My air fryer hamburgers keep the patties juicy and cook perfectly every time. They’re so delicious my kids ask for them every single week!
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My Favorite Recipe For Air Fryer Burgers
I first tried hamburgers in the air fryer when it was raining hard, and we were about to go outside and start the grill. I looked at the pouring rain and then my air fryer and then said… why not?
Now, I’m so glad I tried this method. The burgers were cooked in just minutes and tasted incredible! The patties stayed juicy, and I was able to pull mine and my husband’s hamburger out at medium rare and let my kids’ burgers cook just a little more per their preference.
They hamburgers cooked quicker than when I made them in a pan or the oven, and the fatty grease dripped off the burgers. The burgers all cooked evenly, too, so I didn’t have to worry about one side cooking faster than the other like my grill sometimes does!
My son requests hamburgers constantly now, whether it’s raining, super hot, or even snowing outside. It doesn’t matter because I can make them inside in the air fryer. When I find something the kids love, of course, I will continue to make it all the time. And yes, he does eat the whole 1/2 pound burger himself!
If you love a deliciously easy air fryer recipe, try my air fryer hot dogs, air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer pork loin, air fryer boneless pork chops, air fryer hash browns, and air fryer chicken breast. I’ve even made frozen hamburgers in the air fryer!
Ingredients for Hamburger in the Air Fryer
- Ground beef – I recommend 80/20 for the juiciest hamburgers
- Montreal steak seasoning
How to Cook Hamburgers in The Air Fryer
STEP ONE: Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and allow it to preheat.
STEP TWO: In a medium mixing bowl, gently combine the ground beef and Montreal steak seasoning. Avoid overworking the meat to keep the burgers tender.
STEP THREE: Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts. Form each part into a patty about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. Using your thumb, make a small indent at the center of each burger patty. This will prevent the burger from puffing up during cooking.
I like to use the bottom of a plate to press the patty into the cutting board to help get my burgers an even layer before indenting them.
STEP FOUR: Place the patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook them for 7-10 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Carefully flip the burgers and cook them for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until their internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Feel free to use a meat thermometer to check.
STEP SIX: Remove the burgers from the air fryer and let them rest for 2 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute. Serve your juicy burger patties on buns or lettuce wraps with your favorite toppings
Tips For Cooking Hamburgers in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer so the burgers all cook consistently from the inside out.
- Use a little water or a piece of bread under the air fryer basket to help catch the grease. I’ve found it also helps keep the air fryer from smoking.
- Don’t overwork the meat by mixing it too much or you will end up with dry burgers.
- Make a small indent in the center of each patty to help prevent them from puffing up while cooking. This has saved me from taller burgers time and time again.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to pull the burgers as soon as they are done to your preferred doneness.
Variations For Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Use a different kind of meat. I’ve tried ground turkey, ground chicken, and bison burgers, and they’ve turned out great.
- Serve the hamburgers without the bun inside a bowl over lettuce and other toppings to create a burger bowl.
- Turn these into plant-based burgers by using impossible meat or beyond meat.
- Skip the Montreal steak spice and just use salt and pepper for a more simple flavor or add some other spices such as garlic powder and onion powder.
- Melt cheese on the burger patties by turning off the air fryer, putting cheese on top of the burgers, and closing the air fryer for about 1 minute. I’ve found the residual heat is enough to melt the cheese perfectly.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Burgers
I typically pair these burgers with air fryer tater tots, air fryer french fries, air fryer sweet potato fries, or air fryer onion rings with some baked beans and a salad.
In the summer, I usually add in some seasonal produce by serving them with bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers in the air fryer, air fryer asparagus, or air fryer corn on the cob with a caprese salad or watermelon salad.
The Best Hamburger Toppings
My kids love lots of ketchup on their burgers, but that’s not for me. On a simple night, I like to add some big mac sauce, grilled peppers and onions, or coleslaw. My husband loves a good bacon and BBQ sauce burger.
When I want to go all out (and I highly recommend doing this every once in a while), I love topping my burgers with mac and cheese with bacon, onion rings, bacon, and BBQ sauce, or bacon and blue cheese. Loading up my burgers has been a complete game changer, especially when my kids constantly want burgers!
Air Fryer Hamburgers FAQs
What kind of Hamburger meat makes the best Air Fry Hamburgers?
I personally use an 80/20 burger (80% ground beef/20% fat) as it contains enough fat to make the burger juicy but is still much healthier than fattier versions.
I’ve previously used lean ground beef at a 90/10 ratio, but found the burgers started to get a little too dry for my liking.
How long to cook Hamburgers in The Air Fryer
- Rare (125 degrees): approximately 4 minutes + let the burger rest for 3 minutes
- Medium Rare (135 degrees): approximately 5 minutes
- Medium (145 degrees): approximately 6 minutes
- Medium Well (155 degrees): approximately 8-12 minutes
- Well Done (160 degrees): approximately 10+ minutes
How to Store Leftovers
Air fryer burgers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container or wrap each one individually in foil.
How to reheat Hamburgers in The Air Fryer
Reheat any leftovers in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees F for about 2 to 3 minutes until warmed thoroughly.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Salmon Patties
- Air Fry Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Beyond Burgers
- Air Fryer Steak
- Air Fryer Impossible Burgers
- Air Fryer Ground Beef
Juicy Air Fryer Hamburgers
Ingredients
- 2 pound ground beef thawed (preferably 80/20)
- 2 tablespoons Montreal Steak Spice 25% less sodium version
For Serving
- 4 Hamburger buns
- Your other favorite toppings
Instructions
- Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and allow it to preheat.
- In a medium mixing bowl, gently combine the ground beef and Montreal steak spice. Avoid overworking the meat to keep the burgers tender.
- Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts. Form each part into a patty about 3/4 – 1 inch thick by pressing it down with a plate. Using your thumb, make a small indent at the center of each burger patty. This will prevent the burger from puffing up during cooking.
- Place the patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook them for 7-10 minutes.
- Carefully flip the burgers and cook them for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until their internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Feel free to use a meat thermometer to check.
- Remove the burgers from the air fryer and let them rest for 2 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute. Serve your juicy burger patties on buns or lettuce wraps with your favorite toppings!
Video
Notes
- Pour 1/2 cup of water or a piece of bread in the bottom of the preheated air fryer, beneath the basket. This will help reduce smoke during cooking.
- Thicker hamburgers may take longer to cook if not pressed down properly
- If making cheeseburgers, place a piece of cheese on each burger in the air fryer, turn the air fryer off, and let the burgers sit in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes until melted.
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.
how much longer for frozen burgers?
Frozen hamburgers cook a little differently, so here is the information you need!: https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/frozen-hamburgers-in-air-fryer/
You give the preheat temperature, but I didn’t see any temperature setting for actually cooking the burgers.
Hi Joe, your preheat temperature will be the same as your cooking temperature, just like when using an oven!
Tried your recipe this evening and it worked perfectly! And absolutely love your tip on placing a piece of bread underneath — clean-up was a breeze.
So glad you loved it, Karen! Yes, the piece of bread is a game changer!
How much less time would you guess for a medium-rare 🍔?
Hi Sabrina, I would flip at 3 minutes and start checking temperature for your desired doneness at the 5 minute mark. Exact times may vary a bit from machine to machine, but that should get you close!
I made this recipe and the burgers came out great.
Hey Claudia, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!