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+ servings
Baked Italian meatballs on a platter with a bowl of marinara sauce.
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5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Meatballs

These Air Fryer Meatballs made with ground beef are moist on the inside, a little crispy on the outside, full of flavor, and super fast to make. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Beef
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: air fryer meatballs, beef air fryer meatballs
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 231kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef This is where we get our favorite grass-fed ground beef.
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs sub: gluten-free breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese sub: more breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons milk your choice
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste sub: ketchup
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley sub: finely chopped fresh basil or spinach
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Combine Meat Mixture: Using clean hands, gently combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
  • Roll Meatballs: To make the meatballs, scoop a heaping tablespoon of mixture per meatball and shape into 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs. 
  • Prep Air Fryer: Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray. Preheat to 400°F (only takes 1 minute).
  • Air Fry: Arrange meatballs in air fryer basket, spaced evenly apart. (Note: You'll have to cook these in at least two batches or freeze half the meatballs for another meal.*)
    Cook the meatballs for 7-9 minutes, flipping them about halfway through the cooking process (or when your air fryer beeps at you). Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatballs, which should reach 160-165°F to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat.
  • Serving Options: Serve with warm Marinara Sauce or Pesto Sauce on the side for dipping, over spaghetti with marinara, or on a Meatball Sub.
    *Keep your meatballs warm in a 200°F oven in between batches.

Notes

Gluten-Free Version: Use almond meal or gluten-free bread crumbs in place of the whole wheat bread crumbs. 
Dairy-Free Version: Use more bread crumbs in place of the Parmesan cheese, plus add 1/4 teaspoon more of salt.
Where We Get Our Beef: We get our beef from ButcherBox. The beef is grass-fed and curated from trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, chicken, and wild salmon–and have used it for years ourselves.

Nutrition

Serving: 4meatballs | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 701mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g