Go Back
Print
Air fryer meatballs on white plate.

Air Fryer Meatballs

It’s quick and easy to make tasty meatballs in the Air Fryer.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Servings 25 meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 small onion, finely diced or grated
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Soak the Bread Crumbs. Combine dried breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Allow to sit for five minutes.

    Make the Meatball Mixture. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumb mixture, meat, egg, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and salt. Mix to combine using your hands, a wooden spoon, or low speed on a handheld mixer.

  2. Shape the Meatballs. Scoop the mixture, about two tablespoons each, into balls and place on a plate or baking sheet.

  3. Cook. Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees F. for three minutes. Place meatballs, close together but not touching, into the Air Fryer tray. (If your Air Fryer is small, you might need to do this in two batches.)

  4. Cook until the center reaches 165 degrees F, about 7 minutes for small meatballs. Remove meatballs from the pan. If you have more meatballs to cook, carefully wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining mixture. This prevents the second batch of meatballs from sticking to the tray.

  5. Serve and Enjoy. Serve as desired. See below for serving suggestions. Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Recipe Notes

How to Serve Air Fryer Meatballs

  • Meatball Subs. Split sub rolls, spoon in pasta sauce, add meatballs. Top with mozzarella cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and golden brown. 
  • Pasta and Meatballs. Cook pasta, add your favorite sauce. Serve with a large green salad. 
  • Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes,  Gravy, and Green Beans. This is a blue plate special. Serve the meatballs with mashed potatoes (recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes), a generous helping of gravy, and some garlicky green beans