Are you looking for a dinner idea that is quick, crispy, and without frying? These air fryer lentil and potato patties are the answer to cold autumn evenings, half-empty refrigerators, and the desire to eat something delicious without messing up the kitchen.
Perfect for two people — or for one who’s had a long day and decided that you don’t need company, and it’s wonderful to make gourmet food and set the table just for yourself (THAT’S ME).
Don’t underestimate the fact that they are made with the magic of the air fryer. No pans, no splattering oil, no regrets for the diet!
You prepare them in 10 minutes, they cook by themselves while you pour yourself a glass of wine, and they also impress if you have someone over for dinner who eats vegetarian “but only if it’s good”.
It was a last-minute idea, so I made do with what I had without considering more guests at the table!
I recommend serving them with BBQ sauce if you want to make them less delicate, but I swear they are amazing!
Boiled potatoes, tender lentils, some warming spices, and a crispy crust that forms in the oven or in the pan: they may not be five-star restaurant recipes, but they speak gently.
It’s a vegetarian main course that even non-vegetarians like, and it can easily become a vegan dish by removing a couple of optional ingredients.
Great to prepare in advance, ideal to take in your lunchbox, perfect for getting children to eat legumes without hearing, “I don’t like them.”
You can pair them with a fresh salad, a vegetable cream like I did, or a tasty dip (I’ll leave you some ideas below), but they are also delicious on their own, eaten standing up directly from the tray, and I ate lots of them!!!!!!!!
One of those clever and versatile recipes, with a few ingredients that you often already have at home, but that make you feel accomplished and satisfied after preparing because they are delicious and finish in two seconds.
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I opened a recipe channel open to everyone and free on WhatsApp, no notifications and no sound, which you can join by clicking the link here https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F and every day you can read a sweet and a savory recipe!
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Always on the THEME of lentil recipes, I leave you more ideas just below:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Autumn
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes (boiled and mashed)
- 200 g cooked lentils
- 1 egg
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste ground turmeric
- to taste chopped parsley
Tools
- Air Fryers
- Air fryer papers
- Potato mashers
Be tempted and prepare this recipe with me!
In a bowl, combine MASHED POTATOES, lentils, egg, salt, pepper, and turmeric.
Mix the ingredients well.Form patties with slightly dampened hands.
Roll them in coarsely ground breadcrumb.
Place them in the air fryer basket.
Spray with extra virgin olive oil and cook at 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time if you want a more even browning.
Storage and Tips
How to store and freeze lentil and potato croquettes
✅ In the fridge:
Once cooked, they keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
I recommend reheating them in the oven or air fryer to restore the crust.
✅ In the freezer – raw (recommended):
Form them, bread them, and place them well-spaced on a tray.
Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours (quick freeze), then transfer to a freezer bag.
They keep for up to 3 months.
Cook them directly from frozen: in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30-35 min, or in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 min (depending on size).
✅ In the freezer – cooked:
You can also freeze them once cooked and cooled, but the crust will lose a lot!
To regenerate: hot oven or air fryer for 10-15 minutes.
