Ridiculously Good Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer

Frozen meatballs in air fryer are easy and delicious and taste exactely as fresh as if you made them from scratch!  You don’t need a ton of oil, and cleanup is a BREEZE. Frozen meatballs can sometimes come out a bit mushy when cooked other ways, but the air fryer gives them that perfect crisp on the outside while keeping them juicy on the inside. It’s a total GAME CHANGER.

If you love air fryer recipes, don’t miss these! Try the Air Fryer Potato Skins for a crispy, cheesy appetizer or the Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken for a quick, tasty dinner!

— ❖ —

Why Air Fryer Meatballs?

First off, why bother with the air fryer? Well, it’s like having a tiny convection oven that cooks food FAST and makes it SUPER crispy. You don’t need a ton of oil, and cleanup is a BREEZE. Frozen meatballs can sometimes come out a bit mushy when cooked other ways, but the air fryer gives them that perfect crisp on the outside while keeping them juicy on the inside. It’s a total GAME CHANGER.

— ❖ —

Why Use An Air Fryer for Frozen Meatballs?

Okay, so why the air fryer? It’s SIMPLE. First, it cooks your food EVENLY with hot air. That means you avoid those burnt spots, AND get crisp, golden edges EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. No more mushy middles! It also heats up REALLY QUICK, so you skip the oven preheating wait. Less waiting, MORE eating! AND less clean-up, BAM! Who doesn’t LOVE that?

— ❖ —

Ingredients Needed

• 1 Bag of your FAVORITE Frozen Meatballs (I prefer Italian Style)
• A spritz of Olive Oil

Yeah that’s it. That’s how EASY it is, right? I didn’t believe it either!

— ❖ —

Instructions To Make Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer

PREHEAT: First thing first, preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). This gets everything ready for those yummy meatballs!

PREPARE: Lightly spray your air fryer basket with a bit of olive oil. You don’t need to DROWN it, just a tiny bit.

ARRANGE: Place the frozen meatballs in the air fryer basket in a SINGLE layer. Don’t pile them on top of each other! We need air to get ALL sides golden and PERFECT!

COOK: Air fry for 12-15 minutes. Halfway through, give that basket a good SHAKE. You need to turn the meatballs and get some lovely even coloring! If you use a larger air fryer and do larger quantity you may want to shake halfway to ensure an even bake and also flip them if necessary at this stage!

CHECK: Pull out a meatball, if the inside temp reaches 165°F(74°C) you know you’re good to go, that should be the time to make it crispy so try another 2 to 3 mins until desired.

SERVE: They should be perfectly cooked at this stage so go ahead and serve these GOLDEN brown delights. It’s REALLY that simple!

— ❖ —

Tips for PERFECT Air Fryer Meatballs

Don’t Overcrowd: Like I said before, don’t stack your meatballs! For good airflow you need the meatballs spaced in the basket in one layer. Otherwise, they get soggy.

Shake it up: This step is IMPORTANT. When I make these for a weeknight, or lunch, the meatballs are often already golden brown in one part, but it’s usually flat. Make sure you give it a good shake midway to get EVERY side nice and golden.

Oil is key A LIGHT coating helps! You dont want it too oily.

Don’t Forget the thermometer Ensure the inside has reached a temp of 165°F. You want it done safely!

— ❖ —

Ways to Serve Your Air Fryer Meatballs

The best part about these meatballs? They are SO versatile. Here are a few ideas:

• Meatball Subs: The classic. Toasted bread, sauce, cheese, and those juicy meatballs are a guaranteed win. My sister in law made this with toasted garlic bread last week and it was HEAVENLY!
• Spaghetti and Meatballs: Another classic. A simple tomato sauce with spaghetti and your air-fried meatballs make for a comforting meal.
• Meatball Bowls: Create a bowl with rice, veggies, and your meatballs. Top with a sauce of your choice.
• Meatball Appetizers: Put the meatballs on skewers with some cheese and veggies for a quick and easy appetizer.
• Meatball Salad: Chop your meatballs and add them to a salad for a protein boost. Never underestimate a good salad!

— ❖ —

How to Store Leftovers

Okay, so you cooked too many and now you have some delicious leftovers (not a bad problem to have!). No worries, storing your air-fried meatballs is a BREEZE. Just make sure they are completely cool after cooking. Then place the leftover meatballs in an airtight container or a zip top bag. They can easily hang out in your fridge for 2 to 3 days and they taste just as good reheated, so we can always count on that next-day yummy goodness! To warm them up again, pop them into the air fryer for 2 minutes until they are heated and you’re ready to eat all over again! If not, microwaving can always work.

— ❖ —

Why I LOVE This Recipe

Honestly? It’s the SPEED and ease of it all that got me hooked. I mean 20 MINUTES?! Come on, this was my life saver when we are low on time in the weekdays! Plus, I love the way the air fryer makes everything so crispy and good. AND it’s the same thing in every bite, each meatball always has this awesome texture! This recipe just makes sense if you like eating quick, but enjoy a crispy treat.

— ❖ —

There you have it! The fastest and EASIEST way to get amazing meatballs. No mess, no hassle, just a PERFECT meal in minutes. I can confidently say that, thanks to my sister-in-law’s life-hack these now regularly appear in our lunch menu and they just get polished up every time! If you try this recipe please come back here and let me know how it worked out! And most importantly enjoy your food. I sure will with every bite!

— ❖ —

FAQs

Print