Air Fryer Meatballs

At a glance

What stands out: Use your air fryer to make the tastiest meatballs. Air fryer meatballs brown nicely without messing up your stove, or having to constantly flip them. They turn out juicy and tender. You can even air fry frozen meatballs without thawing them first!

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 12 to 15 minutes to air fry
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, air fryer
Servings: makes 20 meatballs

The Freezer Staple That Saves Dinner

If you’ve ever opened the fridge at 4:45 and thought, well…now what? – these air fryer meatballs are your answer. They brown beautifully, cook in under 15 minutes, and don’t leave your stovetop a gigantic mess.

We make these all the time, and we almost always have a bag in the freezer. Cooked or raw, doesn’t matter. You don’t even have to thaw them before air frying. Future you will be grateful past you took 20 minutes to make a (double) batch.

What makes them special:

• Straightforward and fast. Reliable browning in the air fryer with no stovetop splatter.
• Tried and true recipe. This recipe for air fryer meatballs is based on the recipe that we use for our oven baked from-scratch meatballs, but a smaller batch to fit in an air fryer.
• Freezer-friendly. That being said, we think that meatballs in the freezer, cooked or raw, are a treasure and are so handy. You don’t even have to thaw the meatballs before air frying them!
• Versatile. Air fryer meatballs are a real life-saver on busy weeknights. While they are reliable for spaghetti and meatballs (try our from-scratch spaghetti sauce), we also love to add them to soups that don’t already have meat, like vegetable soup (or add them to canned soup for a fast meal!). And who doesn’t love a meatball sub sandwich?! Meatballs are right at home as an appetizer, too. Add a speedy glaze or sauce, jab them with toothpicks, and you’re good to go.

What goes in

Scroll down for the complete recipe, including measurements! This is just an overview, with some helpful tips and substitution ideas.

• Ground Beef & Ground Pork: A mixture of beef and pork makes a standby tasting meatballs. We don’t advise using all ground pork because the meatballs will be too greasy, but if you prefer no pork, it’s okay to use 100% ground beef.
• Italian Herb Seasoned Bread Crumbs: Using seasoned bread crumbs instead of plain bread crumbs is a way to add even more flavor. If you prefer, use plain bread crumbs (or from-scratch bread crumbs) but you’ll need to increase the amount of seasonings in the recipe (add extra Italian seasoning, salt and pepper).
• Whole Milk: For a standby results, use whole milk. If you don’t have it or don’t want to purchase it, lower fat milk will work fine. The milk is combined with the dry bread crumbs. They absorb the moisture and give your meatballs great texture.
• Egg: An egg will help bind the meatball mixture together. It also adds richness and enhances the texture of the meatballs.
• Parmesan Cheese: Why add cheese to meatballs? Well, why not? Cheese makes everything taste better. You’ll love the flavor of these meatballs.
• Garlic Paste: You can substitute a clove of finely minced garlic but we like to use garlic paste because it disappears into the mixture. You don’t get little pieces of garlic in your meatballs. Plus, garlic paste is straightforward to use and keeps a long time in the fridge.
• Italian Seasoning, Brown Sugar, Salt & Pepper: Pantry seasonings that are straightforward to add.
• Worcestershire Sauce: This brown sauce is a special fermented blend that is used for seasoning. Sometimes it’s called Worcester sauce.
• Fresh Parsley, for optional garnish

Looking for an Air Fryer?

We love our air fryer and use it frequently. Check out our air fryer recipes for inspiration. We've tried a few air fryers, and we love this one.

Buy on Amazon

How it comes together

Mix crumbs and milk. In a large mixing bowl, mix the bread crumbs and milk together. Set the bowl aside while you measure out the remaining ingredients to give the bread crumbs a chance to absorb the milk.

Assemble ingredients. You’ll need ground beef and ground pork, an egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic paste, and the Worcestershire sauce. Go to the pantry to retrieve the salt and pepper, brown sugar, and Italian seasoning.

Give the bread/milk mixture a stir, and then add everything else to the bowl.

Mix well. Blend everything together with a fork, breaking up the meat and mashing things together. If you don’t mind getting your hands sticky, go ahead and use your fingers to blend the mixture. It’s a standby way to do it.

