Cachopo is Asturias’ answer to a stuffed schnitzel – just bigger. Two thin, pounded veal schnitzels are sandwiched around Serrano ham and cheese, the edges are pressed together, and the whole thing gets a double coating of flour, egg and breadcrumbs. In northern Spain it is deep-fried in plenty of oil. Here I make cachopo in the air fryer, where a thin layer of olive oil and the hot air give a golden, crisp crust with no deep-frying at all.
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Inside you will find tender veal, salty ham and cheese that flows out when you cut it open. The recipe makes two large cachopos for four people, and they are served as in Asturias: shared at the table with a big bowl of French fries on the side.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love cachopo in the air fryer
A cachopo has to be big enough to share, and that is exactly why it is such a hassle to deep-fry at home. It takes a wide pot, a lot of oil and a steady hand when it has to be turned. In the air fryer I simply brush the coating with olive oil and let the hot air do the rest. The kitchen doesn’t smell of deep-frying, and there is no pot of used oil left standing afterwards.
From start to serving it takes 85 minutes, but 30 of those are pure chilling time, and in the meantime the French fries turn crisp in the basket. The actual work is manageable, and the reward comes when the knife goes through the crust and the cheese runs out between the meat and the ham.
Cachopo or San Jacobo – what’s the difference?
The two dishes are often confused because both are breaded meat with ham and cheese. Cachopo comes from Asturias in northern Spain and is made from veal or beef in a size meant to be shared at the table. San Jacobos are the smaller version, made with pork or cooked ham and cheese. Think of the cachopo as the big brother: more meat, more filling and a coating that has to hold it all together.
My test of cachopo in the kitchen
I tested the recipe in my Cosori Dual Blaze, where heating elements both above and below give an even browning on both sides of the coating. I still turn the cachopo during cooking: 7 minutes at 190 °C, a careful turn with the spatula and 6-7 minutes more. I insert the meat thermometer from the side, and the core temperature in the centre must be at least 70 °C before the cachopo goes onto a wire rack.
The most important thing I learned is to measure the bottom of the basket first. Two schnitzels on top of each other must be able to lie flat with 1-2 cm of space all the way around, and that typically works out at about 12 x 18 cm. In a big model like the Philips XXL the same principle applies: measure first, and cut the meat to size afterwards. The 30 minutes in the fridge are not up for negotiation either, because without them the coating comes off when the cachopo is turned.
Dab the oil on with the brush rather than spreading it out. That way the breadcrumbs stay put, and the whole surface gets the thin layer of oil that makes the coating golden.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is putting the filling all the way out to the edge. Then the cheese runs out into the basket, which is why about 1.5 cm should be free of filling all the way around before the edges are pressed firmly together. The second is skipping the chilling time: without 30 minutes uncovered in the fridge, the double coating doesn’t have time to set. The third is dry patches in the breadcrumbs, which turn pale and floury instead of golden, so make sure the oil covers the whole surface on both sides. Also put the first cachopo on a wire rack while the second one cooks. On a plate or under foil, the steam makes the coating soft.
How to serve cachopo
In Asturias the cachopo comes to the table to be shared. Cut each cachopo in half crosswise with a sharp knife, serve immediately and set out the sides:
- French fries, the classic accompaniment, given 2-3 minutes at 200 °C just before serving so they are hot and crisp again
- Roasted red bell peppers from a jar as a sweet, soft contrast to the crisp coating
- A green salad with a tangy dressing that adds freshness to the hearty dish
- A glass of dry apple cider, which is the traditional drink in Asturias
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 170 °C for 7-9 minutes, until the coating is crisp and the filling is heated through. Cachopo can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before you reheat it.
Cachopo is not a dish for the busiest weeknight, but for the evening when there is time to bread it properly and share something good. Give it the chilling time, the thin layer of oil and 3 minutes’ rest on the rack, and you get a crisp crust and melted cheese every time.
FAQ
Choose a sliced cheese that melts well, e.g. mild Manchego, Gouda or Emmental. If you want more flavour, you can use a mild blue cheese instead of the firm cheese.
In a regular basket they are cooked one at a time, so the hot air can get all the way around the coating. If you have an air fryer with two drawers, you can cook one cachopo in each drawer at the same time.
The coating should be golden and crisp on both sides. Insert a meat thermometer from the side: the core temperature in the centre must be at least 70 °C.
