Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: A comfort food classic, air fryer meatloaf is on the table even faster. Make a double batch of the meatloaf mixture to air fry for a future dinner.
How long it takes: under an hour, including prep and cooling
Equipment you’ll need: air fryer, small food processor, mixing bowl
Servings: 4
Once again, the air fryer saves the day! Just like air fryer meatballs, air fryer pork chops, and air fryer chicken breasts, air fryer meatloaf cooks a lot faster thanks to the convection method used by air fryers.
Easy Air Fryer Meatloaf
Meatloaf in nearly half the time. You’ll get meatloaf that’s cooked through perfectly in just 35 minutes, and that has a satisfyingly crisp exterior and a perfectly tangy/sweet caramelized glaze.
Convenience without sacrifice. Let’s be real: sometimes we sacrifice flavor just to get dinner on the table faster. However, this air fryer meatloaf is as good as traditional meatloaf and if you’re partial to that crispy layer on the outside, you might even like it better! (Be sure to try air fryer whole chicken, too!)
Hearty and healthy. Although I do share some variations below, as written this is pretty much your classic meatloaf recipe, with breadcrumbs, veggies, seasonings, and ketchup folded into the meat mixture, and a sweet, tangy glaze on top. Very finely minced carrots, onions, and celery add moisture, flavor, and extra nutrition.
Ingredient Notes
I’ll go over the key ingredients here but refer to the recipe card below for complete instructions and measurements.
- Ground beef and ground pork: A combination of ground meat is best for meatloaf; I pair beef with pork here, but turkey or veal would also work. We tested this with a lot of different combinations and found beef + pork was superior. I recommend using 85/15 ground beef for meatloaf that’s flavorful, neither too dry nor too greasy.
- Vegetables: I like to add finely minced veggies to meatloaf. They provide moisture, flavor, and nutrition. You’ll need a yellow onion, a carrot, a stalk of celery, and a garlic clove.
- Panko bread crumbs: Use panko if you have it on hand, but if you don’t, sub in oats or regular bread crumbs. Your call! Did you know it’s easy to turn slightly stale bread into homemade bread crumbs?
- Flavor boosters: Ketchup adds a little sweetness to balance the savory flavors, and Worcestershire sauce is an umami powerhouse. Fresh parsley adds fresh flavor.
- Glaze: The classic glaze consists of ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. This trio creates a delicious, sticky meatloaf glaze!
How to make Air Fryer Meatloaf
Mince the veggies. Clean and cut the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic into large chunks. Pulse them in your food processor until they’re finely minced. You should have about a half cup of minced vegetables. Scrape them into a large mixing bowl.
Combine ingredients. Add the ground meat, panko, parsley, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix to combine but be careful not to overwork the mixture. It should just be blended together, enough to hold its shape.
Pro Tip
If you’re squeamish, it might not be fun, but the best way to mix up a meatloaf is to use your hands. Just be sure to take your rings off first! Wash your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling raw meat.
Shape loaves. Form the meat mixture into 2 flat loaves about 7 inches by 3 to 4 inches, roughly 1-inch thick. You could make one large loaf but I’ve found that smaller, flatter meatloaves cook more quickly and evenly in the air fryer than one large meatloaf, and are less prone to burning on the outside.
Air fry. Cook in the air fryer at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF.
Add glaze. Brush or spoon the meat loaves with the glaze and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Watch closely. The glaze can burn rather quickly.
Cool. Rest the meat for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing it. If you slice it too soon, the slices tend to fall apart. Serve with your favorite sides (keep reading for serving suggestions).
Buy an Air Fryer
Still wondering if you need an air fryer? I’m convinced an air fryer is a kitchen essential; we use ours almost daily. It’s fast, easy to clean, and everything turns out so well.
What to Serve With Meatloaf
Potatoes. You can’t go wrong with meatloaf and potatoes. Try crockpot mashed potatoes, crispy roasted potatoes, or stovetop scalloped potatoes.
Vegetables. Try roasted broccoli, roasted green beans, or sautéed spinach. German red cabbage or sautéed green cabbage are good go-alongs, too.
Pasta salad. Try grilled ratatouille pasta salad or bruschetta orzo pasta salad.
