If you haven’t had air fryer meatloaf, you’re in for a real treat! Not only is this recipe incredibly quick and easy to make, but it comes out bursting with flavor and so juicy! This picky eater approved recipe is super moist and the perfect meal for busy weeknights.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- This meatloaf comes out tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor every single time. Covered in a brown sugar glaze, your taste buds will be screaming for more!
- Making homemade meatloaf has never been easier. With simple ingredients and an air fryer, you’ll have a restaurant quality dinner on the table with ease.
- It’s perfect for a large gathering. With meatloaf, there’s always more than enough to go around.
- This air fryer meatloaf recipe pairs with just about any side. My favorite sides are glazed carrots and crock pot mashed potatoes.
Meatloaf In The Air Fryer
In this easy recipe, ground beef is blended with spices, herbs, ketchup, and covered in a sweet and tangy glaze is sure to make even your pickiest eater happy. If you’re looking for something the whole family will eat, you’ve found it!
How To Make Meatloaf In The Air Fryer
With your airfryer, you can make quick, easy, and delicious meatloaf any day of the week. We love air fryer recipes, and this is no exception! With a brown sugar glaze, this meatloaf is bursting with flavor, juicy, and delicious. In fact, you are going to love it so much, you’ll come back to this recipe over and over again. I think you’ll enjoy this classic meatloaf recipe made in a modern way!
Let’s discuss how to make this air fryer meatloaf, as well as the ingredients that are needed for it. Please take note that below you will find discussion, expert tips, and answers to frequently asked questions about this recipe to help you recreate it in your kitchen.
If you *just* want the recipe itself, scroll down. The full printable recipe itself, with exact measurements and instructions, is found at the bottom of this page
Meatloaf Ingredients
For this easy meatloaf recipe, you’ll need ingredients both for your meat and for the glaze. Before you begin, let’s make sure you have everything you need!
- Onion: Sauteed onions really bring out the flavor in your ground beef.
- Olive oil: I used olive oil when sauteing my minced onion, but you can use vegetable oil, butter, or any oil you choose.
- Ground beef: I suggest getting ground chuck with only 15 to 20% fat.You don’t want overly lean ground beef. Ground chuck holds its shape during cooking and the meat comes out moist, juicy, yet stays slightly firm. You could also use ground turkey, or ground pork, just make sure it has some fat to help hold it together.
- Eggs: Eggs help to hold the ground beef together, so that it doesn’t just fall apart.
- Bread crumbs: You can buy premade bread crumbs or you can make your own by crumbling up some of your end pieces of bread.
- Ketchup: You’ll need ketchup both to put in your ground beef as well as for the glaze, so make sure you have enough.
- Mustard: Mustard adds a little kick to your meatloaf and complements the ketchup and seasonings.
- Seasoning salt: For a burst of flavor, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have seasoning salt.
- Pepper: A little pepper complements all the other seasonings.
- Garlic: For both your meatloaf and the glaze, you’ll use garlic powder. Since we’ve already used seasoning salt, make sure you don’t use garlic salt. Otherwise it will be very salty.
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley brings out a flavorful meat.
- Milk: Milk is a key ingredient in meatloaf because the slight acidity in it helps break down the meat so it’s both tender and juicy.
- Brown sugar: The sweet glaze that you’ll be using will need a couple teaspoons of brown sugar.
Directions
For this easy air fryer meatloaf, you’ll be making meatloaf and a deliciously sweet glaze from scratch. Let’s get started!
First, saute the minced onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Get in there with your hands and start mixing the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, mustard, seasoning salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, milk, and sauteed minced onion. Mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
In a large bowl, mix the ingredients together with your ground beef. You likely need to use your hand to work it together. Then shape it into a loaf that is about 6 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches high.
Next, make a foil sling so that it is easier to remove your meatloaf from the air fryer when it is done. Keep in mind you don’t need to line the whole basket with foil.
Place the meatloaf into the foil sling and sit it in the air fryer basket. The cook time for your meatloaf at 370 degrees is 15 minutes.
