Air Fryer Meatballs are juicy and delicious. Meatballs in the air fryer are one of the things that the air fryer does really well. The air fryer is quicker to heat up than an oven and also cooks much quicker than a conventional oven while creating moist meatballs with a great texture and crispy bits on the outside.
If you are looking for an easy foolproof way to turn raw meatballs into yummy cooked meatballs in about 10 minutes then give this air fryer meatball recipe a try. It is quick and easy to do. Lets make it a pasta night.
This is the easiest method for cooking meatballs in the air fryer. The air fryer makes throwing together a tasty dinner together quickly and easy to do. I mix up the ground beef meatball mixture and form them into meatballs and toss them into the air fryer basket to get them cooking.
Can I Use Ground Turkey or Lamb or Pork?
YES! I encourage you to get creative making meatballs. Lean ground beef is not the only meat to use to make your meatball recipe. Even though beef and ground pork is the most common combination of meat for making meatball recipes.
I have also used ground turkey, lamb, and pork to make some delicious meatballs in the air fryer.
Note: This recipe will be the same no matter which meat you decide to use or combine. Below are a few meatball ideas.
- Ground Beef Meatballs
- Turkey Meatballs
- Ground Beef and Pork Meatballs
- Lamb Meatballs
I really like Lamb Meatballs too. These are great just served on their own with some Tzatziki Sauce and some pita. When I make lamb meatballs I use spices like Cumin, Coriander and some Oregano.
Why You Will Love These Meatballs in the Air Frye?
- Easy to Make
- Quick and Versatile
- Make in a Small Batch
- Juicy and Delicious
How to Cook Meatballs in Air Fryer.
How to cook air fryer meatballs is why you are here. The process is quite simple and I am going to show you how to cook them step by step.
Once you make meatballs using this method I am pretty sure that is going to be your new secret weapon.
There are Full Instructions in the recipe card at the bottom as well.
Ingredients
Quality of meat used in making meatballs is crucial in making delicious meatballs. Lean ground beef and pork is really the most common blend. Adding some Italian seasoning, fresh parmesan cheese, onion powder, bread crumbs and some egg to hold it all together.
- Ground Beef
- Panko Bread Crumbs
- Eggs
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Milk
- Olive Oil
- Marinara Sauce
- Bread (If making sandwiches)
Step 1 – In a Large Bowl Combine Ground Beef, Bread Crumbs, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Milk, Eggs and Parmesan Cheese.
Step 2 – Mix Ingredients together by hand. Using hands and fingers to combine the mixture thoroughly. Do not over blend.
Step 3 – Roll the Meatballs into balls about the size of a golf ball. This should let you make about 12 meatballs per pound of meat as seen in the picture below. If you are making a lot of meatballs cooking in batches is the way to go.
Step 4 – Set Aside the Meatballs either on the counter or the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before cooking.
Place the meatballs in the Air Fryer in a single layer making sure not to crowd them so they get proper circulation and they can cook evenly. It is not necessary to preheat air fryer. Spray the meatballs lightly with olive oil just to give a coating to the meatballs.
How Long to Cook Meatballs in Air Fryer?
Set the temperature on the Air Fryer to 400 Degrees. The cooking time to air fry meatballs is about 8 to 10 minutes.Halfway through the cooking time open the Air Fryer and give the meatballs a shake to move them around a bit. Be careful to not break any of the meatballs.
Tip: If you are cooking larger meatballs add about 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
How to Cook Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer?
Yes! You can make a large batch of meatballs and freeze them. They reheat from being frozen quite well. Reheating frozen meatballs in the Air Fryer.
You can also just drop frozen meatballs into your spaghetti sauce while it is simmering if you are making sauce for pasta or for meatball subs.
How Long to Cook Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer?
Cooking and reheating frozen meatballs are easy to cook and ready quickly. This is why I always make big batches and store them in the freezer. Reheating them is quick and convenient and takes about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Once cooking time is complete remove meatballs from the air fryer basket and give them a couple of minutes to stop cooking and enjoy them. Meatballs in the Air Fryer are so delicious and easy to make.
How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer Meatballs.
Refrigerator: If you have leftovers of air fryer meatballs do not fear. Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Freezer: If you would rather freeze the meatballs place them on a small baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours. This will keep them from sticking together. Then place them in an airtight zip-top storage bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Reheating frozen meatballs in the air fryer is easy. Place frozen meatballs in the air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.
Reheating cooked meatballs that have been stored in the refrigerator is quick and easy in the air fryer. Set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.
How Do You Keep Meatballs From Sticking to the Air Fryer?
If you are concerned about the meatballs sticking to the air fryer basket. Spray the basket with some olive oil or avocado oil.
Note: This recipe will be the same no matter which meat you decide to use or combine. Below are a few ideas of meat and combinations when making air fryer meatballs.
Serving Suggestions
There’s so many ways that air fryer meatballs can be used. They can be tossed into soups, or stews. I use them all the time as a pizza topping.
If you have a nice hoagie roll some leftover sauce and some mozzarella cheese you can make a delicious hero sub sandwich. This is one of my favorite things to do with air fried meatballs.
If you have kids this is a great way to sneak veggies. It can be as simple as serving meatballs with a side of breadsticks and a salad.
- Marinara Sauce
- Hero Sub Sandwiches
- Sliders
- Homemade Pizza Topping
- Quesadilla
Other Air Fryer Recipes
Easy Air Fryer Crispy Chicken
Air Fryer Chickpeas
Jerk Chicken Wings (Air Fryer)
Balsamic Parmesan Brussel Sprouts
Kitchen Essentials and Items Used
COSORI Air Fryer,Max XL 5.8 Quart
COSORI 12-in-1 Oven Air Fryer Combo
365 Everyday Value, Bread Crumbs, Panko, 8 oz
365 Everyday Value, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Mediterranean Blend, 33.8 fl oz
Air Fryer Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 6 Tbsp. Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, spices, salt, pepper, and Parmesan well.
- Make Meatballs from the meat mixture into medium-sized balls. Set aside or place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees
- Place Meatballs in Air Fryer making sure they do not touch each other. Spray with olive oil and Cook at 400 degrees for 8-10 Minutes.
- Serve with Marinara Sauce or use for Sub Sandwiches or Sliders.
- Makes About 12 Golf Ball Sized Meatballs
