Making meatloaf in the Air Fryer became a game changer for us. Moist and delicious meatloaf cooked to perfection in an air fryer with a juicy interior and a slightly crispy exterior.
How To Make Air Fryer Meatloaf
**scroll down for full ingredients list and recipes below**
- Line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil or or parchment paper and set aside.
- Into a large bowl, place the ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, thyme, salt, pepper, and egg. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients just until incorporated. Be careful not to over mix the meatloaf, or it can be tough and dry.
- Sauce: In another bowl, combine the remaining ketchup with the mustard. Set this to the side.
- Transfer meat to the prepared air fryer basket. Preheat the air fryer to 375 F / 190 C Air fry the meatloaf for about 25 minutes.
- Spread half of the sauce over meatloaf and air fry for another 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove meatloaf from air fryer and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Line the basket with aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent all the juices to drop down and stick to the air fryer basket. So for ease of removing the meatloaf and ease of cleanup.
- Let meatloaf rest at least 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices in the loaf to redistribute and for the loaf to therefore firm up. After the resting time, transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board and you’ll find that the rest time has made it much easier to slice.
- Adjust time accordingly since the cook time will vary depending on the brand of your Air Fryer and the thickness of the meatloaf.
- Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to cook the meatloaf just right. It’s done when a thermometer inserted into the middle of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 F / 70 C.
Storing Leftover Meatloaf
Leftover meatloaf can be frozen for up to 6 months, or Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, place back in air fryer on 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or in the oven and serve the leftovers warm.
Why Should Use An Air Fryer For Meatloaf?
- Meatloaf is perfect to serve as a main course for lunch or dinner. Air fryer manages to cook meatloaf quickly and develop a perfect crust on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside. The instant pot is also quick but it’s hard to get a crust when using it.
- Your cooking becomes faster and more efficient with an air fryer. Thanks to the hot circulating air. No need to pre-heat, within minutes you can have your easy meal.
- Flexible and All-In-One kitchen appliances: you can use it to make a diverse variety of foods, such as fry, roast, bake, grill, broil, and stir fry…all in one, in some models. This handy gadget can make pretty much everything, from appetizers to main dishes—and even desserts.
- Healthier meals without sacrificing taste: Instead of completely submerging the food in oil, air-frying requires just a tablespoon of oil, you can still get a similar texture without all the grease, calories and cook healthier food.
- There’s little clean-up and less splattering of oil while cooking.
- Air Filter: Some air fryers are built with an integrated air filter so your home won’t smell like the deep fat fryer for hours afterward. You can now enjoy your fresh kitchen smell before, during, and after using your air fryer.
- Heating leftovers: the air fryer is perfect for reheating foods to get a crispy texture such as pizza, chicken tenders, or anything that could use quick crisp without turning on the big oven.
- Cooking frozen foods: you can really take food straight from the freezer and cook it in the air fryer. Just like that. Here’s our crazy awesome list to get you started with frozen foods in the air fryer.
What Air Fryer Should I Use?
There are many Air Fryers to choose from, but I love my Ninja Air Fryer AF101. I have been using this air fryer for over a year and I love the appliance. It has a lot of presets for common foods (chicken tender/ wings, French fries, shrimp, steak, bacon, etc.), which helps take the guesswork out of how long to cook certain things. It’s also super easy to clean, so no complaints there.
Moreover, there are so many air fryers on the market now. You just need to research and find the ones that fit your needs, capacity, and style. Here are our favorites
What Size Air Fryer Do I Need?
You’ll definitely want to factor in the size or capacity when choosing an air fryer. Air fryers typically have a capacity printed on the box measured in liters. It can be tough to visualize what this translates to in serving size. Use this chart as a guide:
| Capacity | Portions | Good for |
|---|---|---|
1.5 to 2.5 liter | 1-2 servings | Snacks, sides and mains |
3.0 to 6.0 liter | 3-4 servings | Snacks, sides, mains and complete meals |
6.5 to 12.0 liter | 5+ servings | Snacks, sides, mains, complete meals, whole chickens and batch cooking |
- Servings: 4 Servings
- Level: Easy
- Equipment: Air Fryer
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
- 3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoon ketchup
Directions
Line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside
Into a large bowl, place the ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, thyme, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and egg. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients just until incorporated. Be careful not to over mix the meatloaf, or it can be tough and dry.
In another bowl, combine the remaining ketchup with the mustard. Set this to the side.
Transfer meat to the prepared air fryer basket. Preheat the air fryer to 375 F / 190C Air fry the meatloaf for about 25 minutes.
Spread half of the sauce over meatloaf and air fry for another 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Remove meatloaf from air fryer and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Remove meatloaf from air fryer and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving
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