Peixinhos da Horta in the Air FryerBattered Green Beans

Peixinhos da horta are green beans dipped in batter and fried until golden, a classic petisco in Lisbon tascas. The name means "little fish from the garden", because a bundle of battered beans looks a bit like small fried fish. It's often said that Portuguese missionaries and traders took this kind of battered frying to Japan in the 16th century and that it helped inspire tempura, though how direct that link is remains debated.

In the air fryer you can't use a thin, runny batter. Two things make it work: a thicker batter that clings to the beans, and cooking the beans in small bundles on a liner so the batter sets instead of dripping away.

The recipe

Peixinhos da Horta in the Air FryerBattered Green Beans

Peixinhos da horta in the air fryer: Portuguese battered green beans, often said to have inspired tempura. Crisp, light and less oily.

Print Pin Share

Prep15 min

Cook20 min

Total35 min

Serves4

Ingredients

MetricUS

Serves

4

½×1×2×3×

• 400 g flat green beans (feijão-verde), topped and stringed
• 120 g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml cold sparkling water or milk
• 1 small clove garlic, very finely grated (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil for spraying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the beans for 3-4 minutes, until just tender but still firm. Drain, cool under cold water and dry very well on a tea towel.
2. Whisk the flour, eggs, sparkling water, garlic, salt and pepper into a smooth batter. It should coat the back of a spoon thickly. Add a little more flour if it runs off.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C for 3 minutes. Put a perforated liner in the basket and spray it with olive oil.
4. Dip the beans into the batter in bundles of 3-4, let the excess drip off for a second, then lay them on the liner with space between each bundle.
5. Spray the tops generously with olive oil.
6. Air fry at 200 °C for 6 minutes, turn the bundles carefully with tongs, spray again and cook for 3-4 minutes more, until golden.
7. Cook in batches. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Notes

Clear ticks

Tap ingredients and steps to tick them off. Scaling changes the quantities at the start of each line; check the rest by eye.

Deep-fried vs air fryer

The fried original has a thin, crackly coat that puffs away from the bean. The air fryer version has a thicker, softer coat with crisp golden patches. It's a good petisco in its own right, just not identical. Eat them straight away: they soften within 10-15 minutes.

What to serve with them

Peixinhos are a petisco on their own, but in Portugal they also go next to grilled fish, pork or pataniscas de bacalhau with arroz de tomate. Build a full Portuguese petiscos night with lulas fritas and batatas a murro.

From the shop

What you’ll need

Links go to Amazon, where you can check today’s price. If you buy, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Amazon best seller

Air fryer parchment liners, 125 pack

Stops wet mixtures like pastéis and croquetes from sticking to the basket.

Tip: Never preheat the air fryer with an empty liner inside.

View on Amazon

Amazon best seller

TrendPlain glass olive oil sprayer

A fine mist of real azeite is what turns air-fried food golden. It's cheaper and kinder to non-stick baskets than aerosol sprays.

Tip: Fill it with a mild olive oil and keep it next to the air fryer.

View on Amazon

Portuguese

Costa Nova Rosa dinner plate

An 11-inch Portuguese stoneware plate with a soft organic edge. Pairs with the Costa Nova bowls.

Tip: Buy one to check the colour, then build a set.

View on Amazon