Easy Air Fryer Meatballs
You won’t be able to eat just one of these Air Fryer Meatballs! They’re juicy, flavorful and they brown beautifully in the air fryer! They take about 10 minutes of prep, they’re ready in about 30 minutes, and they’re the perfect quick dinner or appetizer!
Comfort foods come in many forms, and one of my all time favorites is meatballs. I’m always looking for easier ways to prepare them because one of my least favorite things to do is brown them on the stove top.
My oven baked meatballs brown nicely on a sheet pan in the oven, and my turkey meatballs cook in the sauce until they’re nice and tender.
My crockpot bbq meatballs don’t require any browning either, as they cook up gently in bbq sauce.
These Air Fryer Meatballs give me yet another easy way to get my fix. They’re juicy, flavorful and they get perfectly golden brown and crispy with no additional effort.
I wasn’t really surprised, because I’ve learned that there’s nothing that my air fryer can’t do.
My air fryer chicken wings are so crisp and juicy that I never want to make wings any other way. It also produces amazing results with my air fryer hamburgers and air fryer potato skins.
I have this air fryer and truly can’t say enough good things about it. It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. 🙂
Table of contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Air fryer meatballs are juicy, flavorful and perfectly golden brown.
- They take 10 minutes to prep and they’re ready in about 30 minutes.
- They make a great appetizer or toss them in your favorite sauce and serve with pasta or veggie noodles.
- They can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Recipe ingredients
You can easily change up some of the ingredients included in this air fryer meatball recipe as outlined in the ingredient notes section below.
Ingredient notes
- Ground beef. For maximum flavor, use grass fed beef. You can swap the beef for ground pork, or use half beef and half pork.
- Breadcrumbs. Use your favorite variety. Panko or Italian breadcrumbs work well, or you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs if your gluten intolerant.
- Parmesan cheese. For best results, use fresh grated or shredded.
- Egg. The egg is a binder for the meatballs.
- Milk. The milk adds moisture, and whatever type you have on hand will work just fine.
- Garlic and seasonings. I used fresh garlic, onion powder and dried basil, but you can get creative and use your favorite herbs and seasonings.
How to make meatballs in air fryer
I love making meatballs in the air fryer because there’s no browning required. They come out golden brown and crispy and they’re utterly delicious!
Pro tip: Prep meatballs 1-2 days in advance, or freeze them. To freeze: Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a zip top bag. Air fry from frozen, adding 2-5 minutes extra to the cooking time or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Gently combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Form the meatballs into 1 1/2″ balls.
- Place the meatballs in the air fryer with enough room in between so the air can circulate. You will probably need to cook them in more than one batch.
- Cook at 390 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
FAQs
Meatballs that are roughly 1 1/2″ in size take about 10 minutes to cook at a temperature of 390 degrees.
All air fryers vary, so begin checking for doneness after 8 minutes of cooking time.
Absolutely! Pop frozen meatballs into the air fryer in a single layer and cook at 390 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
Serving suggestions
These air fried meatballs can be served up a multitude of ways.
- They make a great appetizer served with favorite dipping sauce such as chimichurri or buffalo.
- Serve with marinara sauce over polenta, pasta or zucchini noodles.
- Toss in bbq sauce and serve as sub sandwiches or alongside corn on the cob.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep meatballs 1-2 days in advance, or freeze them. To freeze: Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a zip top bag. Air fry from frozen, adding 2-5 minutes extra to the cooking time or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
- All air fryers vary, so be sure to begin checking for doneness after about 8 minutes of cooking time.
- Change things up by using ground pork, or a combination of beef and pork.
- Store leftover air fried meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve as a main dish with marinara or bbq sauce, or serve as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce.
More air fryer recipes you’ll love:
- Air fryer bacon
- Air fryer baked potatoes
- Air fryer blueberry muffins by Entertaining with Beth
- Air fryer broccoli
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
- Air fryer chicken breast
- Air fryer chicken drumsticks
- Air fryer pork chops
- Air fryer potatoes
- Air fryer salmon
- Air fryer shrimp
- Air fryer sweet potato fries
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Easy Air Fryer Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, milk, garlic, onion powder, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix together gently just until combined. Do not over work the meat or the meatballs will be dense.1 lb. ground beef, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons milk, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Form the meatballs into 1 1/2" balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Place as many meatballs on the plate of your air fryer without overcrowding (you will more than likely need to cook (2) batches).
- Cook at 390 degrees for about 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees. All air fryers vary, so begin checking for doneness after 8 minutes of cooking time. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Prep meatballs 1-2 days in advance, or freeze them. To freeze: Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a zip top bag. Air fry from frozen, adding 2-5 minutes extra to the cooking time or until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
- Change things up by using ground pork, or a combination of beef and pork.
- Store leftover air fried meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve as a main dish with marinara or bbq sauce, or serve as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
