Air fryer meatloaf is so juicy and cooks in a fraction of the time and clean up is a breeze.
This meatloaf contains a mixture of meat & seasonings and it’s topped with a delicious zesty topping!
Why Make Meatloaf in the Air Fryer
A classic meatloaf is a favorite meal and we love this air fryer version for a quick weeknight dinner.
- this can be baked in about half of the time compared to an oven recipe.
- the fat drips away into the pan so the meat doesn’t cook in the fat.
- this makes 2 smaller meatloaves so they’re easier to handle (and you get more of the crispy edges)
- cleanup is a breeze (I have the Cosori 5.8QT XL and a quick rinse and it goes into the dishwasher)
No Air Fryer? No problem!
Ingredients
MEAT We use lean ground beef (80/20), however, a combination of ground beef and ground turkey or pork can work just as well.
VEGGIES Finely diced bell pepper, onions, parsley, and garlic add flavor.
BINDER & SEASONINGS Breadcrumbs are mixed together with milk and egg yolk, Parmesan cheese, and a handful of Italian seasoning.
Ingredient Info
The topping in this recipe contains chili sauce (which is not spicy) and ketchup and it’s my favorite part of meatloaf.
If you’ve never had chili sauce, it is like a very zesty tangy ketchup with tons of flavor. It’s amazing combined with BBQ sauce and put on burgers and ribs.
How to Make Air Fryer Meatloaf
Air fryer meatloaf is a super quick and easy way to put a delicious meal on the table, and it takes just a few easy steps!
- Mix all of the ingredients, shape them into two equally-sized loaves (per the recipe below).
- Place meatloaves in the air fryer basket & cook for about 20 minutes.
- Add topping and cook an additional 15 minutes or until the meatloaf reaches 165°F.
Remove meatloaves from the air fryer & allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the meat, mix just until combined.
- Preheat the air fryer before adding the meatloaf.
- Air Fryers can vary so be sure to use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatloaf and ensure it reaches 165° F.
- Check the meatloaf early to ensure it doesn’t overcook. Add more time as needed.
- Rest the meatloaf before slicing so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat in the air fryer or the microwave.
Air Fryer Faves
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken – with crispy skin
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers – so easy to make
- Air Fryer Salmon – a healthy dinner
- Juicy Air Fryer Meatballs – perfect for a crowd
- Air Fryer Hamburgers – tender & juicy
Did your family love this Air Fryer Meatloaf? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ green bell pepper finely diced
- ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup onion* finely diced, see note
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- ¼ cup chili sauce
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F.
- Mix all meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl just until combined.
- Divide the mixture into 2 and shape into small meatloaves, about 5" long by 2" wide.
- Cook in the air fryer for 20 minutes.
- Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl. Add topping and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until meatloaf reaches 165°F.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Best meatloaf recipe I’ve ever made. No grease, no mess. Another awesome air fryer recipe. ☺️☺️☺️
Made this meatloaf this afternoon. First time not used an oven or slow cooker. Turned out really well and in a fraction of the time. Didn’t make the sauce topping as I wanted to taste the loaf as is. Let it cool for an hour along with baby roast potatoes and had it with a side salad. Thoroughly enjoyable and excellent recipe, will be making in the air fryer a lot more.(NINJA AF100UK for info)
This turned out great. Followed the recipe all the way to the topping. I did not have the chili sauce, so used a little ketchup and bbq sauce on top. Timing was perfect also. I had some room around the meatloaves, so put in some small red potatoes, cut into wedges, sprayed with butter flavor cooking spray, an a little sprinkle of garlic Italian seasoning on them. My husband loved it.
I’m new to air frying, do I place this recipe on ‘air fry’ mode or ‘bake’ mode at 350? Thanks!
Hi Caroline, I use the air fryer function but both should work well for this recipe. You can take a read through your manual to determine the difference in your specific air fryer. Enjoy!
I doubled the recipe and made 4 loafs. I made with 1 lb. ground pork and 1 lb. ground beef. I made it more Mexicali by substituting the Italian Seasoning for Cumin and the Parsley for chili powder. Added 1/2 cup of Rotel tomatoes drained, and added a little cheddar cheese.
