Updated on October 14th, 2022

Do you cherish meatballs as much as we do? Then, you’ll be excited to hear about the air fryer technique. This appliance is somewhat new to the kitchen world but is fast earning a name as one versatile bad boy. And now, it has added another delicious recipe favorite of ours to its list of DO’s; meatballs!

Meatballs in an Air Fryer?

You may think to yourself that cooking meatballs in an air fryer sound insane. And, to be frank, it does. But that’s because of how insanely convenient the recipe is! Air fryers are quick and easy to use, so making these meatballs in one of them will be a breeze. And the Meatballs come out on well; you can have them on their own or as part of your favorite recipes.

Making Air Fryer Meatballs

Are you sold on the idea yet? Well, if you aren’t, this simplified step-by-step guide will show you just how straightforward air fryer meatballs are.

Select the Ingredients

Some of the best meatball recipes work well when lean meat is used. For this recipe, we’re focusing on ground beef, in which we recommend the 80/20 ratio. Next, you’ll want the sweet aromatics of onions and garlic, both of which you can dice, mince, or use powdered.

Then comes the egg and breadcrumbs for structure, and you can consider regular, Italian, or panko options for the latter. Afterward, you can include the creamy tasting Parmesan cheese and lift the flavor further with salt and pepper.

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Combine the Ingredients

Once the ingredients are gathered, you’ll need to mix them to make the meatball. And when doing so, treat the ground beef like you would for patties, as they’ll need every ounce of structure to form the balls. So, consider gently working the ingredients to an even mix, using your hands as little as possible- a cold fork can work in this case.

The key is handling the meat as little as you can; otherwise, the heat from your hands will melt the fat. You can also toss the bowl in the fridge, so the meat stays chilled during the mixing.

Form the Meatballs

After mixing, put the ground beef in the fridge for a few minutes. Then, take it out and scoop a measured amount to form the meatballs. You want them at even sizes and no more than two inches thick for the air fryer. A convenient way to accomplish it is by using an ice cream scoop.

Arrange the meatballs in the air fryer basket and prepare to cook them. But if you’re making these for later, arrange the meatballs in a baking pan and store them in the freezer for four hours. Then, transfer them afterward into freezer-safe containers and store them.

Cooking Meatballs in an Air Fryer

The air fryer needs to be heated to 350F before the meatballs are lowered. And you need to keep them in a single layer before cooking, so the doneness is even. If the meatballs are much, cook them in batches. And each batch would take eight minutes of straight cooking, then a basket shake, and another two minutes of final cooking.

That said, you’ll need a total of 10 minutes to cook meatballs in an air fryer. And if you’re dealing with frozen ones, you’ll need 15 minutes (12 minutes of straight cooking, shake, and three minutes final cooking).

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Resting

A meatball recipe can be done right in all aspects, only to end up being chewy and dry in the end. And the main cause is skipping the rest period. Meat contracts as it cooks, and this condition pushes its juices to the surface. So, when eaten immediately after cooking, the moisture isn’t available in the tissues but lost on the exterior surface.

Let the meatballs rest for some minutes before serving to avoid this problem. We know they’re super irresistible, and you can’t wait, but you’d be glad you did. For best results, a period of six to 10 minutes is highly recommended.