Air-Fryer Meatballs: Quick, Easy, And Delicious

Cooking meatballs in an air fryer is a quick, easy, and mess-free way to make a tasty meal. The insides stay tender and juicy while the outsides get a slight crisp. You can use various types of ground meat, such as chicken, lamb, pork, beef, or veal, and serve them with different sauces and side dishes. They can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use, or cooked from frozen.

Meatball ingredients and preparation

Air fryer meatballs are quick, easy, and mess-free to make. The insides stay tender and juicy while the outsides turn crispy. They can be made with various types of ground meat, such as chicken, lamb, pork, beef, veal, or even sausage meat.

• Ground beef (ideally with some fat, like 90/10 or 85/15)
• Ground pork
• Ground veal
• Breadcrumbs (regular or panko)
• Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• Egg
• Milk
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• Italian seasoning or dried Italian spices
• Basil
• Cayenne pepper
• Worcestershire sauce
• Onion powder
• Mustard powder
• Garlic salt

To prepare the meatballs:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Wet your hands and roll the mixture into meatballs. Aim for a uniform size, such as golf-ball-sized or slightly larger, to ensure even cooking. You should have enough mixture for around 20-28 meatballs.
• Place the meatballs on a tray or plate and chill for 20 minutes.

Air fryer settings and cooking times

The first step is to preheat your air fryer. Most sources recommend preheating to between 180°C and 190°C (around 375°F). One source recommends a slightly higher temperature of 200°C (390°F).

Next, you'll want to prepare your meatballs. Roll the mixture into balls, with most sources recommending making between 12 and 25 meatballs. It's important to make sure they are all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Now you're ready to cook the meatballs. Grease the air fryer basket and place a single layer of meatballs inside. Be careful not to overcrowd the basket, as this will prevent the meatballs from cooking evenly. Depending on the temperature of your air fryer and the size of your meatballs, they should take between 8 and 15 minutes to cook. One source recommends cooking meatballs at 350°F for 14 minutes, while another suggests 10-12 minutes at 180°C. A third source recommends cooking for 8 minutes, shaking the basket, and then cooking for a further 2 minutes.

Finally, let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before serving. Most sources recommend letting them cool for around 5 minutes.

Meatball sauces and serving suggestions

Air fryer meatballs are incredibly versatile and can be served as a main meal or as part of a larger dish. They can be served as a meatball sub, in a pasta dish, or as cocktail meatballs for an appetizer.

If you're looking for a sauce to accompany your meatballs, there are plenty of options to choose from. A simple marinara sauce is a classic choice, and it can be easily made at home with whole peeled tomatoes, yellow onions, garlic, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. If you're short on time, you can always buy a jar of marinara sauce from the store.

For a more international flavor, you can try making Swedish meatballs in a creamy sauce, served over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. Spanish meatballs, or Albondigas, are another option—these are typically served taco-style in tortillas or as an appetizer with toothpicks. If you're feeling adventurous, try making Peruvian Chicken Meatballs served over green rice and drizzled with aji verde, or Thai Curry Meatballs.

If you're a fan of spicy food, buffalo chicken meatballs with a sour cream ranch sauce are sure to be a hit. You could also try chicken shawarma meatballs with a creamy dipping sauce, or ginger turkey meatballs with a sticky ginger-soy glaze. For an Indian-inspired dish, Butter Chicken Meatballs in a rich, creamy, and boldly spiced sauce is a perfect weeknight dinner option.

There are also a variety of gravy-based sauces that can be paired with meatballs. These include mushroom gravy, German Jaeger Sauce, and a sweet and sour sauce made with ketchup and grape jelly or pineapple juice.

No matter what sauce you choose, your air fryer meatballs are sure to be a delicious and versatile dish.

Storing and reheating meatballs

Storing your meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator will keep them fresh for 3-4 days. If you want to keep them for longer, you can freeze them. To freeze, place the meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, transfer the meatballs to a freezer bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to enjoy your meatballs, simply reheat them in the air fryer or microwave. If you are using the air fryer, preheat it to 320-350°F (175°C). Place the meatballs in a single layer in the basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Reheat for about 3 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, and checking periodically to ensure they are heated through. If you are using the microwave, simply heat the meatballs until they are warm enough to serve.

Air fryer types and alternatives

Air fryers are similar to convection ovens, but with a more powerful fan and a smaller inside, giving food a crispy and crunchy texture with less oil. They are also easier to clean than deep-fat fryers as grease falls through a perforated tray and away from the food.

There are two main types of air fryer: basket-style and toaster oven-style. Basket-style air fryers are the most popular in North America and are suitable for cooking for two to four people. They usually have a capacity of between 5.5 and 6 quarts. The Ninja air fryer is a good example of a basket-style fryer.

Toaster oven-style air fryers are larger and bulkier, but they can cook more food at once. They usually have a capacity of 6 quarts or more. The Instant Vortex Plus and the Cosori TurboBlaze are examples of toaster oven-style air fryers.

Air fryers vary in terms of their settings, dimensions, and power, and they are available at different price points. They are generally reasonably priced, with the cheapest models lacking in performance or capacity, and the most expensive machines not offering much more for their increased cost. Most air fryers fall somewhere in the middle, between $100 and $200. It is worth noting that some air fryers can be quite noisy, so this may be something to consider if you plan to use yours a lot.

If you are looking for an alternative to using an air fryer, you could try baking your meatballs in the oven.

Frequently asked questions