Air Fryer Meatballs
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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!

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.
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!

Ingredients
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.
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.
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.
Different Ways to Serve Them
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!

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!
Be sure to give this recipe a try! If you love this recipe as much as we do (pretty sure you will!), be sure to leave a five-star rating below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram either, I’d love to see pictures of your good eats! @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Air Fryer Meatballs
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
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, onion, egg, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Shape beef mixture into 1 inch meatballs and place in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are not touching so the air can circulate around them. You may need to cook them in batches.
- Cook meatballs at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
- Remove from the air fryer and keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the meatballs.
Beatrice says
Question i like to put my meatballs in my red sauce after I fry them the conventional way. Can I still do this after the air fry method? Or should I cook them less in the air fryer? And then put in sauce?
Julie Evink says
Yes you can do the same with these. I would cook them through in the Air Fryer.
Joshua says
Can I use Italian sausage instead of beef? If so, does it change the recipe at all? I don’t mind the added Italian flavor
Julie Evink says
Yes that should work fine!
Shea says
Are the nutrition facts for one meatball? They sound great, making them tonight!
Julie Evink says
It’s for 1/6 of the recipe about 1/4 lb of the meat mixture. It would depend on how many meatballs you make out of it 🙂
Kara says
So tasty! I don’t know why I’ve never thought to add parmesan cheese to meatballs, I love it! It’s especially tasty with the Italian flavor from the bread crumbs. A hit with the whole family!
Kristyn says
The air fryer makes the perfect meatball! Add some marinara & pasta & you have an amazing meal!
Stephanie says
Great meatballs! I never thought to make meatballs in the air fryer but they are so good this way.
Michelle Sperr says
Awesome to hear Stephanie! Thanks for sharing your comment!
Kathy says
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