My air fryer meatballs turn out tender and juicy every single time. I love how they cook up faster than in the oven and my whole family eats them right up!
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My Easy Recipe for Meatballs in the Air Fryer
I love a good homemade meatball recipe. I used to make them in the oven, but I remember one night I went to bake them, and I had forgotten to preheat them. So, my air fryer meatballs recipe was born.
Yes, I could have waited for the oven to preheat, but I am impatient and will find any reason to use my air fryer. And, in this case, I am glad I did!
My husband Ben walked in and saw me placing the meatballs in the air fryer, rolled his eyes, and said, “The air fryer again?” I told him I had forgotten to preheat the oven, and he chuckled, mainly because he does that constantly, too.
Well, while the meatballs weren’t perfect that night, I did win over Ben on making them in the air fryer! The insides stayed juicier than when baked and they had a nice crisp outside that I didn’t know I was missing until I took that first bite.
Since then, I’ve worked on this recipe several times to get the timing down and discovered a lower temperature works best to get the best texture in the ground beef.
Now, I always air fry my meatballs because it’s just so much easier than waiting for the oven to preheat, and like I said, I’m air fryer obsessed!
For more delicious air fryer beef recipes, try my recipes for air fryer meatloaf, frozen meatballs in the air fryer, air fryer nachos, air fryer hamburgers, and air fryer sirloin steak.
Air Fry Meatballs Ingredients
- Ground beef – I recommend 70-80% lean and find that 90% can turn out a little dry
- Breadcrumbs – To help bind the meatballs
- Parmesan cheese – Adds flavor and acts as another binding agent
- Onions – I love the flavor burst the fresh onion gives to the meatballs
- Garlic – I use fresh garlic, but 1/8th teaspoon of garlic powder will work in place of it
- Egg – Another binding agent for the meatballs
- Italian seasoning – I use dried Italian seasoning, but fresh Italian herbs will work too
- Salt and pepper – To enhance the flavors of the meatballs
How to Cook Meatballs in the Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
STEP TWO: Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until they’re just evenly combined.
STEP THREE: Scoop the meat using an ice cream or cookie scoop to create 2-inch meatballs, then place them in the air fryer basket or air fryer tray in a single layer.
STEP FOUR: Air fry them for 10-12 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time. They are done when the meat’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Meatballs
- I look for ground beef with a leanness between 70% to 80%, which helps the meat retain moisture. I find that 90% lean ground beef can taste dry when air fried.
- Use a food processor to dice up the onion and garlic into small and consistently-sized pieces. It’s my favorite way to save prep time!
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture. I mix until the ingredients are just combined to get a moist and juicy inside and avoid tough air fryer meatballs
- Use a medium ice cream scoop or cookie scoop so each meatball is the same size. I find this is key to getting them to cook evenly.
- To store leftovers, I let the extras cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. They stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 6 months.
Air Fried Meatballs Variations and Substitutions
- I sometimes use different ground meat such as ground chicken, ground turkey, ground lamb, or even ground pork. I also like mixing and matching the protein!
- For a fresher Italian meatball flavor, I’ll use fresh basil, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, and oregano and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Wrap the ground beef around mozzarella cheese for stuffed meatballs. My kids go crazy when I make this cheesy version!
- Brush the meatballs with BBQ sauce in the last few minutes of cooking for added flavor. I love how the sauce caramelizes on the outside.
- Toss the finished meatballs in pesto for a twist on classic spaghetti night. I’ll serve pesto meatballs over pasta or all on their own.
What to serve with Air Fry Meatballs
My favorite way to serve air fryer meatballs is over pasta! I’ll toss everything in marinara, pesto, creamy alfredo, vodka sauce, or even my mushroom gravy recipe for an easy dinner.
For a tasty side, I usually pair them with sliced potatoes in the air fryer, air fryer garlic bread, or air fryer carrots.
Air Fryer Meatballs FAQs
How to reheat meatballs in the air fryer
I firmly believe that the air fryer is the best way to reheat meatballs! I preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F, place the meatballs in the air fryer, and cook for 3-4 minutes until they’re warmed all the way through.
Why are my air fryer meatballs dry?
Tough, dry meatballs usually means that the ground beef mixture was over-mixed. I always combine the ingredients until they’re just incorporated before shaping them into meatballs, and this keeps them nice and juicy as they cook!
How long to cook meatballs in the air fryer
I’ve made meatballs of all sizes in the air fryer, so I’ve learned the best cooking times for each one! Standard meatballs will take about 10-12 minutes, and then I always add 2 more minutes if I’m making large meatballs.
For mini meatballs, I cook them for about 6-8 minutes depending on their size.
How to cook frozen meatballs in the air fryer
Since this recipe is for raw meatballs, using pre-cooked frozen meatballs will air fry little differently. I start by preheating the air fryer to 320 degrees F, then cook the meatballs in the air fryer for 9-11 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air fryer salmon
- Air fryer sausage
- Air fryer chicken wings
- Air fryer hot dogs
- Air fryer chicken tenders
- Air fryer pork chops
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Easy Air Fryer Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 70 or 80% lean
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning or 1/4 cup fresh Italian herbs, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
- Add the ground beef, Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
- Mix to combine ingredients by using as little movement as possible.
- Form the ground beef mixture into 2-inch meatballs using a cookie scoop and place them in the air fryer in a single layer, not touching.
- Cook them for 10-12 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time. The meatballs are done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Video
Notes
- Use ground beef with a leanness between 70% to 80%, which helps the meat retain moisture. 90% lean ground beef can taste a bit dry when air fried.
- Use a food processor to dice up the onion and garlic into small and consistently-sized pieces to save time.
- Don’t over mix the meatball mixture. Mix it until the ingredients are just combined to get a moist and juicy inside and avoid tough meatballs
- Use a medium ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to get consistently-sized meatballs that cook evenly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheat meatballs in a preheated air fryer at 320 degrees F for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cook frozen meatballs in a preheated air fryer at 320 degrees F for about 9 to 11 minutes, until heated thoroughly.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
These meatballs are yummy
So glad you enjoyed them, Matt! 🙂