus: Use turkey eggs instead of chicken eggs for a true turkey egg minced turkey scotch egg 🙂

4 thin ground turkey patties on a cutting board.

How To Cook and Peel A Hard Boiled Egg

Plenty of great cooks/chefs have a 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 defining factors for easier egg peeling.

4 thin ground turkey patties with a soft boiled egg in the middle.

Lastly, gently crack the entire egg 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!

4 uncooked raw turkey scotch eggs on an aluminum lined baking sheet with breadcrumbs on it as well. — Cook the breadcrumbs in butter on the stovetop until desired brownness. These breadcrumbs are toasted on the lighter side but I put any extra on the baking sheet and they will become golden brown to garnish back on the scotch eggs or eat as a garnish over a salad or vegetables.

Older eggs are generally easier to peel, so use older eggs first.

Eggs aren’t peeling and playing nice? Bummer… Take a breathe and do the best you can.

Nerd Alert: Cooking time of eggs 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.