The Spinach Cutlets, cooked in an air fryer, are a simple, tasty idea perfect for making even the little ones love spinach. Soft on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside, they are prepared in a few minutes: the air fryer allows you to achieve a crispy breading with very little oil, making the recipe lighter but still flavorful. Ideal for a quick dinner, as a vegetarian main course, but also great as a tasty finger food. They can be prepared in advance and cooked in just a few minutes. I’ve added some crushed cornflakes to the breadcrumbs; if you have any, try it and you’ll see the crunchiness.
If you don’t own an air fryer, you can cook the Spinach Cutlets either in a pan or in the oven, always for a lighter version. You’ll find instructions for oven cooking at the end of the recipe, while the preparation is the same and you can easily follow all the steps.
Let’s prepare them!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Air Fry, Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
Ingredients for 5 spinach cutlets
- 12 oz spinach (fresh)
- 3 oz stale bread
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1.4 oz grated Grana Padano (or Parmesan)
- 1 egg
- to taste thyme
- to taste chives
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (to add if the mixture is too soft and moist)
- to taste breadcrumbs
- to taste corn flakes (optional)
- A few sprays extra virgin olive oil
Tools
Recommended tools
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 multicooker
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Colander
Steps
Preparation of Spinach Cutlets in Air Fryer
Break the stale bread into pieces in a bowl, pour in the milk and let it sit for 10 minutes
Wash the spinach thoroughly and let them wilt
– in a pan with a clove of garlic and a drizzle of oil covered on low heat, stirring a couple of times, it will take about 10 minutes
– in a multicooker with a clove of garlic and a drizzle of oil, set to sear/sauté at HI temperature for 5 x 7/8 minutes. Stir a couple of times
Once ready, drain them and let them cool for a few minutes. Squeeze them well and chop them coarsely with a knife. Transfer them into the bread bowl and add the egg, grated Grana Padano, salt, pepper, thyme, chives, nutmeg, or other spices as desired.
Mix until you get a soft but moldable mixture. If it is too moist, add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Take a portion of the mixture and shape it into a cutlet.
Coat them in breadcrumbs for an even breading.
As you prepare them, place the cutlets on the grill of the air fryer without overlapping them. Spray both sides with EVO oil
Transfer to the air fryer and start cooking at 392°F for 15 minutes, turning them if necessary halfway through cooking
The cutlets are ready when the surface is golden and crispy
I serve them hot, maybe with a bowl of yogurt sauce or a crunchy salad. But they’re perfect even inside a sandwich
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Storage, Tips, and Variations
Storage
The Spinach Cutlets can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, well covered with plastic wrap or sealed in an airtight container.
It is possible to freeze them raw and cook them directly in the air fryer without defrosting, at 356°F for 20 minutes; you can raise the temperature to 392°F in the last few minutes for extra crispiness
The spinach cutlets can also be frozen after cooking; you can defrost and reheat them in the air fryer at 356°F for a few minutes or from frozen, still at 356°F, for about 15/20 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on the quantity and the air fryer model
Tips
If the mixture is too soft, add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs or the necessary amount, adding it a little at a time until you reach the right consistency, to avoid ending up with a mixture that is too hard.
Variations
For extra crunchiness, I added some crushed cornflakes to the breadcrumbs
You can add cheese cubes to the mixture, such as scamorza, mozzarella (well-drained), or fontina.
You can use instead of fresh spinach 180/200 g of frozen spinach, squeeze them very well
Cooking in a pan and in the oven
The spinach cutlets can be cooked alternatively to the air fryer in a pan or in the oven:
– in a pan: heat a drizzle of oil or melt a knob of butter and cook the cutlets until they become golden and crispy, making sure to turn them for complete and even cooking
– in the oven: preheat the oven to 374/392°F, place the cutlets on a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray both sides with oil, and bake at 374/392°F for about 20 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking.
