This Air Fryer Meatloaf recipe is the easiest way to make a classic family recipe in the air fryer. Make two mini tender and juicy meatloaves in the air fryer in just 30 minutes.
Quick
Air fryer fast
You’ll Learn: Which engredient helps make this meatloaf extra juicy and flavorful
Worth It: It builds a freezer stash for stress-free meals later
Bonus: Mini loaves are versatile
Simplify Dinner Time with this air fryer recipe
Meatloaf is one of those classic American dinner recipes that feels nostalgic and definitely reminds me of childhood. I modernized this classic recipe by making an air fryer version.
A classic meatloaf recipe is typically made into one large loaf either on a sheet pan or in a loaf pan. This means that cooking meatloaf the traditional way can take up to an hour.
Preparing meatloaf in the air fryer allows it to cook much faster, but still preserves that fantastic flavor. I chose to make 2 smaller meatloaves in order to allow them to cook evenly.
The thing that sets this air fryer meatloaf recipe apart is the sauteed onions. Sauteeing your diced onions prior to adding them to the meatloaf mixture keeps the final dish extra moist and flavorful.
Kitchen tools
- Mixing bowl
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Parchment paper
- Air Fryer
- Spoons for spreading ketchup glaze over top
** I do not recommend using aluminum foil to line your air fryer. It can get too hot and the meatloaf tends to stick to it
Serving Suggestions
When I think of meatloaf I think of pure comfort. I think of being a little kid and sitting down to the dinner table with my family after sports practice.
Because of this nostalgic feeling, I always want to serve this air fryer meatloaf recipe with something comforting. My go to side dish is my easy whipped mashed potatoes recipe that is made all in one pan.
For something really decadent you can serve these mini meatloaves with old fashioned baked macaroni. For a lighter meal you can serve them with a simple green vegetable or side salad.
Ingredients
- Yellow onion
- Oil
- Meatloaf mixture – usually a mix of beef, pork and veal
- Egg
- Milk
- Ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- Bread Crumbs
- Salt and pepper
Ingredient Substitutions
To make this meatloaf recipe gluten free just substitute standard bread crumbs for a gluten free replacement. Many people love the taste of rice flour breadcrumbs.
To make this recipe dairy free you can use a dairy free milk in place of the standard cows milk. I would look for a dairy free creamer so its a little thicker.
I like to use a meatloaf mixture for the ground meat. This is usually a mixture of ground beef, ground pork and ground veal. If you do not want to use that, you can use just ground beef, ground pork or ground turkey alone.
Ketchup and worcestershire sauce add a ton of flavor to this meatloaf, but I understand if you need to swap those out. Swap the ketchup for a little bit of pureed tomato sauce and the worcestershire for soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.
How to make air fryer meatloaf
Step 1: Saute onions and mix meatloaf
To begin, heat oil over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Saute onion until soft and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes
Then, pour meatloaf mix, egg, milk, 2 tbsp ketchup, worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and sauteed onions into a large bowl. Mix together until the ingredients are evenly combined.
Step 2: Shape meatloaves and air fry
Next, form mixture into 2 small loaves and place them in the air fryer basket on an air fryer liner or a sheet of parchment paper.
Preheat air fryer to 325F. Place meatloafs in the preheated air fryer on the parchment paper.
Finally, cook at 325F for 20 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and top each meatloaf with 1 tbsp of ketchup. Continue to cook at 325F for an additional 7 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
** Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer brand. I recommend using an instant read thermometer to test for an internal temperature of 160F.
If you want to make a classic oven baked meatloaf, try this easy turkey meatloaf recipe. It is a similar recipe, but it is made with ground turkey and baked in the oven on sheetpan.
storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Once prepared, allow the meatloaf to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container. Reheat leftover meatloaf in an oven, air fryer or toaster oven at 250F for about 12 minutes or until warmed through. I find it reheats better when it is already cut into slices.
You can freeze the fully cooked meatloaves for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly to prevent any freezer burn.
Check out these other easy air fryer recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion finely minced
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 lb meatloaf mixture I used a mix of ground pork, beef and veal, but you can use either just beef or just pork and beef
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ cup ketchup separated
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-low heat in a small skillet and saute onion until soft and fragrant – 4-5 minutes
- Pour meatloaf mix, egg, milk, 2 tbsp ketchup, worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and sauted onions into a large mixing bowl. Mix together until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Form mixture into 2 small loaves and place in the air fryer tray on an air fryer liner or a sheet of parchment paper.
- Preheat air fryer to 325F. Place meatloafs in the preheated air fryer on the parchment paper.
- Cook at 325F for 20 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and top each meatloaf with 1 tbsp of ketchup. Continue to cook at 325F for an additional 7 minutes. ** Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer brand. I recommend using an instant read thermometer to test for an internal temperature of 160F.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving
Recipe Notes
- You can use ground beef, pork or turkey in place of the meatloaf mixture
- Use gluten free breadcrumbs in place of standard breadcrumbs
- I do not recommend using aluminum foil to line your air fryer. It can get too hot and the meatloaf tends to stick to it
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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