Air Fryer Meatballs Recipe
Try these juicy air fryer meatballs when you need something quick and delicious to serve over pasta, to stuff into hoagies, or to scoop onto mashed potatoes!
Equipment
- Air Fryer with 6-qt basket
- Microplane (for grating cheese)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (38g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
- ½ pound ground pork (225g)
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese (freshly grated) (27g)
Instructions
- Add the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning to a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Add the milk, egg, garlic, and parsley to the breadcrumb mixture and stir until well combined, then let it sit for 5 minutes for the breadcrumbs to absorb the liquid.
- Add the ground beef, pork, and parmesan cheese to the soaked breadcrumbs and gently mix well to combine. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, about 2 inches in diameter each.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F if your model requires it.
- Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Place the meatballs in the air fryer, with the sides touching slightly. (Work in batches if needed, depending on the size of your air fryer.) Lightly coat the tops of the meatballs with cooking spray.
- Air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese: It has a more robust flavor than the pre-shredded kind and will aid in binding the mixture together to help the meatballs keep their shape.
- For a touch of heat: Add red pepper flakes to the meat mixture if you like a spicy kick.
- Don’t overwork the meat. For light, juicy meatballs, try not to press or squeeze the meat while shaping it into balls. This will yield dense meatballs.
- Try to make the meatballs the same size. This is the best way to ensure even cooking. I like to use a spring-loaded scoop or tablespoon scoop to dish out the meatballs.
- Moisten your hands. Wetting your hands will prevent meat from sticking to them while you are shaping the meatballs.
- It’s okay if the meatballs touch in the air fryer. Most of the time, you want space between items in the air fryer. In this case, it’s okay for the sides of the meatballs to touch slightly when they are placed in the basket. They will shrink while cooking and create space between each meatball for even browning. This helps you pack more meatballs into your air fryer basket at one time!
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcal Carbohydrates: 2g Protein: 10g Fat: 6g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0.1g Cholesterol: 42mg Sodium: 248mg Potassium: 163mg Fiber: 0.2g Sugar: 0.3g Vitamin A: 89IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 36mg Iron: 1mg