Don’t overmix. When the ingredients are mixed well and beginning to be cohesive, stop stirring (or squishing if you’re using your fingers). Try not to get carried away. It’s better to not overmix the meatball mixture (or meatloaf, for that matter). Overmixing tends to make meatballs tough and chewy.

Forming the Meatballs

A kitchen scoop is the easiest way to form the meatballs. It has a lever that pushes the mixture out of the scoop. They are indispensable for cookies and muffins, too. They often come in sets with three different sizes.

Shape meatballs. Form the meatballs with a 2 tablespoon scoop. We usually spray it lightly with cooking spray before we get started. The goal is to make approximately 20 meatballs. If you don’t have a scoop, use a large spoon.

As you can see, the photos show nice rounded meatballs. It’s okay if yours don’t look exactly like that. This isn’t Food Network, it’s your own kitchen. If you do want yours to look more evenly rounded, wet your fingers and shape the meatballs up a bit.

Arrange in air fryer. As you form the meatballs, place them in a single layer on the cooking rack inside the air fryer basket. It’s okay if the meatballs touch each other but they shouldn’t be piled up.

Cook. Air fry the meatballs at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes (there’s no need to preheat the air fryer first). Check them once or twice to make sure they are browning evenly. Use tongs to rearrange them a bit if you have to.

Not sure if the meatballs are cooked all the way through? Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of one or two meatballs. It should be at least 165°F.

Ways to change it

• Experiment with different blends of ground meat to find the balance you prefer. If beef or pork isn’t your thing, give our turkey meatballs a try. Virtually any of our meatball recipes can be air fried.
• Tweak the seasonings to reflect your own taste. Add more garlic or omit it. Stir in a bit of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika.
• Not in the mood for meatballs? Try our air fryer meatloaf if you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to make all the meatballs. Air fryer hamburgers or air fryer turkey burgers are another great option.

Meal Prep

Make extra meatballs and freeze them. Meatballs are so handy to make ahead and store in the freezer, either cooked or uncooked. It’s just as straightforward to mix a double batch although you’ll spend a little more time rolling the balls. Usually ground beef and pork are sold in one pound packages which is exactly the amount you need for a double batch.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze (Cooked): Store leftover cooked meatballs in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely in the refrigerator before covering them to avoid condensation forming on the inside of the container.

Refrigerate/Freeze (Raw): Uncooked meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for a day or so before you cook them. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze in a single layer on a baking try. When frozen, transfer to a resealable bag.

To use: It’s best if you thaw cooked meatballs before reheating them briefly in the air fryer. Frozen raw meatballs do not need to be thawed before air frying. Simply add a few minutes to the cooking time.

• Yield: 5
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup Italian herb seasoned breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic paste)
• ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh Italian parsley for garnish

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and milk. Stir together so that the breadcrumbs soak up the milk.
2. To the breadcrumb/milk mixture, add ground pork, ground beef, garlic paste, Italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Use your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly but do not overmix.
3. Use a 2 tablespoon cookie dough scoop to form approximately 20 balls from the meat mixture. You can roll them in your hands for tighter, more uniform meatballs if desired.
4. Place in a single layer on air fryer rack. It’s okay if sides are touching but the meatballs shouldn’t be stacked on top of each other. If necessary, fry them in batches. Air fry at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until browned and firm.

Notes

Make ahead: This recipe can easily be doubled (refer to our from-scratch meatballs recipe for proportions). Since ground beef and pork often are sold in 16 ounce packages, it makes sense to make a double batch. Fry the meatballs in batches or freeze uncooked meatballs as instructed below.

Freezing uncooked meatballs: Shape the meatballs and place on rimmed baking sheet or tray in a single layer. Freeze two hours or until mostly firm. Place frozen meatballs in freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Air frying uncooked frozen meatballs: Place frozen meatballs in air fryer and cook at 400°F for 15 to 17 minutes or until browned and firm.

Freezing cooked meatballs: Allow meatballs to cool. Place meatballs in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Add frozen meatballs directly to sauces and simmer until warmed through completely. They can also be reheated in the microwave or briefly in the air fryer.