Description
Succulent air fryer meatballs bring Italian comfort straight to dinner tables with minimal effort. Quick and juicy, these golden-brown spheres deliver maximum flavor in just minutes, ensuring delightful meals for hungry families.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
Binding and Flavor Enhancers:
- ⅓ cup (30g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Preparation:
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Gently blend ground beef with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring ingredients are evenly distributed without compressing the mixture.
- Form uniform spherical portions by rolling the meat mixture between palms, creating consistent golf ball-sized meatballs that will cook evenly in the air fryer.
- Lightly spritz the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking and arrange meatballs in a single layer, maintaining slight separation to allow hot air circulation.
- Configure the air fryer to 375°F and cook the meatballs for approximately 10-12 minutes, rotating the basket midway through cooking to guarantee uniform browning and thorough internal heating.
- Verify doneness by checking the internal temperature reaches 160°F using a meat thermometer, ensuring the meatballs are completely cooked without becoming dry.
- Allow meatballs to rest for 2-3 minutes after cooking, which helps retain moisture and stabilizes their structural integrity before serving with preferred sauce or accompaniment.
Notes
- Handmix ingredients gently to prevent dense, tough meatballs that can ruin the tender texture.
- Chill the meat mixture for 15-20 minutes before forming balls to help them hold their shape better in the air fryer.
- Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to create uniform meatballs, ensuring even cooking and consistent size for perfect browning.
- Consider using a lean ground beef blend (85/15 or 90/10) to reduce excessive grease while maintaining moisture and flavor in the meatballs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg