The meatballs in air fryer are a practical and quick way to cook meatballs as if they were fried but with very little oil and without dirtying the stove. I haven’t had the air fryer for long, but I have to say that, among all the recipes I experimented with – the roasted zucchini, the chicken cutlets, the roasted fennel… – the meatballs are perhaps the most useful; I often prepare meatballs: I usually deep fry them or cook them in white sauce or in tomato sauce. With the air fryer, I can cook them in about ten minutes, achieving a result almost identical to fried meatballs, but lighter and healthier. The mixture can be customized to taste, and the shape varies according to preferences: larger, smaller, round, or flattened. Naturally, times and methods may change based on the size of the meatballs and the type of fryer, so it’s always a good idea to do a test towards the end of cooking, perhaps by opening one to check that it’s well-cooked inside. In the end, it’s a small breakthrough: the same taste, less effort, and fewer things to wash. Meatballs in the air fryer make dinner simpler and more practical, and that’s enough to keep them among the recipes to have on hand!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 287.14 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 17.65 (g) of which sugars 1.42 (g)
- Proteins 31.43 (g)
- Fat 10.59 (g) of which saturated 4.14 (g)of which unsaturated 2.24 (g)
- Fibers 1.39 (g)
- Sodium 1,790.14 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 155 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for about 25 meatballs to cook in the air fryer
For gluten-free meatballs I use sandwich bread and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- 1 lb beef (ground)
- 3 oz sandwich bread (gluten-free for me)
- 1.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- as needed milk
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 bunch parsley (chopped)
- as needed breadcrumbs (gluten-free for me)
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed pepper
- 3 sprays extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 2 Small bowls
- 1 Air fryer
- Air fryer parchment paper
- 1 Oil sprayer
Meatballs in air fryer: method and cooking times to make them crispy outside and soft inside
To prepare the meatballs in the air fryer, start with the classic meatball recipe: soak the bread crumbs in milk for a few minutes (1). Squeeze it and place it in a bowl with the ground meat, Parmigiano, egg, chopped parsley, a good pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper (2). Mix thoroughly with your hands to combine all the ingredients perfectly (3).
Pour some breadcrumbs into a small bowl. Take small portions of the mixture (about 20-25 g each) and form balls (4) that you will then pass through the breadcrumbs (5) to completely cover them. I prefer to prepare small meatballs that cook in 8-10 minutes, but if you prefer larger ones, you just need to extend the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
Place a sheet of specific parchment at the bottom of the air fryer basket, then arrange the meatballs and spray them with 3 sprays of extra virgin olive oil (6). If you don’t have an oil sprayer, you can brush them using a kitchen brush. Cook the meatballs in the air fryer at 356°F for 8-10 minutes (preheating is not necessary) or until they are golden, turning them halfway through cooking (7). Check one to ensure it’s cooked inside, and if not, continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve the meatballs immediately, as a main course or as a snack to serve during an appetizer.
Storage
Store the meatballs in the refrigerator, in a glass container, for 2 or 3 days.
Tips and Variations
You can prepare the meatballs with the type of meat you prefer: veal, chicken, pork, turkey, or better yet, a mix of more varieties for a richer flavor. With this recipe, you will get meatballs with a simple and genuine taste, also suitable for children; however, you can enrich them with other flavors, for example by adding a clove of crushed garlic, a bit of lemon zest, or a pinch of nutmeg.