While your meatloaf is cooking, make the sweet and tangy glaze! In a small mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and garlic powder.
When the time is up on the meatloaf, pour the glaze over the top of it.
Then, return the meatloaf back to the air fryer and cook it for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer.
When the meatloaf is done, let it cool on the counter for about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it.
Expert Tips
Cutting: The meatloaf is very moist and will need to cool in order to cut it neatly. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut your meatloaf. This will give you nice portion sized cuts.
Storing: To store your cooked meatloaf, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. It will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: Meatloaf also makes a great freezer meal. You can freeze it in a freezer bag cooked or uncooked for 6 months in the freezer. Allow the meatloaf to thaw to room temperature before baking or reheating.
Reheating: To reheat leftover meatloaf, simply place it back in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
What do I do if my meatloaf isn’t done, but is getting too dark? If you notice the meatloaf is getting dark on the outside, but isn’t done on the inside, you can cover it with tin foil.
Do I have to use mustard? Nope! It gives a nice tang to your meatloaf, but if you prefer, you can just leave it out.
What can I substitute for ketchup? If you don’t have ketchup, you could use BBQ sauce instead. In fact, BBQ sauce makes a great glaze for the meatloaf.
Do I have to saute the onions? You don’t have to. I think sauteeing them gives them a better flavor, but it’s up to you.
I don’t have any breadcrumbs…What do I do? Don’t worry! You can use bread instead. Either break up some of your stale bread, or place it in a food processor to crumble it up.
Can I add veggies? Absolutely! I like to add grated carrots, spinach, or chopped peppers. However, if you add veggies, you will want to decrease the milk to ¼ cup.
Side Dishes To Make With Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Instant Pot Cheesy Potatoes
- Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Jiffy Cornbread
- Easy Mac and Cheese
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Broccoli Casserole With Ritz Crackers
- Crack Potatoes
Try These Other Great Dinners
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup milk
Glaze
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Saute minced onion in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Make a foil sling, place it in the air fryer- this will make it easier to lift the meatloaf out of the pan later. You do not need to line the whole basket with foil.
- Use your hands to mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, mustard, seasoning salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, milk, and sauteed onion. Form this mixture into a loaf about 6 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches high.
- Place the meatloaf onto the foil sling Bake the meatloaf for 15 minutes at 370 degrees. During this cooking time, make the glaze.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and garlic powder. Pour the glaze over the top of the meatloaf. Return the meatloaf to the air fryer and bake for another 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees.
- When the meatloaf is finished cooking, rest it on the counter for 5-10 minutes before cutting it with a sharp serrated knife.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Robert Spry says
Let’s have fun cooking!
Cricket Weight says
Can you do this in a oven type air fryer and what temperature would you need to use.
Beth says
Probably the best meatloaf we’ve ever had! Honestly. Moist, flavorful and stayed together. I doubled the recipe with 1 pound of lean ground beef and 1 pound ground pork, added some Parmesan cheese and only used 4 tbsp of milk and that’s the only deviation from the recipe. I divided it up and formed two meatloaves and air fried them side by side. No tinfoil needed. Cooked exactly as directed and it was perfect. Glaze was nice and crispy too. Thank you!
Christi Johnstone says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
I used almond milk and it turned out fine.
Nicole says
Have made this 3 times since I’ve seen this recipe and my husband CANNOT get enough of it. Followed the instructions and measurements exactly (even though it felt like so much milk the first time) and we’re both obsessed!!
Dawna says
cant wait to try this,I didnt realize i could put tin foil in my air fryer.I am new to the air fryer but im not finding the clean up easy any secrets?
Christi Johnstone says
So it may be dependent upon the air fryer. I have a Gorumia from Costco (just an entry level type one) that’s a few years old and it’s a breeze to clean. I’d suggest googling air fryer cleaning, because I know some people have some tips and tricks they use that might be helpful.
Paulette says
What can I use to substitute the milk, to make it dairy free?
Christi Johnstone says
I guess whatever you typically use to replace milk in recipes. Since I do use dairy, I’m not really familiar with the best replacement choices would be.