Learn how to cook frozen burgers in the air fryer; it’s super-fast and a great dinner idea for busy days. Ready in about 15 minutes.
Are you craving a juicy burger tonight? Should it be ready as quickly as possible and cause not too much mess? A nice air fryer frozen burger is probably what you are looking for. And check out another tasty air fryer recipe with ground beef, this fantastic meatloaf! Or see the Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings or the Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners.
Reasons for making air fryer burgers
- Fast: 15 minutes. While the patties are cooking, you can prepare your favorite toppings.
- Delicious: The hamburgers are cooked evenly; they remain juicy and moist.
- Dinner-saver: Air fryer frozen burgers are ideal if you forget to defrost the patties and have no other dinner idea.
- Convenient: Use the kitchen gadget not only for frying the frozen patties but also for melting the cheese for a cheeseburger and warming the buns.
- Cheaper and healthier than going out to eat. There is no extra cost and no fatty foods and something your whole family will love!
- Easy cleanup!
Recipe ingredients
Beef burgers:
- You can use any brand you like; I’ve tried several from cheap to gourmet, and they all worked fine. All you must consider is the thickness of the hamburgers and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
What else?
- Buns: plain or sesame-sprinkled buns.
- Cheese slices if you want to make cheeseburgers. I like a slice of Cheddar cheese but use whatever you like best. Swiss, Gouda, Gruyere, and blue cheese are all delicious.
- Vegetables: Salad leaves, tomato, and red onion slices.
- Sauces: Ketchup and mayonnaise. Or other sauces you like, like bbq sauce or hot sauce.
Step-by-step instructions
- There is no need to preheat the machine.
- Cook the lightly oiled frozen burger patties (1) in a single layer (the air needs enough room to circulate) at 360°F (180°C) for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the beef patties with salt and black pepper, flip them and season the other side.
- Cook them for another 3 to 5 minutes, depending on their thickness (2).
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- Juicy cheeseburgers: place a cheese slice on top (3) and cook for another minute until the cheese is nicely melted (4).
- Warm the split hamburger buns for about 2 minutes.
Build a delicious burger:
- Smear the lower slice of the bun with ketchup and the other one with mayonnaise.
- Place the patty with the melted cheese on top of the bread.
- Add onion and tomato slices and the salad leaf.
- Place the other bun half on top. Serve immediately.
How long to air fry frozen hamburger patties?
- The cook time depends on the thickness of the burgers and your machine. After cooking your first batch, you will know exactly how much time is needed.
- The safe minimum internal temperature recommended by the USDA is 160°F (71°C). Check with a meat thermometer.
Here are some approximate times:
- ¼ lb (100 g): 8 to 10 minutes, flip after 5 minutes. Add 1 minute for the cheese.
- 1/3 lb (150 g): 12 to 15 minutes, flip after 7 minutes. Add 1 minute for the cheese.
Expert tips
There is no need to preheat the machine. The patty should not start cooking too fast. Otherwise, the middle might still be frozen while the edges are already starting to dry out.
When melting the cheese, handle the air fryer gently; if you push the basket too roughly, the cheese might slide off the meat and melt inside the fryer instead. You can still scrape it off with the spatula and place it on the burger, but it’s annoying.
Recipe FAQ
Definitely, check out these Quick Air Fryer Turkey Burgers if you want some delicious homemade patties or use frozen patties. The safe internal temperature for a turkey burger is 165°F (74°C).
Let cool but refrigerate within 2 hours, sooner if the weather is hot. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze the cooked burger in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to 4 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. You can add a slice of cheese during the last minute of the cooking time.
What to serve with them?
French fries, sweet potato fries, oven-baked potato wedges, coleslaw, green salad, roasted vegetables, etc.
More air fryer recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Turkey Legs
- Air Fryer Pork Roast
- Quick Air Fryer Asparagus
- Easy Thermomix Falafel
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Frozen Burgers in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 4 frozen burger patties Notes 1,2
Toppings:
- 4 slices of cheese Note 3
- 4 burger buns
- 4 teaspoons ketchup Note 4
- 4 teaspoons mayonnaise
- 1 red onion
- 1 tomato
- 4 salad leaves
Instructions
Frozen burgers:
- Place the frozen burgers in the air fryer basket. Spray them lightly with oil on both sides.
- Turn on the machine (no preheating).
- Cook the frozen patties at 360°F (180°C) for 5 minutes.
- Season them with salt and pepper, flip and season the other side.
- Cook the patties for another 3 to 5 minutes, depending on their thickness (Note 2).
- Cover them with a slice of cheese and cook for another minute until the cheese melts.
- Remove from the basket with a spatula and let rest while you warm the buns.
- Split the buns in half, place them in the basket and warm them for about 2 minutes.
Build the burgers:
- Smear the lower slice of the bun with ketchup and the other one with mayonnaise.
- Place the patty with the melted cheese on the lower bun half.
- Add onion, tomato slices, and the salad leaf.
- Cover with the upper bun slice. Serve immediately.