Air Fryer Meatballs

Name: Air Fryer Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ lbs ground beef; ¾ c. Italian style breadcrumbs; 1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes; 1 tsp minced garlic; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 egg (beaten); ¼ c. grated parmesan cheese; 1 tsp salt; ¼ tsp ground black pepper

5 from 26 votes

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By: Julie Evink11 Comments

Posted: 05/13/23 Updated: 05/15/23

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Tender, juicy meatballs that are made in your Air Fryer for a quick and easy dinner recipe! These Air Fryer Meatballs are a little crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. So easy to make!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Juicy, delicious Italian-style meatballs that are easy enough for a weeknight dinner? Yes, it’s possible when you use your air fryer to cook them!

No messing frying on the stove or baking them in the oven – air fried meatballs come out perfectly every time with hardly any mess. You will love how easy this recipe is.

Contents show

Why This Recipe Works

The beef meatballs are made with mostly pantry ingredients – just mix, roll, and they’re ready to cook in your air fryer.
I like beef, but you can sub ground turkey, pork, or add some Italian sausage to the mix to change up the flavor!
Cooking meatballs in an air fryer gives them a delicious crust while keeping them juicy and tender on the inside. Basically, the best meatballs!
Pair them with pasta and your favorite pasta sauce, put them in a meatball sub, or enjoy with roasted vegetables and baked potatoes for an easy meal.

Don’t have an air fryer? You might like to try my Italian-style Crock Pot Meatballs or Baked Meatballs!

Overhead Image of Air Fryer Meatballs Ingredients

Ingredients for Air Fryer Meatballs

Meat: This is a beef meatball recipe, but you could substitute ground turkey, ground pork, Italian sausage or even ground chicken. Just keep in mind that if you use a lean meat the meatballs can dry out easier because of less fat.

Binder: The egg in this recipe is what binds the meat together. Breadcrumbs also help with the texture making the meatballs soft and tender just like you want them.

Flavor: These are Italian-style meatballs, so there are dried herbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and onion in the mix. Don’t forget to add the salt and pepper, too! The Italian flavor is not strong it just gives it the perfect amount of flavor.

Products Needed

How To Make Air Fryer Meatballs

Mix: In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, dried herbs and seasoning, egg, and cheese.

Roll: Make 1” meatballs with the mixture.

Air Fry: Place the meatballs in the basket and cook them for 10 minutes at 400°F or until they are cooked through.

Glass bowl with ingredients in it to make meatballs before mixing

A glass bowl with ground beef mixture for meatballs

Pro Tips!

For tender and juicy meatball don’t over mix the meat mixture. Also, when you form the meatballs, lightly shape them – if you compact the meat too much your meatballs will be dense.
Cook them in an even layer in the air fryer basket. They should be spaced apart so the air can circulate around them. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
The meatballs are done when the internal temperature is 165°F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer – just slice one in half to check. It should not be pink in the middle.
These meatballs are great for meal prepping! Make and cook a batch and store them in an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days.

How to Store Leftovers

Refrigerator: Place any leftover meatballs in an airtight container or resealable bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Place leftover meatballs in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months.

How to Reheat Leftover Meatballs

If the leftover meatballs have been frozen, place in refrigerator overnight to thaw.

Then place on microwave safe plate and microwave one minute at a time on high until they are heated through. You can also place them on a baking sheet and put them under the broiler for a few minutes until they are warm.

Another option is to place them back in your air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through.

Serving Suggestions

Yes, you can use them to make spaghetti and meatballs, but here are some other ways to serve them to switch things up:

Serve them with mashed potatoes, gravy, and some asparagus.
Make some Parmesan orzo to go with them with some broccoli on the side.
Use dinner rolls to make mini meatball sliders with some marinara sauce and cheese!

Overhead image of cooked meatballs on a plate

Once you try these easy air fried meatballs, you’ll ditch the frozen store-bought ones. They’re delicious and so easy to make you’ll want them in your weekly dinner rotation!

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Fried Chicken is so easy to make in an air fryer and just as delicious as traditional fried chicken but with a lot less oil!
Make Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks for an easy dinner!
Hawaiian Shrimp is a fresh and light meal that is so easy to make!
Quick and easy Air Fryer Corn on the Cob is going to be your favorite way to make fresh sweet corn.
Tender slices of zucchini that are coated in a delicious, crispy Parmesan Panko breading! Air Fryer Zucchini Fries are a healthy side dish.

Meet Julie Evink

I'm here to help you win in the kitchen again! Life is Busy, Life is Crazy, but that doesn't mean you can't make your family dinner! Julie's goal is to provide you with easy, family, friendly recipes that use pantry staples. Dinnertime will be stress free again!