They came out beautifully and were a hit. Thanks for the recipe!
That sounds delicious, Monica! Thank you for sharing your substitutions. I am glad it turned out so yummy for you!
Best meatloaf we’ve ever had!! Followed the recipe exactly. It shrinks up a bit so I put a whole in the middle. We haven’t tried it yet, but think it would make an amazing burger. This will be our go to for guests or meal trains!
I’ve tried a bunch of meatloaf recipes to varying degrees of success. I tried this one because my oven is broken, and I wanted to see if it was possible to make meatloaf in the air fryer. Thanks to the reviews, I decided to try this recipe and, although it differs a lot from other recipes I’ve tried, I made it as written. I’m glad I did! It was the most successful recipe I’ve ever tried. Even my step-son, who eats only 3 bites of anything I put in front of him, ate an ENTIRE mini-meatloaf, and commented twice on how good it was. THANK YOU!!!
We love stories like that, Susanna! Thanks for sharing. So happy he enjoyed it.
This was by far the best meatloaf I’ve ever made. I pulsed the onion and pepper in processor and added a few mushrooms I had left. It didn’t even need the topping. Out of this world good!
WOW!!! This recipe was spot on. I made mine in a round pan so it was thinner meaning less cook time. I cooked it 15 min the topped it with the sauce for the additional 5. Do yourself a favor and buy the chili sauce to mix with the tomato sauce. It was incredible. We will be making this when we have company over as it was the best meatloaf we’ve ever had.
Another great recipe! I doubled it using 1 lb grass feed ground beef and 1 1b ground turkey. I also added a yummy mesquite garlic balsamic to the glaze.
Cooking time was spot on! Good recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it Judy!
I loved this meat loaf and my son who normally does not like meatloaf loved it, it is a hit in my house. I did not have the topping you put with the recipe, so I put ketchup and brown sugar. Have some more for tonight. Thanks.
So happy to hear that, Mary! Glad to hear everyone enjoyed it.
Holly,
This meatloaf is delicious! It was a big hit with my husband. Thank you for a great recipe.
That is great, Catherine! So happy he enjoyed it.
Excellent recipe…I have made a few times now..The only difference is in the topping..I used ketchup,Brown sugar, and regular mustard…
Delicious! Thanks for sharing, Mary.
Hi Holly
Great recipe. Made the Meatloaf tonight. Delicious! I used ketchup,horseradish and Worcestershire for the topping. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You’re very welcome Donna! So glad you loved the meatloaf!
Hi Holly; thank you so much for sharing your quick & easy airfryer meatloaf recipe. I own the same air fryer you do (Cosori) & it’s large enough to place several mini loaf pans inside! It makes clean up that much easier. I used 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, & 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar combined to prepare my topping. I cooked it for the additional 5 minutes your recipe called for and it came out PERFECTLY!
Hi Carla, thank you for sharing your tip about the mini loaf pans! Great idea! So glad it works so well for you!
Seriously so good and flavorful!!! I used 3 cloves of garlic and topped it with bbq sauce!!!
I love,love,love this recipe!! The meatloaf is so tasty and moist. It is so easy to prepare and the cook time is spot on. My husband especially likes the topping with the chili sauce. It adds so much flavor. I really like that since it’s just me and my husband it is enough for 2 meals . It warm up really well.
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re very welcome Jenny!
I really enjoyed it but added bacon (everything better with bacon)
I put 2 slices down & set loaf onto the bacon then added 3 to the top ( actually 1 on top & 1 on each side) a toothpick in each end to get started flipped it after about 10 minutes removed toothpick flipped back after 10 more minutes checked temperature. Sauce the top when 160 . Enjoyed at 165
Thanks
Seems like you’d need at least a little salt and pepper and some Worstershire sauce for flavor.
Yes Margaret, the recipe does call for salt and pepper. Worcestershire would be a great addition if you like. Enjoy the recipe!
You said the topping is made of chili sauce and ketchup, but the recipe states that the topping is made of chili sauce and tomato sauce.
Both will work!