Recipe
Cachopo in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Step 1:
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Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Meat mallet
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Sharp knife
- 3 Deep plate - For flour, egg and breadcrumbs
- 1 Plate
- 1 Brush
- 1 Turner
- 1 Meat thermometer
- 1 Rack
- 1 Bowl
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 4 pcs veal schnitzels (About 100 g each, e.g. from the topside)
- 8 slices Serrano ham (About 100 g)
- 150 g cheese (Sliced, e.g. mild Manchego, Gouda or Emmental)
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
Coating
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 3 pcs eggs
- 150 g breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp olive oil (For brushing)
Side dish
- 600 g French fries (Frozen)
How to make it
Preparation
- Place 4 pcs veal schnitzels one at a time between two pieces of baking paper on a chopping board and pound them with a meat mallet until they are 4-5 mm thick and roughly the same size.
- Measure the bottom of the air fryer basket and trim the schnitzels with a sharp knife so that two pieces stacked on top of each other lie flat in the basket with 1-2 cm of space all the way around. That typically works out at about 12 x 18 cm.
- Season the pieces on both sides with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
- Place 2 of the schnitzels on the board and spread 8 slices Serrano ham and 150 g cheese over them in three layers: ham at the bottom, cheese in the middle and ham on top. Leave a border of about 1.5 cm free of filling all the way around.
- Place the 2 remaining schnitzels on top and press the edges firmly together all the way around so the filling is sealed completely inside.
- Put 4 tbsp plain flour in a deep plate, whisk 3 pcs eggs together in another and pour 150 g breadcrumbs into a third.
- Turn each cachopo in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip it in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs, and repeat with egg and breadcrumbs once more to give a double coating. Press the breadcrumbs on firmly, especially along the edges.
- Place the breaded cachopos on a plate and chill them uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes so the coating sets and stays on during cooking.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan once the cachopos have been chilling for about 10 minutes.
- Spread 600 g French fries in the basket and cook them at 200 °C for 16-18 minutes, until golden and crisp. Shake the basket twice during cooking. Tip them into a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the temperature to 190 °C. Take the cachopos out of the fridge once they have been chilling for 30 minutes and brush them on both sides with 3 tbsp olive oil. Dab the oil on in a thin, even layer so the breadcrumbs stay put.
- Place one cachopo in the basket and cook it at 190 °C for 7 minutes. Put the other one back in the fridge in the meantime.
- Carefully turn the cachopo with a spatula and continue cooking at 190 °C for 6-7 minutes, until the coating is golden and crisp. Insert a meat thermometer from the side: the core temperature in the centre must be at least 70 °C.
- Place the finished cachopo on a wire rack and cook the other one the same way: 7 minutes at 190 °C, turn it, and give it 6-7 minutes more.
- Let the cachopos rest on the rack for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, turn the air fryer up to 200 °C and give the fries 2-3 minutes in the basket so they are hot and crisp again.
Serving
- Cut each cachopo in half crosswise with a sharp knife and serve immediately with the fries.
Our notes for the recipe
Don’t skip the chilling time: 30 minutes in the fridge lets the double coating set so it doesn’t come off when the cachopo is turned. Keep the edge free of filling and press the meat together firmly so the cheese stays inside. The oil must cover the whole surface in a thin layer, because dry patches in the breadcrumbs turn pale and floury instead of golden. The first cachopo stays crisp on a wire rack, but not on a plate or under foil, where the steam makes the coating soft. Cachopo or San Jacobo:
Cachopo comes from Asturias in northern Spain and is made from veal or beef in a size that is shared at the table. San Jacobos are the smaller version, made with pork or cooked ham and cheese. Traditionally it is deep-fried in plenty of oil, but here a thin layer of oil and the hot air get the job done. Variation:
Swap the Serrano ham for cecina, which is air-dried beef, or use a mild blue cheese instead of the firm cheese if you want more flavour. Panko instead of regular breadcrumbs gives an even crispier crust. Serving:
French fries are the classic accompaniment. Roasted red bell peppers from a jar and a green salad with a tangy dressing go well with this hearty dish and add a touch of freshness. Portion size:
The recipe makes two large cachopos to be shared, so each person gets half. They are cooked one at a time in a regular basket. If you have an air fryer with two drawers, you can cook one cachopo in each drawer at the same time.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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