Make the Best Meatloaf of Your Life in the Air Fryer
Meatloaf is one of those retro foods that deserves a comeback. It’s definitely gone out of fashion, but it doesn’t have to be the dubious lump of half-cooked gray meat from your childhood. In fact, this can be a nicely browned, juicy and pretty quick dish if you make it in the air fryer.
Air frying meatloaf is simply a better experience than baking it in the oven. Using an oven is insultingly bad in comparison! I, like most people who cook, want to eat deliciously and quickly. “Okay” is the key word here, otherwise I would just microwave everything (and then be out of work). The air fryer’s convection heating makes it a hero for quick cooking and superior browning, while also cutting more than half the average oven cooking time for meatloaf (which can take almost an hour ). For that reason alone it’s worth it.
How to Cook Meatloaf in an Air Fryer
Although I include the recipe below, it doesn’t really matter which meatloaf recipe you use. The only thing you need to consider is the size of your air fryer. If you typically use two pounds of ground meat and form a meatloaf that is 12 inches long, you will have problems if the air fryer basket is only 10 inches long diagonally. You’ll have to make the loaf taller rather than longer, or bake two smaller loaves instead.
To make the meatloaf, I grated half an onion into a large bowl, added salt, dry seasoning, and some panko crumbs. I stirred it all together and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the dry ingredients to rehydrate in the onion water. After that, I mixed a pound of ground beef and the egg until they were completely combined.
Depending on how quickly your air fryer heats up, you may want to preheat it; It only takes me a minute, so I usually don’t bother. I believe some people actually put the meatloaf in a baking dish. I can see why a person might do this in the oven, where an hour in a dry environment would cause it to dry out. However, I recommend resisting the temptation here: the extra material will take longer to heat up, plus it will retain moisture and prevent darkening. Air fryer meatloaf will have a thin but nice crust on the outside and a juicy interior. A frying pan will only confuse everything.
So shape your meatloaf into the perfect shape and toss it straight into the basket. If it loses its shape due to falling, you can simply squeeze it a little once it becomes stable. Set the air fryer to “roast” at 375°F for 15 minutes, turning after 10 minutes to brown the bottom. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer; It should be 155°F in the center. If your meatloaf recipe uses more meat, it may take a few extra minutes to cook. Once complete, let it sit for about 10 minutes and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
I don’t cover my meatloaf with ketchup sauce, but if you like sticky red dressing, brush it on during the last five minutes of cooking, after you’ve flipped the loaf. Serve meatloaf sliced, with side salad and summer corn. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Air fryer meatloaf recipe
Ingredients:
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½ yellow onion
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3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
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¾ teaspoon salt
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⅛ teaspoon MSG
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1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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½ teaspoon fish sauce
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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½ teaspoon dried parsley
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½ teaspoon cayenne powder (or chili flakes)
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1 pound raw ground beef
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1 egg
1. Grate the onion into a large bowl using a fine grater or microplane. Add the next eight ingredients and let sit for five minutes. Mix ground beef and egg until smooth.
2. Set the air fryer to broil at 375°F. Shape the meat into a loaf and carefully place it in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 minutes and turn the meatloaf over. Cook for another five minutes. The internal temperature should be 155°F. If it has not yet reached this temperature, continue cooking for another three minutes and measure the temperature again. Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing.