Air Fryer Meatballs

When you want something easy, tasty, and filling, you can’t go wrong with air fryer meatballs!

Cooking meatballs in the air fryer is a quick way to turn raw meatballs into juicy meatballs for spaghetti coated in your favorite pasta sauce.

They cook faster than baked meatballs in the oven, but still get that perfect texture when using this recipe.

I’ve included some helpful tips to make air fryer meatballs so they come out great for dinner!

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 your air fryer to 350 degrees F.

STEP TWO: Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper into a bowl until just evenly combined.

STEP THREE: Scoop up roughly a quarter of the meat to create a 2-inch meatball, then place it in the air fryer basket or air fryer tray in a single layer.

STEP FOUR: Air fry meatballs for 10-12 minutes, or until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer.

Helpful Tips to Make The Best Homemade Air Fryer Meatball Recipe

• Use a ground beef leanness between 70% to 80% to allow the meat to retain moisture — 90% lean ground beef tends to taste more dry
• Use a food processor to dice up the onion and garlic into small and consistently-sized pieces
• Don’t overmix to get a moist and juicy inside and avoid tough air fryer meatballs
• Use a medium ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to get consistently-sized fresh meatballs that cook evenly
• Rotate the air fried meatballs after 5 minutes of cooking or use a silicone liner to keep the meat from sticking

How Long to Cook Meatballs in the Air Fryer

Air frying meatballs take just 10 to 12 minutes in to cook in the air fryer.

Large meatballs – add about 2 minutes more for larger meatballs

Mini meatballs – these will cook in about 6 to 8 minutes depending on size

What to Serve with Air Fryer Meatballs

• Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Air Fryer Garlic Bread
• Pasta and Marinara Sauce
• Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
• Air Fryer Diced Potatoes
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Carrots

Air Fryer Meatball Recipe Variations  

• Use a different ground meat such as ground chicken, ground turkey, ground lamb, or even italian sausage — you can even mix and max the protein!
• Use fresh basil, rosemary, thyme, and oregano and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a fresher Italian meatball flavor
• Stuff the meatballs with mozzarella cheese wrapping the ground beef around the cheese for cheesy variety

How to Reheat Air Fried Meatballs

Store leftover meatballs in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze up to 6 months in freezer-safe container.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees.
2. Place the cooked meatballs in the air fryer and air fry meatballs for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are warmed thoroughly.

How to Cook Frozen Meatballs in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F.
2. Place frozen meatballs in the basket or tray, cooking meatballs in the air fryer for 9 to 11 minutes, until they reach 165 degrees F using an Instant Read Thermometer.

More Meatball Recipes

• Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
• Air Fryer Meatball Sub
• Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs
• BBQ Grape Jelly Meatballs

More Air Fryer Beef Recipes

• Air Fryer Meatloaf
• Air Fryer London Broil
• Air Fryer Hamburgers
• Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
• Air Fryer Skirt Steak (Carne Asada)
• Air Fryer Roast Beef
• Air Fryer Steak Bites

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