Air-Fryer Ground Beef: Quick, Easy, And Delicious Recipes

Ground beef is a versatile, budget-friendly ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes and cooked in several ways. One popular method is to use an air fryer, which has the benefit of being a more hands-off approach with less clean-up required compared to traditional stovetop cooking. This is because the fat from the ground beef drains away through the perforations in the air fryer basket, leaving you with leaner meat. However, this can also make the beef a little drier, so it may be necessary to add a sauce.

Air Fryer Ground Beef Tacos

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Salt
• Pepper
• Taco seasoning
• Cheese
• Taco shells
• Toppings of your choice (e.g. lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, cilantro, hot sauce)

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 375-400°F.
• In a bowl, season the ground beef with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Mix gently to distribute the seasonings without overworking the meat.
• Place the beef in an oven/air fryer-safe baking pan in a single layer in the air fryer.
• Air fry for 5-7 minutes, using a spatula to break it up into smaller pieces halfway through the cooking time.
• Continue cooking until the meat is fully browned and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
• Fill the taco shells with a few tablespoons of beef and top with cheese.
• Place the tacos in the air fryer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
• Serve immediately with your desired toppings.

Tips:

• You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
• If you don't want to use a store-bought taco seasoning packet, you can make your own by mixing chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• You can brown the ground beef in a skillet on the stove before placing it in the taco shells and putting them in the air fryer.
• If you want to make crispy ground beef, add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time.
• If you're making a larger patty, let the cooked beef rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
• If you're using higher-fat ground beef, drain the excess fat after cooking to avoid oily dishes.

Air Fryer Ground Beef Nachos

Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Tortilla chips
• Cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, or similar)
• Seasoning (chilli powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper)
• Toppings (tomato, sour cream, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, etc.)

Method

• Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat with your choice of seasoning. Drain and set aside.
• Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C).
• Line the air fryer basket with foil or parchment paper.
• Add a layer of tortilla chips to the basket, followed by a layer of cheese, and then a layer of ground beef.
• Repeat the layers, starting with the tortilla chips.
• Air fry for 3-5 minutes at 350°F (177°C), or until the cheese is melted.
• Top with scallions, cilantro, and any other desired toppings.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips

• Layer the ingredients evenly to ensure each tortilla chip stays crispy.
• Avoid overcrowding the air fryer by filling it no more than halfway full.
• Preheat the air fryer to get the nachos crispy from the start.
• For vegetarian nachos, swap the ground beef for black beans or refried beans.
• For extra spice, add jalapenos or drizzle with hot sauce.

Air Fryer Ground Beef Meatballs

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Parsley
• Eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil cooking spray

Method:

• Place onion, garlic cloves, and parsley in a mini food processor and process until finely chopped.
• In a large bowl, add ground beef, the onion mixture, eggs, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and parmesan cheese.
• Use your hands to mix the ingredients until combined.
• Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Repeat until you have used up all the mixture.
• Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray.
• Place the meatballs in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not overcrowded.
• Cook in the air fryer at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers at 165°F.
• Serve hot, with marinara sauce, or as-is!

Tips:

• You can also add other ingredients like Italian sausage, mild spices, or feta cheese to your meatballs for extra flavour.
• If you are making a large batch, you can freeze the raw meatballs and cook them directly from frozen in the air fryer. You may need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes.
• If you are using the meatballs in a sauce, such as spaghetti sauce, you can get away with the meatballs being a little drier. However, if you are serving them as-is or in tacos, you may want to add a sauce to prevent them from drying out.

Air Fryer Ground Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Oil (of your choice)
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Onion (white, yellow or red)
• Black beans (or any other bean of your choice)
• Cooked rice
• Fire-roasted tomatoes
• Burrito-sized corn or flour tortillas
• Mexican shredded cheese or your favourite blend of shredded cheese
• Enchilada sauce
• Lime (optional)

Method:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add your chosen oil and diced onions. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes or until they are soft.
• Add your ground beef to the onion mixture and sauté until the meat is browned.
• Add all the spices to the mixture and heat for 2 more minutes.
• Add the cooked beans, cooked rice, and fire-roasted tomatoes to the pan.
• Add the enchilada mixture to the tortillas and roll them into tubes.
• Line the air fryer basket with foil and place the tortillas in the basket with the seam side down.
• Top with enchilada sauce and cheese and cook for about 4 minutes at 350°F or until the cheese is melted.

Tips:

Make sure your enchiladas have room around them to cook evenly.

Serving Suggestions:

• Rice and beans are the standard side.
• Add a little salsa and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
• Guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream are also crowd favourites!

Air Fryer Ground Beef Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Breadcrumbs
• Milk
• Egg
• Yellow onion
• Fresh thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• Ketchup
• Apple cider vinegar
• Light brown sugar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Cooking spray
• Mustard
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F.
• Soften the breadcrumbs in milk, then mix with beef, onion, egg, and seasonings in a bowl.
• Form the beef mixture into two small meatloaves.
• Cook until browned, brushing with a glaze of ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce toward the end of cooking.
• Air fry for 15-20 minutes. The meatloaf is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre reads at least 155°F.
• Remove the meatloaf from the basket and let it rest for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with thyme and serve.

Tips:

• Line the basket with foil to prevent juices from dripping and to make clean-up easier.
• Don't cook at too high a temperature, or the meatloaf will burn.
• Let the meatloaf rest in the basket for at least 5 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute and the loaf to firm up.
• Use a thermometer to check that the meat is cooked through.

Frequently asked questions