Toad in the hole in the air fryer is British everyday food at its best: browned sausages baked into a golden-brown Yorkshire pudding that rises high at the edges and turns soft and juicy around the sausages. The name is meant literally, and it makes sense when the sausages poke up out of the risen batter like toads peeking out of a hole. I make it in one large dish that fits in the basket, so all four servings are ready at the same time.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The secret is the heat. The fat must be smoking hot before the batter goes in, and the basket must stay closed while the batter bakes. Do that, and you get a crisp, fluffy pudding without turning on the oven – served with a rich onion gravy that ties it all together.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I Love Toad in the Hole in the Air Fryer
I’ve always had a soft spot for dishes where a few cheap ingredients turn into something that feels like a little celebration. Toad in the hole is exactly that: flour, eggs, milk and a few good sausages are transformed into a golden, risen pudding with crisp edges and a soft middle around the sausages. It’s comfort food, but it doesn’t ask much of you – most of the time the air fryer looks after itself.
The dish is also easy to vary: stir a little mustard or grated cheddar into the batter, or use spicy sausages such as Cumberland or Lincolnshire.
Why the Batter Rises So Well in the Air Fryer
Yorkshire pudding doesn’t rise because of baking powder, but because of steam. When the thin batter hits the sizzling fat, the liquid starts to evaporate immediately, and the eggs set around the steam, so the batter puffs up. In a large oven a lot of heat escapes when the door is opened, and the dish has time to cool down. In the air fryer you simply pull out the basket, pour in the batter and slide it back in, and the compact, circulating heat keeps the dish hot. That gives tall, crisp edges and a soft, juicy base around the sausages.
My Kitchen Test of Toad in the Hole
I’ve tested toad in the hole in my Philips XXL, where a dish of about 20 x 20 cm fits nicely and the batter has plenty of room to rise. The sausages are browned in the oil at 200 °C and turned halfway while the batter rests. When the fat is smoking hot, I pour in the batter and close the basket. All in all, the dish takes 51 minutes: 15 minutes of preparation and 36 minutes in the air fryer at 200 °C. Finally, I check with a meat thermometer that the sausages have a core temperature of at least 75 °C.
Let the fat sizzle before the batter goes in, and slide the basket back in straight away. It’s the heat shock that makes the Yorkshire pudding rise – and it won’t put up with you peeking while it bakes.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The most common mistake is that the fat isn’t hot enough when the batter is poured in. Then the batter soaks up the fat instead of rising, and the pudding turns heavy and flat. So give the dish with the oil and sausages an extra burst of heat until the fat is smoking hot and sizzles when the batter hits it. The next mistake is opening the basket to see how it’s going. The cold air makes the batter collapse, and it won’t rise again, so keep the basket closed for the whole baking time, and only check the result at the end. The third mistake is a dish that is too tall for the basket. The batter rises strongly and can scorch on top, so choose a dish with low sides, preferably metal, and make sure there’s at least 5 cm of space up to the heating element.
How to Serve Toad in the Hole
Toad in the hole is best straight from the basket, while the edges are crisp. Cut it into four pieces and serve it with:
- Rich onion gravy with soft, golden-brown onions and a splash of Worcestershire sauce
- Creamy mashed potato
- Green peas or steamed vegetables
- A dollop of strong mustard for those who want a little bite
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 180 °C for 6-8 minutes, until the dish is heated through and crisp again – in the microwave the pudding quickly turns soft. Toad in the hole can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, and warm the onion gravy separately in a pot.
Toad in the hole proves that everyday food can easily feel like the weekend. With smoking hot fat, a closed basket and a good onion gravy, you get a British classic that the whole family can gather around.
FAQ
Most often because the basket was opened during baking, or because the fat wasn’t smoking hot when the batter went in. Let the fat sizzle, pour the batter in quickly, and keep the basket closed until the dish is done.
Use an oven-safe dish with low sides, about 20 x 20 cm, preferably metal, that fits in the basket. Make sure there’s at least 5 cm of space up to the heating element, as the batter rises a lot.
Yes. If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two rounds in a smaller dish, or halve the recipe.
Recipe
Toad in the Hole in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
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
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Oven-safe dish - About 20 x 20 cm, preferably metal – must fit in the basket
- 1 Measuring cup - Large, about 1 litre, with a pouring spout
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Oven mitts
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot - For the onion gravy
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 8 pcs pork sausages (Raw, about 500 g in total – e.g. Cumberland or chipolata)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (For example rapeseed oil – or beef dripping for a classic British flavour)
Yorkshire pudding batter
- 100 g plain flour
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 3 pcs eggs (At room temperature)
- 1.5 dl whole milk
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (Leaves only – or 1 tsp dried thyme)
How to make it
Preparation
- Add 1.5 dl whole milk a little at a time while whisking, until the batter is smooth and has the same consistency as pouring cream. Stir the leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme into the batter.
- Cover the measuring cup and let the batter rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes while the sausages brown.
- Cut 2 pcs onions into thin slices for the onion gravy.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan for 3 minutes with the dish and 3 tbsp neutral oil in the basket.
- Place 8 pcs pork sausages in the hot dish with a little space between them, and turn them in the oil. Cook the sausages at 200 °C for 10 minutes, turning them halfway with tongs so they brown on all sides.
- Heat the dish for a further 3 minutes at 200 °C, until the fat is smoking hot. This is crucial for the result – the batter only rises if the fat sizzles when it hits the dish.
- Add the batter quickly: pull out the basket wearing oven mitts, give the batter a final whisk, and pour it over and around the sausages – it should sizzle. Slide the basket straight back in so the heat doesn’t escape.
- Bake the toad in the hole at 200 °C for 20 minutes. Don’t open the basket during baking – the cold air makes the batter collapse.
- Check that the batter has risen well and is golden brown and crisp at the edges. If it’s lacking colour, bake for a further 2-3 minutes at 200 °C. The sausages should reach a core temperature of at least 75 °C – measure with a meat thermometer.
Onion gravy
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pot over medium heat while the sausages brown. Add the onions and 1 tsp sugar, and cook, stirring regularly, for about 15 minutes, until soft and golden brown.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp plain flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute.
Serving
- Serve the toad in the hole straight away – cut into 4 pieces, with the hot onion gravy on the side.
Our notes for the recipe
The fat must be smoking hot before the batter goes in – it’s the heat shock that makes the batter rise and turn crisp at the edges. Pour the batter in quickly and close the basket straight away. Don’t open the basket while the batter is baking, or it will collapse. Use a dish with low sides, and make sure there’s at least 5 cm of space up to the heating element, as the batter rises a lot. Variations:
Stir 1 tsp mustard or a handful of grated cheddar into the batter, or use spicy sausages such as Cumberland or Lincolnshire. Swap the thyme for fresh rosemary, or use red onion in the onion gravy for a sweeter flavour. Serving:
Serve toad in the hole with the onion gravy, mashed potato and green peas or steamed vegetables. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook it in two rounds in a smaller dish, or halve the recipe.
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
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
