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.
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.
Freezer Instructions
Freeze For Later: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Then, roll out the meatballs but do not air fry. At this point, flash-freeze uncooked meatballs by placing on the sheet pan (or in a baking dish) in the freezer for about an hour or so. Once frozen, dump meatballs in a gallon-sized freezer bag, seal, and place in freezer.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw meatballs using one of these safe thawing methods. Cook according to instructions, beginning with Step 4.
Notes/Tips
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: 4 meatballs | Calories: 231 kcal (12%) | Carbohydrates: 6 g (2%) | Protein: 29 g (58%) | Fat: 9 g (14%) | Cholesterol: 105 mg (35%) | Sodium: 701 mg (30%) | Fiber: 1 g (4%) | Sugar: 1 g (1%)
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