Air fryer meatloaf recipes makes tender, juicy meatloaf topped with a sweet and tangy glaze. It cooks in a fraction of the time of traditional oven meatloaf which makes it perfect for busy weeknights.
If you love classic meatloaf but don’t love the long baking time, this air fryer meatloaf is the perfect solution. It cooks quickly while staying moist and flavorful, with a caramelized glaze on top and moist interior.
Using the air fryer means faster cooking and less oven heat, so it’s ideal for weeknights when you want comfort food without the wait or for times when you don’t want to turn the oven on.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Ground beef: I like to use ground beef around 85-88% lean meat. Using fattier ground beef will give you a looser, possibly greasier, meatloaf. Using leaner ground beef can give you dry meatloaf.
- Bread crumbs: Feel free to use Italian bread crumbs for more seasoning.
- Kosher salt: If you don’t have kosher salt or sea salt, use half the amount of table salt.
How to make air fryer meatloaf
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
Step 1: In a large bowl, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, shredded carrot, minced onion, garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Pour in ½ the ketchup mixture (about ½ cup). Mix to combine.
Step 4: Spray air fryer basket with nonstick spray. Shape meat mixture into a loaf and place it in your air fryer.
Air fry at 370 degrees F for 30 minutes (you might need to gently cover the loaf with foil as it cooks if it’s starting to brown too much).
Step 4: Brush remaining ketchup mixture on top and air fry again for another 3 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the middle reads 160 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer.
Recipe Tips!
- Don’t overmix: Mix just until combined to keep the meatloaf tender, not dense.
- Shape it evenly: Form a uniform loaf so it cooks evenly in the air fryer basket.
- Check internal temperature: Cook until the center reaches 160°F.
- Let it rest before slicing: Resting for 5–10 minutes helps the juices redistribute so slices stay moist.
- Serving suggestions: The meatloaf goes well with mashed potatoes and vegetables like green salad or sauteed vegetables. Add dinner rolls or a slice of homemade white bread on the side for more retro comfort.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Air Fryer Meatloaf
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup peeled and shredded carrot about 1 large
- ¼ cup dried minced onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.1 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- In a large bowl, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, shredded carrot, minced onion, garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup plain breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons milk, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup peeled and shredded carrot, ¼ cup dried minced onion, 3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour in ½ the ketchup mixture (about ½ cup). Mix to combine.
- Spray air fryer basket with nonstick spray. Shape meat mixture into a loaf and place it in your air fryer.
- Air fry at 370 degrees F for 30 minutes (you might need to gently cover the loaf with foil as it cooks if it’s starting to brown too much).
- Brush remaining ketchup mixture on top and air fry again for another 3 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the middle reads 160 degrees F.
Notes
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Ground beef: I like to use ground beef around 85-88% lean. Using fattier ground beef will give you a looser, possibly greasier, meatloaf. Using leaner ground beef can give you dry meatloaf.
- Bread crumbs: Feel free to use Italian bread crumbs for more seasoning.
- Kosher salt: If you don’t have kosher salt or sea salt, use half the amount of table salt.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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