Air Fryer Meatloaf

This air fryer meatloaf does double duty for me. First, it’s a yummy comfort food, and second, cooking it in the air fryer speeds up the process and I can get dinner on the table in about 40 minutes. I sure do like ground beef air fryer recipes for their speediness!

The history of meatloaf and how it came to America seems to have many stories depending on where you look.  Some people say it came to America from Italian immigrants (a quicker preparation than meatballs), others point to Scandinavian countries.  But in reality it seems many countries have their own version of this meal, probably for the same reason it became so popular during The Great Depression – it gave people the ability to stretch their food budget by adding less costly fillers to the meat yet still make a flavorful meal.  For the countless versions of meatloaf available, this air fryer meatloaf finds a balance between moist and meaty without too many fillers.

Why You Will Love this Air Fryer Meatloaf

• Using the air fryer decreases the cooking time of the meatloaf
• By not cooking in a loaf pan the glaze can coat the loaf’s top and sides, meaning the yummy caramelization covers more surface area.
• Ground beef is the least expensive beef, making this meal budget-friendly.

Ingredients Used

• Ground beef provides the meat in meatloaf
• Panko – could be replaced with breadcrumbs if you prefer. The starches help to keep the meatloaf moist during the cooking process by binding to oils and water.
• Grated onion keeps the onion pieces small so they are fully cooked when the meatloaf is ready, and the onion itself provides flavor. Be sure to include the liquid from the grated onion too.
• Egg helps to provide structure for the final product as well as provide moisture and richness.
• Beef bouillon provides more beefy flavor
• Greek yogurt provides moisture and is thicker than milk helping to keep the uncooked loaf easier to work with. But you can replace it with milk if you have no yogurt on hand.
• Worcestershire Sauce is a great flavor enhancer for beef
• The ketchup, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar together make a yummy glaze that can also be used as a dipping sauce. While the meatloaf cooks with the glaze the sugars caramelize to elevate this dish to the next level of yumminess.

Equipment Needed

Most of the items you need to make this recipe are probably already in your home. But here is a list of some of the items I used or recommend if you don’t already have one. Disclosure, as an amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase any of the items from the links below I will receive a commission at no expense to you. This helps support my work and allows me to bring more yummy recipes your way.

• Casori 5qt Air Fryer
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Silicone Pastry Brush

Let’s Get Cooking – Air Fryer Meatloaf

• In a medium to large mixing bowl combine all the meatloaf ingredients. Its easiest to get in with your hands and mix everything up into a homogenous mixture.

• On a cutting board, use your hands to mold the meatloaf mixture into a loaf shape. You can either make one large loaf or two small loaves. If you make one large loaf it may take longer to cook. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the final temperature reaches 160F.
• Preheat the air fryer.
• While the air fryer is preheating mix together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
• Place the two loaves in the air fryer so they are not touching.

• Set the temperature to 380F and cook for 35 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 140F.  If the top is beginning to overcook before you reach 140F you can cover the tops with tin foil and continue cooking. Brush each meatloaf top and sides with a heavy amount of the glaze.

• Continue cooking at 380F for 5-10 minutes to caramelize the glaze and an instant read thermometer reads 160F.
• Remove loaves and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

• One large loaf will take longer to cook as the heat has to penetrate all the way through the loaf – the thicker the loaf, the longer the cooking time. Using an instant read thermometer will make sure you cook it fully (160F).
• Making two small loaves will also give more surface area for the glaze.
• I find the addition of panko and eggs keeps the meatloaf moist so you can use lean ground beef without running the risk of it drying out.

FAQs

• What do you serve meatloaf with?  Meatloaf goes great with potatoes, mashed or roasted, and your favorite veggies like broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts…
• How should I store leftovers?  Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to three days.  Leftovers make a great meatloaf sandwich.
• How long to reheat meatloaf in the air fryer?  If you are taking the meatloaf out of the fridge, it will take about 5 minutes at 370F in a preheated air fryer.
• Can I freeze meatloaf?  Yes, meatloaf freezes well.  I slice it before putting it into Ziploc bags.  The meatloaf will stay fresh for at least three months in the freezer.  When you want to reheat, bring it out of the freezer and allow it to thaw then 5 minutes at 370F in a preheated air fryer should do the trick.

Air Fryer Meatloaf

Leanne Neill

Seasoned ground beef shaped into a loaf and covered in a caramelized tomato based sauce

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 407 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Air Fryer

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 large rib celery finely minced
• 3/4 cup onion grated
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp beef bouillon cube ground up
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl combine the ground beef, finely minced celery, grated onion, panko bread crumbs, Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, beef bouillon, salt and pepper, and one egg. Use your hands to mix it all together.
• Form the mixture into either one large loaf or two equal loaves.
• While preheating the air fryer, mix up the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and set aside.
• Place loaf or loaves into pre heated air fryer. Cook at 380F for 35 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer around the 25 minute mark. If the tops are browning too quickly you can cover with tin foil and continue cooking. Once the meatloaf reaches 155F you can remove the tin foil if using, and brush a thick coat of the glaze on.
• Cook for another 5-10 minutes at 380F to caramelize the glaze and make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F.
• Slice and serve. Enjoy. Leftover glaze can be used for dipping.

Notes

1. Tin foil can be used to cover the loaf during the initial cooking in order to prevent over browning or even burning to the top of the meatloaf. 
2. The glaze recipe is probably double what you need to cover the meatloaf, the extra can be used for dipping.
3. Ground beef needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F to be safe.
4. The meatloaf is sliced best with a serrated knife.

Keyword ground beef, meatloaf, quick dinner