Air Fryer Meatballs

Name: Air Fryer Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 1 egg; 1 garlic clove, minced; ½ teaspoon dried minced onion; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs; ¼ cup whole milk; 1 pound 90% lean ground beef; ½ pound ground pork; ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (divided use (optional))

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Homemade Air Fryer Meatballs come out so tender and flavorful with the perfect texture and a beautifully browned exterior. You won’t believe they were made in the air fryer!

AN EASY (LESS GREASY) WAY TO MAKE MEATBALLS

Did you know you can make meatballs in the air fryer? Well, once you’ve made these Air Fryer Meatballs, you may never want to make them any other way again! These tasty homemade meatballs don’t require any extra oil or fats to be cooked in, without losing any flavor or sacrificing the perfect texture both on the interior and exterior. Cooking them in the Air Fryer is ideal since it’s relatively fast and you get them cooked exactly how you like them. Plus, these meatballs are versatile and can be used as a main meal or used in other recipes.

A plate of pasta with red sauce and Air Fryer Meatballs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why did my meatballs end up tough?

This usually happens if you over mixed the meatball mixture but it’s not because you made them in the air fryer. What I love about the air fryer is it basically seals in the moisture pretty quickly so you don’t get dry meat at all unless you severely overcook them (like with any method of cooking or you worked the meat way too hard when you mixed it).

How can I use these Meatballs?

You can enjoy them as a main dish, or use them in your favorite recipes. I think they’d be great on a Meatball Sub, in your favorite pasta dish. Additionally, I think you could make these smaller in size and then use them for cocktail meatballs as an appetizer. They’d definitely be delicious that way too.

What style of Air Fryer should I use and will mine work if it’s different?

I would think most Air Fryers would work with this recipe. But it’s important to note that I have only tested this recipe, and my other air fryer recipes, using a basket style air fryer.

In America and Canada, the basket style fryers are by far the most popular and the one most people have in their kitchens. But, I know they’re coming out with more styles and sizes faster than I can keep up with. So I think it’s important to remind you to check your own style of air fryer and see if the manual has any suggestions on cooking times to use with that specific make and model. You know your type of air fryer better than I would. There are other styles of fryers that may cook faster or can cook a lot more at once, so it’s crucial to go by the internal temperature of the meatballs, don’t just rely on the cooking times suggested. Always, always, always, keep your meat thermometer handy so you don’t overcook/undercook them.

Can I use all ground beef instead of a mix of pork and beef?

Sure thing. If you rather all beef, you can use all lean ground beef. You don’t want to use beef that isn’t lean or it’ll get too greasy.

Can I make them in the oven instead?

If you’d rather bake them in the oven rather than use your Air Fryer, I would check out my post on converting an Air Fryer Recipe to an Oven Baked one. It’s helpful for recipes like this and other Air Fryer recipes you may be interested in converting.
Additionally, I have an Oven Baked Meatballs recipe if you’d like to try that one.

Why do you refrigerate the meatballs?

While this is not 100% necessary to do, I think that it gives the meatballs a chance to really let those flavors meld together. Plus, refrigerating them helps them keep their shape as they’re cooking. If you have the time, I definitely recommend it.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! You can actually make them without cooking them and freeze them uncooked for later if desired. If you wanted to cook them from frozen, you would need to increase the cooking time. Otherwise, you could thaw them in the fridge before cooking normally. Always use a meat thermometer to know that they’re fully cooked.
Additionally, you could make the meatballs, cook them and then reheat when ready to serve.

Can I make Italian style Air Fryer Meatballs?

Wanting a bit more Italian flair? Instead of pork and beef, try using an equal mixture of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal. You can also add about a teaspoon (or more to taste) of Italian seasoning.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! It’s great for feeding a crowd, you’ll just need to work in batches when cooking in the Air Fryer. Using the same sized scoop or spoon will help make sure the meatballs are all the same size so they cook evenly.

How do I store leftover meatballs?

Toss leftover meatballs in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep them longer by freezing for up to 3 months.

Looking down on an Air Fryer basket with meatballs.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

egg – this acts as a binder to hold the meatball together.
garlic clove – use fresh here, not the jarred stuff (trust me, it makes a big difference in homemade meatballs)
dried minced onion – this can be swapped for onion powder if need- just reduce the quantity to ¼ teaspoon or you can very finely grate an onion and use about 1 Tablespoon.
salt and pepper
Panko breadcrumbs– if in a pinch, breadcrumbs can be used, but you won’t get quite the same light and airy texture that you would get when using Panko.
whole milk – I always suggest whole milk (because fat is good here and keeps your meatballs tender) but you could use 2%
ground beef– I suggest using 90% lean ground beef so you don’t end up with too much grease in your meat mixture but you could always use ground turkey, ground chicken or impossible meat (please note, you may need to adjust cooking times for those)
ground pork – this combined with the ground beef is really the best way to make meatballs. You get such great flavor by combining these, You could use all ground beef but I highly suggest combining the two for best flavor and results.
freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh parsley– finely chopped and divided use (optional)

Ground beef, ground pork, milk, parmesan cheese, dried minced onion, minced garlic, parsley, egg, salt, pepper, and Panko.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER MEATBALLS

In a large bowl, add the egg, garlic, minced onion, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and stir together well. Then add in the Panko breadcrumbs and pour in the milk. Stir together well. Allow the mixture to sit for about a minute to absorb the liquids.

A bowl with egg, garlic, minced onion, salt, and pepper and a bowl with Panko, egg, garlic, minced onion, salt, and pepper.

Next add in the ground beef pork. Mix just until combined. I find this easiest to do with clean hands. Avoid overmixing as the meat will get tough the more it is handled.

Finally, add in the parmesan cheese and 2 Tablespoons of the chopped parsley. Gently mix into the meat, just until combined.

Ground meat with the spices and a bowl of ground pork, beef, parmesan and parsley.

Form the meat mixture into 15 meatballs. I find this easiest by using a 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and let them sit in the refrigerator for about an hour (or overnight) to allow the flavors to blend and to help the meatballs keep their shape when cooking.

A cookie scoop in a bowl of meatball meat. A baking sheet with uncooked meatballs.

Preheat a 6 quart air fryer to 400°F for 4 minutes. Once it is ready, place the meatballs into the basket, spacing them apart from each other to allow for even cooking. You will have to cook these in two batches to prevent overcrowding. Cook for 15 minutes or until the meatballs measure 160°F with an instant-read thermometer.

collage of two photos: raw meatballs in a air fryer; 9 cooked meatballs in air fryer basket.

Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve over pasta with tomato sauce or in a hoagie roll covered in provolone cheese for a meatball sub or however you prefer!