Air fryer meatballs are easy to make and ready in minutes!

Meatballs in the air fryer always come out tender, juicy, and full of flavor. This recipe has the perfect blend of seasoned meat, breadcrumbs, and cheese and they’ve got the perfect flavor for all kinds of culinary masterpieces!

Air Fryer Meatballs in a bowl with a fork

Easy Air Fryer Meatballs!

  • If you are new to air fryer cooking, whether you have a Ninja, NuWave, or Corsori air fryer, meatballs are a perfect starter recipe because they are practically foolproof!
  • The air fryer makes meatballs for spaghetti almost faster than it takes to cook the noodles!
  • With a little prep time, air fryer meatballs can be made in batches and frozen for up to a month and they don’t take long to reheat from frozen in the air fryer, too!
  • Make air fryer meatballs for appetizers, sandwiches, soups, stews, and of course, your favorite pasta dishes! Add them to sliders, subs, or an appetizer platter.
top veiw of Air Fryer Meatballs on spaghetti

Ingredients and Variations

Ground Meat – The combination of beef and pork ensures juicy and tender meatballs every time. Ground chicken and turkey can be switched out for the beef, but keep the pork (or use Italian sausage!) in for the extra fat and flavor.

Seasonings – Use your fave Italian seasoning blend or if you’re making meatball appetizers, try a taco, chili, Cajun, or even a ranch dressing seasoning mix.

Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs, Panko, or keto-friendly crushed pork rinds can be used.

Cheese – Parmesan cheese helps to melt everything together and adds a tangy flavor to meatballs.

pork , beef , breadcrumbs , parmesan , seasonings , eggs and garlic with labels to make Air Fryer Meatballs

How to Cook Air Fryer Meatballs

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and shape the mixture into 1” meatballs (don’t pack them or they will be tough).
  2. Cook in a pre-heated air fryer about as per recipe below or until a meat thermometer reads 145°F.
  3. Let the meatballs rest for about 5 minutes before using them.

Leftover Meatballs?

  • Keep leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
  • Reheat meatballs in the air fryer or microwave until they are heated through. They can also be reheated from frozen in the air fryer for a quick snack or to add to a recipe.

More Ground Beef Recipes

plate of spaghetti with Air Fryer Meatballs
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Air Fryer Meatballs

These Air Fryer meatballs are so juicy and tender.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 19 minutes
Servings 8
Author I Don’t Have Time For That

Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste

Instructions 

  • Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Work all of the ingredients together using clean, dry hands in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Try not to compact the mixture too much, you don’t want dense meatballs. 
  • Shape into 1” spheres and cook at 400°F for 14 minutes, or until the meatballs reach 145°F with an instant-read thermometer. 
  • Enjoy with pasta or as an appetizer. 

Notes

To store, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 1 month.
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Nutrition Information

Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

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