These Air Fryer Meatballs are a mix of beef, pork, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning for the perfect juicy bite. They cook up crispy on the outside and tender inside in just 20 minutes!
New to the air fryer? Check out my Best Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners, this JUICY Air Fryer Chicken Breast, or this Air Fryer Steak!
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If you are tired of being fed dry, flavorless meatballs, you need to try these Air Fryer Meatballs! The air fryer gives these meatballs a crispy exterior while keeping them juicy on the inside.
Made with ground beef and pork, fresh breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning, these juicy meatballs are such a great base for so many other recipes!
They’re also freezer-friendly, so you can have homemade meatballs any time you like.
Why we love these homemade Air Fryer Meatballs:
- Quick cooking: They’re ready in about 20 minutes, so they’re great for busy weeknights when you need an easy dish.
- Juicy and golden brown: They brown up so nicely, with no oil at all! And they stay so super juicy on the inside–it’s kind of incredible.
- Easy: They’re easy to make! There’s no turning or flipping or fussing — just roll the mixture into balls and toss them in.
Ingredients for juicy Air Fryer Meatballs:
- Meat: higher fat ground meat will give juicier meatballs, however, I’ve made these with lean ground beef, and they are still delicious.
- Bread crumbs: I’ve found that fresh, fine bread crumbs + liquid equals moist meatballs. See my note in the recipe card if you need to swap for dried!
- Water: I kept my ingredient list as simple as possible, so I soaked my bread crumbs in water, but you can use milk instead for a richer flavor.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds incredible flavor, and freshly grated is best if you have it. You can leave this out if you’re serving with barbecue or an Asian-inspired sauce.
- Seasoning: Again, if you want, you can experiment! I like meatballs simply seasoned so I can use them in a variety of ways.
How to make this Air Fryer Meatball recipe:
These easy Air Fryer Meatballs are so easy to make and come out perfectly golden brown and juicy! For the full list of recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Tear the bread into pieces, process it into crumbs, and mix with water. Let it sit for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, egg, seasonings, and soaked bread. Mix until just combined.
- Form the meat mixture into small meatballs. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook until they reach the right internal temperature.
- Repeat the process until all meatballs are cooked, then enjoy!
Quick notes:
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture or you may end up with tough meatballs!
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out perfectly sized meatballs.
How to store leftover meatballs:
Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for a minute or two, or add them to your favorite sauce right from the fridge!
How to freeze Air Fryer Meatballs:
I love having a big bag of juicy homemade meatballs in the freezer — they are so perfect for adding to a simmering pot of sauce or quick weeknight meals!
To freeze, simply bake until cooked through and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.
Place in a zip-top freezer bag — making sure to squeeze all the air out before sealing completely. Label, place in the freezer, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To serve, you can simply throw them right from frozen into whatever sauce you have simmering. Heat through and devour.
Serving suggestions:
- This Pineapple Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce is one of our favorites and goes with everything!
- These meatballs work perfectly in this Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs recipe.
- Make a meatball sub sandwich with marinara sauce, homemade buns, and melty mozzarella cheese!
- Use these meatballs in Italian Wedding Soup or Italian Meatball Soup.
- Serve over this Instant Pot Brown Rice with a bottle of your favorite sweet and sour or teriyaki sauce.
- Toss them with this healthier Pesto Spinach Alfredo Sauce and serve over pasta.
More air fryer recipes you’ll love:
- Air Fryer Quesadilla — a simple meal when you need it!
- Air Fryer Ravioli — the perfect party bite.
- Air Fryer Burgers — seriously juicy!
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan — seriously crispy!
Air Fryer Meatballs
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 slice soft bread
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F according to manufacturer directions.
- Tear bread into small pieces and place in a food processor or blender. Process until the bread is in fine crumbs and combine with water. Stir and let sit for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and soaked bread until just combined — don't overmix!
- Shape into 1.5-2" balls (I get 20-24 this way, but you can get up to 30 if you shape them into 1" balls).
- Lightly grease your air fryer basket with oil spray and fill with meatballs, leave a 1/2" space between them. You will likely need to do a couple of batches.
- Cook for 7-8 minutes at 400°F, until a meat thermometer inserted in the largest meatball reads a minimum of 160°F. If they are not done, put back in and cook 2 more minutes.
- Repeat until all meatballs are cooked and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Jan says
Love your recipes! Could you do these meatballs with just ground beef?
Jan
Ashley Fehr says
Absolutely!
Teresa says
How do you know when to use a bowl/or plate when cooking in the air fryer?
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m not really sure what you are asking, Teresa. This recipe calls for you to place the meatballs into the basket. Not bowl or plate are involved.
Char says
Definitely delish and juicy!! Wasn’t prepared to make as described. Subbed with premade bread crumbs; used season all,adobo, garlic and onion powder for Italian seasoning. Grated Parmesan out ….yes. Served over jasmine rice and broccoli. Can’t wait to make as written once prepared
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Char! I’d love to hear what you think 🙂
Danielle says
If I’m using bread crumbs , how much do I use?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Danielle, I haven’t tested them in this recipe but it’s around 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes.
Christine Kempke says
Can you use bread crumbs instead of a slice of bread?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Christine! You can swap the fresh for dried if you’re in a pinch, but definitely don’t skip the soaking!
Jen says
You mix the parmesan in with the meatballs right?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, sorry about the confusion!