This air fryer meatloaf recipe is probably one of the easiest ways to cook a classic, family-favorite meal. Moist and flavorful, comforting and delicious – this is how a good meatloaf recipe should be!
This air fryer meatloaf is a classic recipe made easy. It's comfort food at its best, and the whole family will love it. I know that mine does!
I love my air fryer, not only for cooking foods that are usually deep-fried but for regular dinner recipes as well. The cooking times are short, the cleaning up is minimal, and the results are always tasty. For example, take a look at our Air Fryer Lamb Chops, Air Fryer Frozen Fish Sticks, Quick Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, or the air-fried Asparagus; they are delicious.
Ingredients: 11 + spices
Working time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
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Recipe ingredients
Meat: I prefer lean ground beef; otherwise, the dish is too fatty. The best choice is 85%—90% lean beef. You can also use a mixture of ground pork and beef; it tastes delicious, but it has more calories. Make Turkish Pasta with ground beef next.
Breadcrumbs: I usually have regular ones, but panko breadcrumbs are great as well.
Glaze: For the sweet, tangy glaze, you will need ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. For a spicier glaze, replace the ketchup and sugar with sweet chili sauce or BBQ sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to cook meatloaf in the air fryer?
Meatloaf mixture:
- Step #1: Chop onions and peppers, and grate the garlic cloves.
- Step #2: Place all meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl.
- Step #3: Mix well, but don't overmix.
- Step #4: Shape a small loaf.
Air fry the meatloaf:
- Step #1: Place the loaf in the preheated air fryer basket.
- Step #2: Cook for 15 minutes.
- Step #3: Spread the glaze (mixed ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard) on top of the meat.
- Step #4: Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest shortly before slicing (if cut too soon, it might crumble a bit).
Tips
Grate the onions: It's not my favorite task, but it makes the loaf more tender and flavorful.
Use a digital meat thermometer to check if the food is done. Checking early enough will avoid overcooking; an overcooked loaf will be dry and crumbly. Start checking 8 minutes after adding the glaze and add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if necessary.
It is preferable to use a serrated knife when cutting.
FAQs
You can use a mix of beef and pork. Ground turkey is also great. If you have some ground turkey, you must make this delicious Ground Turkey Spaghetti Recipe.
Double the ingredients for a 2 lb loaf, but ensure the bread machine basket is large enough. Increase the cooking time to 45-50 minutes and check with a digital thermometer to ensure it's properly cooked.
Alternatively, form two smaller loaves from the 2 lbs of dough and cook as instructed. You may need to add some extra time, so use a thermometer to ensure the meat is properly cooked.
You might not have enough binding agents, so be sure to weigh the ingredients accurately.
Overbaking can also cause crumbling, so check the loaf early enough.
Additionally, slicing it too soon can lead to crumbling. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing to minimize this.
However, some crumbling is normal. A tender loaf will crumble a bit; if it doesn't, it might be too
How to store and reheat the meatloaf?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze the shaped and uncooked meatloaf and have it ready in advance. Wrap it well and freeze it for 3 to 5 months; the sooner you use it, the better. However, never freeze an uncooked meatloaf that was made with defrosted meat. Only freeze it if you made it with fresh ground meat. Defrost in the fridge overnight and cook as instructed.
Freeze the cooked meat or the leftover pieces. Let cool completely, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, defrost in the fridge or reheat from frozen. Make sure the food is heated through before serving.
Reheat in the air fryer, microwave, or oven.
What else to do with the leftovers?
- Make sandwiches; they are delicious!
- Crumble the meat, reheat it, and serve it with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
- Crumble it and add it to soups or casseroles. Make tacos or chili.
- Make some kind of Bolognese sauce by reheating the crumbled meat in a good tomato sauce, like this Hearty Marinara Sauce.
What to serve with it?
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
Meatloaf:
- 1 lb ground beef Note 1
- 1 egg large
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs 30 g/ 1 oz
- ½ small onion about 30 g/ 1 oz
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ red pepper about 80 g/ 3 oz
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Glaze:
- ¼ cup ketchup 60 g/ 2 oz
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mix: Chop the onion and pepper very finely. Grate the garlic. Place in a large bowl. Add the remaining meatloaf ingredients and mix well but don’t overmix; the mixture should not turn pasty.1 lb ground beef/ 450 g + 1 egg + ¼ cup breadcrumbs/ 30 g + ½ small onion + 2 garlic cloves + ½ red pepper + 1 teaspoon salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper + 1 teaspoon dried oregano + ½ teaspoon dried thyme + ½ teaspoon dried rosemary + 1 teaspoon yellow mustard + 2 tablespoons milk + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Shape: Shape a small loaf about 7 inches (8 cm) long, 3.5 inches (9 cm) wide, and 2 inches (5 cm) high.
- Cook: Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Carefully place the loaf into the basket. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Glaze: In the meantime, mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Brush the meatloaf with the sauce and cook for another 8-10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit/ 74 degrees Celsius.¼ cup ketchup/ 60 g + 1 tablespoon brown sugar + 1 teaspoon yellow mustard + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Rest: Transfer the meatloaf to a warm serving platter and rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it with a serrated knife (Note 2).
Notes
- Ground meat: You can also make the meatloaf with a mixture of ground beef and pork, only with pork, or with ground turkey.
- The resting time is important; meatloaf tends to crumble more if it is not allowed to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Lisa says
I followed instructions to a tee, including the dimensions of the loaf. At 25mins on 375* the meat temp was only about 125*F. Def not long enough for this to be considered safe.
I put back in for another 10mins. Each air fryer may be a bit different so make sure you test your meat, unless you like it really rare!
Otherwise very tasty recipe 👍🏻