Flavor Variations
- Italian-style meatloaf: Instead of ground pork, swap in Italian sausage. You can also add grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil to the mix, then use marinara instead of the glaze.
- Tex-Mex meatloaf: Switch out the celery and carrots for red bell pepper and a jalapeño. Use crushed tortilla chips instead of panko, cilantro instead of parsley, and add chili powder for flavor. Swap salsa for the glaze or top the meatloaf with Monterey Jack cheese.
- BBQ meatloaf: Use your favorite barbecue sauce instead of ketchup.
- Oven baked meatloaf: Try my classic meatloaf recipe or turkey quinoa meatloaf. Bake a whole meal on a one pan with mini turkey meatloaf sheet pan dinner or BBQ mini meatloaf sheet pan dinner. If you’d rather not turn the oven on, try crockpot meatloaf. It turns out amazingly well.
Make a meatloaf for now, freeze one for later! Often ground meat comes in one pound packages. If you make a double batch, you’ll use the whole package, rather than ½ pound of each.
Here’s how to do it: Double the meatloaf mixture (use the servings adjuster in the recipe card and we’ll do the math for you!) and form it into 4 loaves. Cook the first two right away, then freeze the other two on a parchment-lined baking sheet until they’re solid. Wrap them tightly and freeze them for up to 3 months.
There’s no need to thaw the meatloaf before cooking it. Put them in the air fryer frozen, set at 350ºF. Air fry for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature is around 155ºF, then glaze and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Refrigerate: Store leftover meatloaf wrapped or in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: You can also freeze cooked meatloaf for up to 3 months; thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave. Meatloaf can also be eaten cold in sandwiches, bowls, or salads.
Make a meatloaf sandwich. A simple sandwich with a slice of cold meatloaf stuffed between a couple slices of bread or in a bun is one of my favorite meals. If you prefer a warm sandwich, top the meatloaf with caramelized onions and sharp cheddar. Brush the bread slices with garlic butter, if desired, and grill the sandwich on a griddle or in your air fryer until it’s nice and toasty.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Ingredients
- ½ medium yellow onion
- ½ medium carrot
- ½ stalk celery
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ pound ground beef (85/15)
- ½ pound ground pork (see note)
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (additional for garnish, if desired)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
For Glaze:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Prep vegetables. Peel the onion and cut into quarters, trim celery and cut into large chunks, peel and cut the carrot into large chunks, and peel garlic clove. The pieces should be small enough to fit into a small food processor.½ medium yellow onion, ½ medium carrot, ½ stalk celery, 1 clove garlic
- Place onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in a small food processor and pulse until finely minced. Scrape into a measuring cup; you should have about ½ cup of the mixture (discard any extra). Put mixture into large bowl.
- Add ground meat, bread crumbs, parsley, ¼ cup ketchup, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. I usually use my hands. Don’t overmix; ingredients should be just combined.½ pound ground beef (85/15), ½ pound ground pork, ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Form mixture into 2 flat loaves (about 7 inches by 3 to 4 inches, about 1 inch thick).
- Cook in air fryer at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. Internal temperature should be around 155ºF when measured with an instant read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl.¼ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Coat meat loaves evenly with glaze. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until glaze is caramelized and internal temperature is 165ºF.
- Let meatloaves cool 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Ground meat: Meatloaf can be made with all beef, or a mixture of ground meats such as ground turkey, veal, chicken, ground sausage, etc. Pork and sausage tend to have more fat so it’s best to mix a leaner meat with it. However, we tested this with all beef and found it to be not meatloaf-y enough and more resembling a large hamburger. We tested it a few other ways and prefer this combo of pork and beef. So while other mixtures can work, they will change your final result.
- Make ahead: Make a double batch of meatloaf mixture. Form into 4 loaves; set 2 aside. Cook 2 loaves for immediate use. Place the uncooked meatloaves on a small sheet pan and freeze uncovered until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Remove from freezer and wrap securely. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Cooking from frozen: Do not defrost. Air fry as directed, adding 15 minutes to cook time (40 to 45 minutes, plus a few minutes for glaze).
- Flavor variations: Take a look at the post above for ideas.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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