After trying air fryer meatballs, I will never bake them in the oven again. The insides stay nice and tender while the outsides get a slight crisp on them. The best part is that you can make them ahead of time and freeze for later use. I have included those directions in the notes. Dip meatballs in marinara, if desired.
Your air fryer is the secret to perfect meatballs that are crispy on the outside, but tender and juicy on the inside. You?ll come back to this air fryer meatball recipe again and again.?
How to Make Air Fryer Meatballs
You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics of making air fryer meatballs:
Air Fryer Meatballs Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients you?ll need to make this air fryer meatball recipe at home:?
- Meat: You?ll need lean ground beef and ground pork.?
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese lends flavor and creaminess.?
- Bread crumbs: Use store-bought bread crumbs or make your own at home.?
- Egg: An egg lends moisture and helps hold the meatballs together.?
- Seasoning: These air-fried meatballs are seasoned with fresh garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.?
How to Make Meatballs In the Air Fryer
Here?s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make air-fried meatballs:?
- Combine the ingredients.?
- Shape the mixture into balls.?
- Air fry for 8 minutes, shake, and cook for 2 more minutes.?
How Long to Cook Meatballs In the Air Fryer
In an air fryer preheated to 350 degrees F, the meatballs should cook for about 10 minutes. Don?t forget to shake the basket at the 8-minute mark! Also, allow the meatballs to rest for five minutes before serving.?
How to Store Air Fryer Meatballs
Serve these air-fried meatballs over spaghetti with our Best Marinara Sauce Yet for a classic, crowd-pleasing dish. These meatballs also work perfectly as an appetizer, in a sandwich, or served over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.
Can You Freeze Air Fryer Meatballs?
Yes! Freezing meatballs is a great way to meal prep. Here?s how to freeze air fryer meatballs, according to recipe creator and Cookdap Allstar Soup Loving Nicole:
?After step 2, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 4 hours. Transfer frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe container. Cook time will need to be increased to 15 minutes: Cook for 12 minutes, shake, and then cook for 3 minutes more.?
Cookdap Community Tips and Praise
?Really liked how these turned out,? raves Anna Dorothea. ?Much better than in the oven — tender inside with a brown crust outside. I did cook them at 375 degrees F instead of 350 degrees F and liked the result. Definitely a keeper!?
?I made the recipe as written and they were perfect,? according to Peg. ?My husband loved them and they were gone the next day. I won’t fry or bake meatballs again. Fast and easy.?
?Made mine with a venison and beef mixture,? says kayla. ?I also placed a small ball of mozzarella cheese in the middle and it was great!?
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lean ground beef
- 4 ounces ground pork
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Step 1
Preheat an air fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 2
Combine beef, pork, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until evenly combined. Form into 16 equal meatballs (a small ice cream scoop is helpful) and place on a baking sheet.
Step 3
Place 1/2 of the meatballs in the basket of the air fryer and cook 8 minutes. Shake the basket and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a serving plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings Per Recipe 4 | |
Calories 457 | |
% Daily Value * | |
Total Fat33g | 42% |
Saturated Fat13g | 67% |
Cholesterol114mg | 38% |
Sodium634mg | 28% |
Total Carbohydrate8g | 3% |
Dietary Fiber1g | 2% |
Protein30g | |
Vitamin C1mg | 5% |
Calcium146mg | 11% |
Iron3mg | 17% |
Potassium402mg | 9% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
Powered by the ESHA Research Database ? 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved
source by allrecipe
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- by: Celineebeenie
- 4 years ago
Really good. I was shocked that I actually had all the ingredients.
I made my meatballs the size of billiard balls so I had them in the air fryer for 14 minutes at 350. I used my meat thermometer to verify that they were cooked inside. I followed the recipe exactly as shown. Definitely use the ice cream scoop to make your meatballs uniform. -
- by: Celineebeenie
- 4 years ago
Really good. I was shocked that I actually had all the ingredients.
I made my meatballs the size of billiard balls so I had them in the air fryer for 14 minutes at 350. I used my meat thermometer to verify that they were cooked inside. I followed the recipe exactly as shown. Definitely use the ice cream scoop to make your meatballs uniform. -
- by: Casey Sinigaglia
- 4 years ago
What a great simple recipe! I quadrupled the recipe and was able to get half of all of my meatballs into my large air fryer. The flavor was great and my husband was extra happy that I didn’t use onions to make them. The meatballs have great flavor and I look forward to making this again.
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- by: Casey Sinigaglia
- 4 years ago
What a great simple recipe! I quadrupled the recipe and was able to get half of all of my meatballs into my large air fryer. The flavor was great and my husband was extra happy that I didn’t use onions to make them. The meatballs have great flavor and I look forward to making this again.
