Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs

Make a variety of easy and delicious snacks and meals with perfectly cooked Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs. Instructions work for any brand.

As is always the case, my air fryer works its magic again. Any brand of frozen meatballs are cooked to perfection thanks to the air fryer. Perfectly browned and just a bit crispy on the outside. Tender and juicy on the inside. Protein-packed meatballs are the jump start for so many appetizer or snack ideas and main dish meals.

Why this recipe works

When I first purchased my air fryer, I used it a lot to cook frozen foods. It does a much better job of cooking a variety of frozen appetizers and snacks than the oven. It’s quicker, uses less energy and the constant hot air circulation of the air fryer creates perfectly crisp or seared outsides. When giving instructions for how to cook frozen foods in the air fryer, I try and give several ideas for how to serve these foods. Here’s some more of my favorite easy air fryer recipes…

• Air Fryer Hash Browns
• 3 Dinners with Air Fryer Frozen Fish
• Frozen Biscuits in the Air Fryer

Ingredients for air fryer meatballs

No oil is required for this recipe. Just your favorite brand of (already cooked or pre-cooked, not raw) frozen meatballs. I like this brand of angus beef meatballs. I also like turkey meatballs from Trader Joe’s. There are a lot of brands and types, including pork and chicken meatballs. Once you cook your meatballs, you have a lot of possibilities for how to use them.

Instructions for air fryer cooked frozen meatballs

Place the frozen meatballs in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer. Make sure there’s a little room in between the meatballs to ensure even cooking. Air fry the meatballs at 375 degrees F for 10 – 11 minutes. Be sure to shake the meatballs around to move them in the basket halfway through cooking time.

FAQ’s

How do you know if frozen meatballs are cooked?

First of all they’ll be nice and browned on the outside. But the only way to truly tell if they are cooked is to take their temperature. Meatballs are safe to eat when their internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

How long does it take to cook frozen meatballs on the stove?

If you heat the meatballs in a pan with oil, they’ll cook in about 15 minutes. That’s longer than it takes them to cook in the air fryer. Also, the air fryer contains any mess. There’s no grease splatter with an air fryer like there can be with stove top cooking.

How long does it take to cook frozen meatballs in the oven?

It takes about 20 – 25 minutes to cook frozen meatballs in the oven. The air fryer is a far quicker and more convenient way to cook frozen meatballs.

Storage directions

I would not suggest putting these meatballs back in your freezer after cooking them in the air fryer. The beauty of the air fryer is that you can cook just a few meatballs at time. If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container. Keep them in the fridge for up to three days.

Serving suggestions

To make a meatball sub like I have pictured, simply toss the cooked meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce. Butter both sides of a small sub roll and sprinkle it lightly with garlic salt. Top the bun with 4 – 5 sauced meatballs. Add some shredded pizza or mozzarella cheese and some more sauce. Place the sub in a paper air fryer liner and cook at 375 degrees F for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bun is lightly toasted.

You could also serve the meatballs on a plate of cut veggies with hummus or ranch dressing for dipping.

Or you could also make your favorite sauce (like BBQ sauce) for the meatballs if you want to serve them as a cocktail style appetizer. You could serve them over your favorite pasta, like a traditional spaghetti and meatballs meal. Or you could make a copycat version of Ikea meatballs (Swedish meatballs). Here’s some recipe links for those ideas…

• Cocktail Meatballs
• BBQ Sauce
• Copycat Ikea Meatballs
• Mashed Potatoes

Kitchen tools

• I test all of my air fryer recipes with my Philips XXL Air Fryer
• Always check the temperature of your food before eating with an instant read digital meat thermometer. The safe internal temperature for cooked meatballs is 165 degrees F.
• Paper liners for your air fryer basket
• Frilled toothpicks for serving cocktail meatballs

More air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Apples
• Air Fried Pork Chops
• Personal Air Fryer Pizzas

More meatball recipes

• Beef Bourguignon Meatballs
• Indian Butter Chicken Meatballs
• Asian Maple Sausage Meatballs

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