Allergen note: This recipe contains egg, dairy (milk, parmesan), and gluten/wheat (breadcrumbs). If you're cooking for someone with allergies to any of these, check ingredient labels and consider substitutions before starting.

Cross-contamination note: Use a separate cutting board and utensils for the raw beef and pork mixture, apart from any boards or tools used for produce or ready-to-eat foods. After handling the raw meat mixture or the raw egg, wash your hands, the bowl, and any surfaces or utensils that touched them with hot soapy water before moving on to the next step.

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, milk, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands just until it holds together. Overworking the mixture makes tight, bouncy meatballs instead of tender ones.
  2. Roll into balls about 1.5in across. You should get roughly 18 to 20. Try to keep them close in size so they finish cooking at the same rate.
  3. Lightly mist or brush the air fryer basket with the olive oil, or line it with a perforated parchment liner. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer with a little space between each one. Don't crowd the basket; if they touch, the sides facing each other won't brown and steam instead.
  4. If your air fryer runs in batches, cook in two rounds rather than stacking meatballs on top of each other.

Air fryer: 380°F, 12 minutes, no flip needed. The moving hot air browns all sides at once, which is the whole point of cooking meatballs this way instead of in a skillet.

  1. Check a meatball from the center of the batch with a food thermometer. Ground beef and pork mixtures need to hit 160°F to be safe to eat. If any are under, return the basket for another 1 to 2 minutes and check again.
  2. Let the meatballs rest on the tray for a couple of minutes before serving or dropping into sauce. They'll firm up and hold together better once they've had a moment off the heat.

Tips

  • Pat the ground meat mix dry of excess moisture before rolling if it feels wet; drier surfaces brown better than damp ones.
  • Keep the meatballs uniform in size. Uneven sizes mean some finish early and some are still raw in the center at the 12-minute mark.
  • A perforated parchment liner catches drips and makes cleanup easier, but don't use solid parchment that blocks airflow underneath the meatballs.
  • Air fryer baskets vary by model, so check a meatball a minute or two before the timer ends the first time you make this recipe, and adjust your usual time from there.

FAQ

Do I need to flip the meatballs halfway through? No. Because hot air circulates around the entire basket, meatballs brown on all sides without turning, which is the main advantage of this method over a skillet.

Can I use only ground beef instead of a beef and pork mix? Yes. Straight ground beef works fine; just check that it still reaches 160°F in the center, the same safe minimum as the blend.

Why did some of my meatballs come out pale on one side? They were probably touching another meatball or crowded against the basket wall, which blocks airflow to that spot. Leave a little space around each one.

Can I cook frozen meatballs this way? Store-bought frozen meatballs can go straight into the basket at 380°F, usually adding a few extra minutes, but always confirm 160°F with a thermometer before serving since cook times vary by size and brand.

What should I serve these with? They work over pasta with marinara, tucked into a sub roll, or on their own with a dipping sauce. Toss them in sauce after cooking rather than before, since a wet coating during the air fry step will slow down browning.