Air Fryer Meatballs Recipe

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian Inspired, Southern

Keyword air-fryer-meatballs, Italian-meatball-recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Chill Time 15

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 83kcal

In a large bowl whisk the eggs. To the eggs add dried Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, panko and milk. Mix to combine.
To the bowl add the ground beef, sausage, Parmesan and chopped parsley. Mix until just combined and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Using a meatball scoop or a tablespoon, form the meat mixture into 36 round meatballs.
Place the meatballs on a sheet pan and cover. Chill for at least 1 hour (or overnight) to allow the flavors to blend.
Air Fry: Preheat the airfryer to 375°F, about 3-4 minutes. Spray the basket with cooking spray then arrange the meatballs in the basket in a single layer without touching to allow air to circulate.
Cook in batches for 15 minutes, stopping to turn halfway through cooking. Cook until the meatballs are no longer pink or an instant read thermometer registers 165°F.
Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately with picks as an appetizer, over pasta or on a hoagie roll covered in provolone cheese for a meatball sub.
Oven Instructions: Prepare the meatballs per the recipe. Arrange in a single layer on a broiler pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Increase the temperature to 425°F and cook for an additional 10 minutes or just until golden brown.

- Spice Substitutions: If you would like to add some spice to the meatballs, you may choose to add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the egg mixture.

- Seasonings: You can add additional herbs such as oregano or thyme to expand the flavor profile.

- Protein Mixture: You can also use a mixture of ground meats consisting of 1 part ground beef, 1 part ground pork, and 1 part ground veal (which makes it a more Italian-style meatball).

- Lighter Options: You can use ground turkey for turkey meatballs or make chicken meatballs using ground chicken. When doing so, check them for doneness halfway through cooking as they may not take as long to air fry.

- Onion Substitution: You can use onion powder in place of the minced onion, although keep in mind the onion adds moisture to the meatballs. Use one teaspoon onion powder.

- Breadcrumbs: You can swap out the panko and use dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, although the light airy texture you get with Panko won’t be the same using breadcrumbs.