Air Fryer Meatloaf
Air Fryer Meatloaf is the perfect weeknight dinner. It cooks up juicy and flavorful with a delicious crust on the outside. This is comfort food made easy!
For more beef dinner recipes, be sure to check out my Crockpot Beef Tacos, Easy Beef Enchiladas, and Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
Meatloaf was a regular dinner at my house growing up and it’s one I still love to this day.
Now I love to make meatloaf in the air fryer because it cooks up super juicy and tender on the inside and forms a deliciously smoky crust on the outside. Plus it cooks a lot faster in the air fryer, too!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Meatloaf
- ground beef
- breadcrumbs
- ketchup
- eggs
- dried onions
- milk
- fresh parsley
- dijon mustard
- garlic powder, salt, and pepper
- brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
How to Make Air Fryer Meatloaf – Step by Step
Step 1: Mix ingredients
Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of the ketchup, eggs, dry onions, milk, parsley, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until combined.
Step 2: Form into loaf
Form the mixture into a 4-inch-thick loaf. Place the loaf into the basket of an air fryer fitted with a sheet of parchment paper.
Step 3: Air fry
Spray the top with olive oil spray and cook in the air fryer at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Make sauce
In the meantime, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup of ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl. After the meatloaf has cooked for 20 minutes, brush ¾ of the sauce onto the loaf.
Step 5: Finish cooking and serve
Cook for another 10 minutes, then brush the top with the remaining sauce. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until crust is nicely browned. Allow your air fryer meatloaf to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips and Notes
- Use 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef. This ratio of fat to meat helps ensure a juicy meatloaf.
- Don’t overmix! Mix your ingredients until just combined without overworking the meat. This will help prevent your air fryer meatloaf from becoming tough or chewy.
- Preheat your air fryer. I like to preheat my air fryer for a few minutes before adding the food. This ensures that the proper temperature has been reached and that your air fryer meatloaf will cook up perfectly.
- Line your air fryer. Placing a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of your air fryer will keep the sauce from leaking to the bottom and also makes cleanup a lot easier.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
FAQs
I prefer to use 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef for air fryer meatloaf to ensure it turns out nice and juicy. Sometimes leaner cuts of meat can produce a dry or chewy meatloaf, so I don’t recommend using those for this recipe.
Yes, prepare as directed and bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Brush with the glaze in the last 10-15 minutes of baking time.
Meatloaf is a great “make ahead and freeze” meal. Simply prepare as directed and wrap your raw loaf tightly with plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then air fry as directed in the recipe.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: Air Fryer Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 3/4 cup dry plain breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon ketchup
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tablespoons dry minced onions
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 Tablespoon freshly minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of the ketchup, eggs, dry onions, milk, parsley, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until combined.
- Form the mixture into a 4-inch-thick loaf. Place the loaf into the basket of an air fryer fitted with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Spray the top with olive oil spray and cook in the air fryer at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup of ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl. After the meatloaf has cooked for 20 minutes, brush ¾ of the sauce onto the loaf.
- Cook for another 10 minutes, then brush the top with the remaining sauce. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until crust is nicely browned. Allow your meatloaf to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef. This ratio of fat to meat helps ensure a juicy meatloaf.
- Don’t overmix! Mix your ingredients until just combined without overworking the meat. This will help prevent your air fryer meatloaf from becoming tough or chewy.
- Preheat your air fryer. I like to preheat my air fryer for a few minutes before adding the food. This ensures that the proper temperature has been reached and that your air fryer meatloaf will cook up perfectly.
- Line your air fryer. Placing a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of your air fryer will keep the sauce from leaking to the bottom and also makes cleanup a lot easier.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
I’m going to try this next week using ground chicken. Thanks for the recipes. It’s sites like yours that make meal planning enjoyable!
It was juicy and flavorful with a nice crust on the outside. Yum!
I made this last night, and I’ll never cook meatloaf any other way again. It came out so perfectly, and it wasn’t dry.
Made this for dinner last night and it turned out so good! I love how juicy it was and it had a nice crust on the outside!
Meatloaf in the air fryer – brilliant! It cooked up so well.
DEE-LISH-USSS!! So so yummy, I subbed 1 lb each ground turkey and chicken for the beef and baked it accordingly and it was a hit! Thank you for your recipes, this site is my go-to for yummy and easy meals!
I’m going to make this next! I love your recipes! Thank you for posting!
This is perfect for dinner! Thanks for the easy recipe!