When you want something easy, tasty, and filling, you can’t go wrong with air fryer meatballs!
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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.
- Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees.
- 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
- Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees F.
- 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
- Frozen Meatballs in the Instant Pot
- BBQ Grape Jelly Meatballs
More Air Fryer Beef Recipes
- Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Air Fryer London Broil
- Frozen Burgers in the Air Fryer
- 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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Air Fryer Meatballs
A delicious freezable air fryer meatball recipe that's perfect as an appetizer or with spaghetti!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 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 your air fryer to 350 degrees.
- Add ground beef, Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to a bowl.
- Mix to combine ingredients by using as little movement as possible.
- Form the ground beef mixture into 2-inch meatballs and place in the air fryer in a single layer, not touching.
- Cook the meatballs for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Meatballs are done when the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
- Remove the meatballs from the air fryer and enjoy immediately, store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
How to Reheat Meatballs in the Air Fryer:
1. Preheat air fryer to 320 degrees.
2. Cook meatballs for 3-4 minutes, until heated thoroughly.
How to Cook Frozen Meatballs in the Air Fryer:
1. Preheat air fryer to 320 degrees.
2. Cook meatballs for 9-11 minutes, until heated thoroughly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 447Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 711mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 38g
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! 🙂