Name: Air Fryer Ground Beef
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Air fryer ground beef is a healthier, quicker way to make super flavorful meals on busy weeknights!

Seasoned ground beef cooked and served in a bowl.

If you’re all about quick, no-fuss meals the whole family will love, air fryer ground beef is going to become your new go-to!

It’s ready in just minutes, and you can serve this versatile protein in so many different ways.

The air fryer makes it easy to brown beef evenly. Simply sprinkle on your favorite seasonings to infuse the beef with flavor, then add air fried beef tacos, spaghetti, and so much more!

Best of all, the air fryer makes cleanup a breeze, and you can go from fridge to table in less than 20 minutes!

Knowing how to brown ground beef in the air fryer is a lifesaver for busy weeknight meals.

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.

Raw beef in packaging next to small bowl of seasoning blend.

How to Make Air Fryer Ground Beef

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 400 degrees F.

STEP TWO: Mix together the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

STEP THREE: Break up the raw beef and place the meat in the preheated basket.

STEP FOUR: Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the beef.

STEP FIVE: Air fry ground beef for 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink, stirring the beef halfway through.

Broken up, browned meat in air fryer basket.

Tips for Making the Best Ground Beef in the Air Fryer

Always start by preheating the air fryer for even cooking.
Use a piece of bread under the basket to catch any grease from the ground beef.
Crumble the beef well before cooking to ensure uniform cooking and browning.
Sprinkle seasoning generously to give the ground beef its flavor boost.
Give the beef a good stir halfway through cooking for even browning and to prevent any clumping.

More Air Fryer Ground Beef Recipes

Variations for this Air Fryer Ground Beef Recipe

Add a bit of heat to your ground beef by including a dash of cayenne pepper or chili flakes in the seasoning mixture.
Mix in some dried or fresh herbs like oregano or basil for an Italian twist.
For air fryer taco meat, add cumin and chili powder to the seasoning mix or some of my taco seasoning.
Stir in some shredded cheese after cooking for a gooey, cheesy ground beef mix.
For an Asian-inspired twist, add a splash of soy sauce and a teaspoon of ginger during cooking.

How to Brown Ground Beef in the Air Fryer

Air frying is the easiest way to brown ground beef! And it’s way less messy than cooking it on the stove.

Simply break up the beef, add it to a preheated air fryer basket, add your seasoning, and cook until fully browned. That’s it!

What Kind of Ground Beef Should You Use?

For this recipe, you can use any kind of ground beef you like. My family likes 80/20 best, but you can choose something more or less lean depending on your personal preferences.

Can You Make Hamburger Meat with Air Fryer Ground Beef?

When you make homemade hamburger patties, you shape the raw beef into the patties before cooking.

Because this recipe involves cooking ground beef crumbled, it won’t work very well to press the meat into hamburgers after it’s already cooked.

Spoonful of browned ground beef for recipes.

How Long to Air Fry Ground Beef

My favorite part about this air fryer ground beef recipe is that it’s ready so quickly!

Simply cook the ground beef in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes until it’s browned all the way through with no pink left. The exact timing will vary based on your air fryer.

Can You Cook Frozen Ground Beef in the Air Fryer?

If you only have frozen ground beef on hand, you can still use the air fryer!

To start, cook the frozen ground beef at 300 degrees F to defrost. Once partially thawed, break the beef up in the air fryer and then follow the rest of the recipe as usual.

Do You Need To Drain Ground Beef in the Air Fryer?

One of the great things about cooking in the air fryer is that all the grease drains out of the basket.

So when you brown ground beef in the air fryer, you don’t need to drain the meat before serving!

Easy air fried ground meat ready for dinner.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Ground Beef

This air fryer ground beef recipe would be great to use in hearty hamburger hash brown casserole, cheesy taco lasagna, or air fryer stuffed peppers!

It’s also perfect to serve over a taco salad or in place of leftover steak in these fajitas.

More Beef Recipes:

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