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Tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly in just minutes, these Crispy Air Fryer Meatballs are a weeknight dinner win! Packed with Italian flavor and a little crisp around the edges (thanks to the magic of the air fryer), this recipe skips the stove splatter and brings meatballs to the table fast. Whether you’re serving them with pasta, stuffing them in subs, or popping them straight off the tray, they’re guaranteed to become a go-to favorite.
Why I Love This Recipe
Traditional meatballs can be a lot of work. Browning in batches, grease everywhere, and a sink full of pans. This air fryer version is zero fuss.
Here’s why I’m obsessed:
- Quick Cook Time – From fridge to fork in about 20 minutes.
- Less Mess – No oil splatter, no stovetop cleanup.
- Super Flavorful – Thanks to a savory blend of pork, beef, and sausage (and a little savory flavor booster).
- Crowd-Pleasing – Great for parties, meal prep, or freezing for future dinners.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
These meatballs come together with pantry staples and fresh aromatics. Here’s what you need — plus easy swaps if you’re short a few things:
- Ground Beef + Ground Pork – This meaty blend keeps things juicy and flavorful. Use all beef for a leaner bite or turkey for a lighter version.
- Sweet Italian Sausage – Italian sausage adds fat, richness and classic Italian flavor. Spicy sausage adds some spicy heat or try chicken sausage for a leaner take.
- Vidalia Onion – Sweet and mellow, vidalia onion blends right into the mix. Yellow onion or shallots work just fine as a replacement.
- Garlic – Four cloves! Don’t skimp on flavor.
Swap tip: Use garlic paste or powder in a pinch. - Chicken Stock – Chicken stock keeps the meatballs tender and moist. You can substitute with chicken broth, beef stock or even water with bouillon, if you prefer.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Rich meaty flavor is enhanced with Worcestershire sauce. You can use Soy Sauce or Fish sauce as a substitute. I like to fish sauce and it’s magic, trust me.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – The ultimate binding agent, Panko provides that signature airy texture. Crushed crackers or regular breadcrumbs work too.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan cheese, please. It adds salty depth of flavor. Pecorino Romano is a tasty alternative.
- Fresh Parsley – Brightens up the fresh flavor in this meaty mix. Dried parsley works in a pinch (use half as much).
- Egg – Egg binds everything together and helps keep the meatballs moist.
- Seasoning – Kosher salt and black pepper are used as the main seasoning. Just enough to enhance the natural flavors. You can also add your favorite pantry seasonings like Italian Seasoning.
How to Make Meatballs in the Air Fryer
- Preheat + Prep – Set your air fryer to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- Mix the Meat – Lightly combine the beef, pork, and sausage using your hands. Set aside.
- Blend the Aromatics – In a blender or food processor, puree the onion and garlic until smooth.
- Combine the Ingredients – Add the onion blend, chicken stock, fish sauce (or your umami of choice), panko, cheese, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper to the meat. Gently mix until just combined — don’t overwork it!
- Shape the Meatballs – Roll into golf ball-sized portions (you’ll get about 24). Place them in a single layer in your air fryer basket — make sure they’re not touching.
- Air Fry – Cook for 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature hits 165˚F and the outsides are golden brown and lightly crisp.
Tips for Meatball Perfection
Don’t Overmix: Use light hands to combine, overworking the meat makes tough meatballs.
Batch Cook if Needed: If your air fryer basket is small, cook in two batches so the meatballs get browned and crispy all the way around.
Check Temperature: Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure doneness (165˚F).
Freezer Friendly: Great for make-ahead meals. Freeze meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm and transfer to a zip top bag.
How to Store Leftovers
These reheat like a dream and freeze beautifully.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled meatballs in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Keeps for 3 months.
- To Reheat: Air fry at 350˚F for 5-6 minutes or microwave until heated through.
Serving Ideas + Pairing Options
There are so many ways to dish these up! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Classic: Over spaghetti with marinara or your favorite jarred sauce.
- Sandwich Style: Tuck into hoagie rolls with provolone and broil until bubbly for the ultimate meatball sub.
- Appetizer: Serve with toothpicks and a side of marinara or BBQ sauce.
- Low-Carb: With zucchini noodles or over cauliflower rice.
- Party-Style: Simmer in grape jelly + chili sauce for sweet-and-savory cocktail meatballs.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Meatballs
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Air Fryer Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
- air fryer
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/4 pound sweet italian sausage
- 1 large vidalia onion, cut into quarters
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or fish sauce
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400˚F and line a large baking sheet with foil for easy clean up.
- Using your hands, lightly mix the beef, veal and sausage. Set aside.
- In a blender, add the onion and garlic. Blend until pureed.
- Add the onion mixture, stock, fish sauce, panko, parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and egg to the meat mixture and, using clean hands, mix the ingredients together until well combined.
- Gently shape the mixture into balls approximately the size of a golf ball, you should have about 24 meatballs and arrange in the basket of an air fryer being sure they are not touching.
- Air Fry the meatballs for 12 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 165˚F.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix: Use light hands to combine, overworking the meat makes tough meatballs.
- Batch Cook if Needed: If your air fryer basket is small, cook in two batches.
- Check Temp: Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure doneness (165˚F).
- Freezer Friendly: Great for make-ahead meals.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
