Air Fryer Meatballs
Ground beef is mixed with parmesan and herbs before cooking quickly in the air fryer and finishing in warm marinara sauce.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds ground beef 80/20 blend, 680g
- 0.5 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs 60g
- 0.25 cup whole milk 60ml
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese 45g
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups marinara sauce 470ml
- 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 55g
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and milk together. Let the mixture sit for five minutes so the breadcrumbs soften.
- Add the ground beef, egg, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands until the ingredients are just combined.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (190°C).
- Scoop the meat mixture and roll it into one and a half inch balls. You should get about twenty meatballs.
- Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the meatballs in a single layer with a little space between each one. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry at 380°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Shake the basket gently halfway through the cooking time. The meatballs are done when they are browned on the outside and reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) on a meat thermometer.
- While the meatballs cook, pour the marinara sauce into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs into the warm sauce and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Top the meatballs with shredded mozzarella cheese and extra parsley before serving.
Notes
For food safety, always cook ground beef to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Check the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the center of the largest meatball.
Overmixing the ground beef can make the meatballs tough. Stop mixing as soon as the wet and dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
If you have a smaller air fryer, you will need to cook the meatballs in two batches so they have enough room to brown evenly.