Easy Air Fryer Meatballs

These are the BEST easy air fryer meatballs. Juicy, tender and so quick to make, you’re going to love this delicious recipe.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ground beef. I use an 70/30 beef mix but feel free to use lean ground beef/ beef mince. Ground turkey or ground chicken can also be used if you don’t like red meat.
• Ground pork. I like adding ground pork to meatballs as they add tenderness and more flavor. Substitute with ground beef if you prefer.
• White bread. Soaking bread in milk is an old fashioned tip to making the best meatballs and I absolutely love how juicy this makes the finished meatballs. You can substitute with breadcrumbs if you prefer.
• Milk.
• Parmesan cheese.
• Spices: Dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. The great thing with meatballs is that they are so versatile. Flavor them in whichever way to suit the dish you are planning on serving them with. If you want more Middle Eastern flavor, adding spices like cumin, curry powder, sumac etc. are a great idea. Italian? Add basil or your favorite Italian seasoning.
• Onion and fresh garlic.
• A note on egg: I always add an egg to my meatball mixture but forgot when I was testing this recipe. They came out perfectly in tact, juicy and tender. I think as long as you form them properly, you don’t need an egg with these meatballs. Since they’re being air fried, there isn’t a lot of moving going on while they’re cooking so the need for a binding agent like egg is not as necessary.

How to cook meatballs in the air fryer

1. Form the meatballs: Cut the crusts off the bread and tear into small pieces then add to a small bowl. Pour over the milk and allow to soak for a few minutes. In the meantime, sauté the onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil in a large pan until soft and translucent. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, soaked bread, onions, garlic, grated parmesan cheese and spices then mix well. Form the mixture into 25-30 meatballs, depending on the size you prefer. I like using a quarter-cup cookie scoop but feel free to make them smaller or larger (cooking time will just need to be adjusted).
2. Air fry: Preheat the air fryer at 400°F/205°C then add the meatballs in a single layer to the air fryer basket and air fry for 10-12 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking, until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through.
3. Serve: Serve the meatballs garnished with fresh parsley as a snack or appetizer or add to marinara sauce and serve over pasta.

Can I make this ahead?

This meatball recipe is great to prepare ahead. The cooked or leftover meatballs can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the air fryer before serving. The raw meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply freeze the meatballs on a sheet pan until frozen then store in freezer bags.

Meatball Recipes

Easy Air Fryer Meatballs

These are the BEST easy air fryer meatballs. Juicy, tender and so quick to make, you're going to love this delicious recipe.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer meatballs, meatballs in air fryer, meatballs in the air fryer

Servings: 8 as dinner, up to 15 if serving as a snack or appetizer

Calories: 238kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

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Ingredients

for the meatballs

• ▢ 500 g (1lb) pork mince / ground pork
• ▢ 500 g (1lb) beef mince /ground beef
• ▢ 1 large onion finely chopped
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves crushed
• ▢ 3 slices white bread crusts removed, soaked in ½ cup milk
• ▢ 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• ▢ 2-3 teaspoons salt to taste
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Soak the bread in ½ cup milk for a few minutes.
• Fry the onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil until soft and fragrant. Allow to cool.
• Place the pork, beef and onion mixture in a large bowl.
• Add the soaked bread, parmesan cheese and seasonings then mix well.
• Form golf-ball sized meatballs.
• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/205°C then add the meatballs to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
• Air fry for 10-12, turning over halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 3mg

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