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- by: Shopper
- 2 years ago
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made this with the following deviations:
1). Instead of pork, I used hot Italian sausage (Costco)
2). I ended up with 15 balls rather than 16.
3). I rolled the meatballs in parsley before cooking.
4). I cooked all 15 balls at once in the air fryer, using 350 degrees for 10 minutes, turning them over, then for another 10 mins.
Very, very tasty!!!
I made 4 batches. Had one batch for dinner. The other three I will cook and freeze tomorrow, so I have “meatballs ready to thaw, heat and eat” for future meals.
So glad I found this recipe.
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- by: Shopper
- 2 years ago
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made this with the following deviations:
1). Instead of pork, I used hot Italian sausage (Costco)
2). I ended up with 15 balls rather than 16.
3). I rolled the meatballs in parsley before cooking.
4). I cooked all 15 balls at once in the air fryer, using 350 degrees for 10 minutes, turning them over, then for another 10 mins.
Very, very tasty!!!
I made 4 batches. Had one batch for dinner. The other three I will cook and freeze tomorrow, so I have “meatballs ready to thaw, heat and eat” for future meals.
So glad I found this recipe.
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- by: Knauts53
- 2 years ago
Made these for the first time and went by the recipe. Wouldn’t change a thing. Hubby says it’s a keeper. I would make these again. Great thing is you can make these ahead of time and freeze. The only thing I wasn’t sure of was the grated parmesan cheese. So I just used the grated in the bottle like you would serve w/spaghetti.
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- by: Knauts53
- 2 years ago
Made these for the first time and went by the recipe. Wouldn’t change a thing. Hubby says it’s a keeper. I would make these again. Great thing is you can make these ahead of time and freeze. The only thing I wasn’t sure of was the grated parmesan cheese. So I just used the grated in the bottle like you would serve w/spaghetti.
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- by: Sbrickma
- 2 years ago
This is a simple but amazingly good recipe. Only thing I did was add black pepper because I can’t imagine beef without it.
The parmesan is such a nice touch you don’t even need or want a sauce. I had these with salad. Would be amazing with a red sauce though or even on pizza.
Worth making. Thanks for the recipe!
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- by: Sbrickma
- 2 years ago
This is a simple but amazingly good recipe. Only thing I did was add black pepper because I can’t imagine beef without it.
The parmesan is such a nice touch you don’t even need or want a sauce. I had these with salad. Would be amazing with a red sauce though or even on pizza.
Worth making. Thanks for the recipe!
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- by: Tina Curran
- 2 years ago
Used Ultrean air fryer, and modified the recipe (only 1lb beef, added 1/2 pack onion soup mix, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, egg) Made 16 meatballs. I preheated to 400, lowered to 380 and cooked the first 8 for 12 minutes – too long. OK, but too long. The next batch I cooked for 10 minutes, and they were perfect. I didn’t need to toss or shake, because they moved around on their own.
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- by: Tina Curran
- 2 years ago
Used Ultrean air fryer, and modified the recipe (only 1lb beef, added 1/2 pack onion soup mix, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, egg) Made 16 meatballs. I preheated to 400, lowered to 380 and cooked the first 8 for 12 minutes – too long. OK, but too long. The next batch I cooked for 10 minutes, and they were perfect. I didn’t need to toss or shake, because they moved around on their own.
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 1 year ago
The meat balls were easy to make in the air fryer. I cooked them 8 minutes, turned them over and cooked them for 4 minutes more. The meat was fresh not frozen. Crispy on the top and moist inside. Next time the meat will be frozen so I will cook them about 2 to 3 minutes longer. Enjoyed very much.
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- by: Nichole Creasman
- 1 year ago
Super easy! My 7 year old made them with very little help. I changed the seasonings a bit just to our preferences, and served with egg noodles and a stroganoff sauce for the kid and the hubs. (I don’t like stroganoff so I ate mine as “meatloaf bites” and dunked in steak sauce.) Will make again for sure!
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- by: Nichole Creasman
- 1 year ago
Super easy! My 7 year old made them with very little help. I changed the seasonings a bit just to our preferences, and served with egg noodles and a stroganoff sauce for the kid and the hubs. (I don’t like stroganoff so I ate mine as “meatloaf bites” and dunked in steak sauce.) Will make again for sure!
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- by: Cookdap Member
- 8 months ago
We are two seniors. I cook from scratch but sometimes I just want something quick. I always have one pound packages of ground beef frozen, so these were perfect. Very tasty meal with a couple of other vegetables. I melted a slice of cheese over my husband?s for that cheeseburger taste. Never was into meatballs but I?ll be making these again.
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