There’s nothing like a hearty meatloaf for dinner. But if you’re short on time, or just don’t want to heat up your kitchen, try this recipe for cooking meatloaf in an air fryer. It’s simple to make, and your meatloaf will come out moist and flavorful.
Thi easy air fryer meatloaf is an easy way to get a satisfying meal on the table. This recipe is packed with flavor and requires very little prep time.
Made with lean ground beef and your favorite seasonings, this dish is cooked to perfection in your air fryer, resulting in a juicy, flavorful loaf that the whole family will love.
Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer meatloaf recipe, or read on for all the details.
What do you need?
For quantities see recipe card below.
Ground meat
This recipe uses ground beef chuck. However, you could substitute any other type of ground beef, or another meat like ground pork (btw ground turkey meatloaf is delicious!)
Onion
Use a medium yellow or brown onion. In this dish, onion is important to the texture of the meatloaf as well as the flavor, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting onion powder in place of the fresh onion.
Breadcrumbs
I use regular white breadcrumbs for this recipe, but you could substitute whole wheat bread crumbs, or panko crumbs if you prefer.
Eggs
Meatloaf needs eggs to bind all the ingredients together.
Meatloaf seasoning and flavors
The recipe below uses a combination of seasonings and sauces for flavor. Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and dijon mustard add savory flavor to the dish, and tomato paste balances this with a little sweetness.
Plain yogurt
If you don’t have plain yogurt, you can substitute sour cream.
Loaf pan
It is easiest to make meatloaf in a loaf pan in your air fryer, but if you don’t have a loaf pan that will fit you can shape the meatloaf by hand and cook it on a small baking pan instead.
How to make meatloaf in the air fryer
This is a simple recipe to make, but here are the key steps to getting this air fryer meatloaf just right:
- Grate the onion into the mixing bowl. This really helps to release the flavor of the onion, and is much quicker and easier than dicing it (though can you finely dice the onion if you prefer).
- Add the other ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix them together thoroughly. Using your hands is the easiest way to do this, but if you find that a bit icky you can use a hand mixer or stand mixer instead.
- Grease a loaf pan with a little non-stick spray, then press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan.
- Place the pan in the air fryer basket, and air fry the meatloaf for around 45 minutes until it is cooked through and no pink remains in the center.
See section below for more details on getting the cook times right. - Let the meatloaf sit in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out, and slicing to serve.
How long to cook meatloaf in the air fryer
The exact cooking time for this recipe will depend on a few factors, including the size and shape of your loaf, and how powerful your air fryer is.
To be sure that your meatloaf is cooked properly you should test the internal temperature of the meatloaf with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached the safe temperature in the center:
- Meatloaf made with ground beef (or pork, veal, or lamb) should be cooked to 160°F/ 72°C
- Meatloaf made with chicken or turkey (or other poultry) needs to be cooked to 165°F/ 74°C
See USDA guidelines on minimum safe temperatures for foods.
Test the internal temperature in a few places with an instant-read thermometer to make sure the meatloaf is cooked correctly the whole way through.
Serving
I like to serve meatloaf with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and brown gravy (though tomato ketchup or barbecue sauce are also great sauce options).
Here are some quick and easy recipes for side dishes that you can serve with this meatloaf:
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 3 days.
To reheat meatloaf in the air fryer:
- Place the leftover meatloaf in a small pan and place in the air fryer basket
- Reheat for 4-5 minutes at 360°F/ 180°C until the meatloaf reaches 165°F/ 74°C in the center.
- Air fry for additional 1-2 minute intervals until it reaches this temperature (which is the USDA safe temperature for leftovers).
Recipe card
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 lb / 450 g ground chuck
- 1 small onion (grated)
- 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
Directions
- Lightly spray a 8×4-inch (20×10 cm) loaf pan with no-stick cooking spray.
- Grate the onion into a large mixing bowl, then add the other ingredients and mix together (using your hands or a stand mixer) until well blended.
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F/ 175°C
- Press meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top.
- Air fry meatloaf for 45 minutes, until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F/ 72°C [Note 1] and is no longer pink in the center. [Note 2]
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Meatloaf made with ground beef should be cooked to 160°F/ 72°C. Meatloaf made with chicken or turkey (or other poultry) needs to be cooked to 165°F/ 74°C.
- Check the internal temperature in the center of the meatloaf in a few places to ensure it is cooked the whole way through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
Recommended equipment
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