Air Fryer Meatloaf is a game changer. You can really make meatloaf in the air fryer much quicker than a traditional oven. I think you are going to love this meatloaf recipe.
AIR FRYER MEATLOAF RECIPE
You might be wondering if I have switched to eating meat. The answer is no.
For this particular recipe, I used Beyond Meat, which is a 1-1 sub for ground beef. So this recipe is versatile, you can use whatever type of protein fits your needs.
If I have your mouth watering at this delicious meatloaf, you might also want to try our Air Fryer Fried Rice, Air Fryer Seasoned Pretzels, and Air Fryer Potato Pancakes.
For my meat-eating Air Fryer friends, head over to our sister site to get a recipe for Air Fryer Roast Beef.
Cooking with a Ninja Foodi? I have the perfect recipe for making a Ninja Foodi Meatloaf.
Meatloaf is considered a comfort food. Many of us remember our moms making it for dinner when we were younger. Nowadays our life seems a bit busier. So taking an hour or more to make meatloaf isn’t really feasible. That is where our air fryer comes into play.
By using the air fryer to make meatloaf, you are cutting the time virtually in half! Meatloaf in the air fryer tastes just as good and cooks in much less time!
Basically, you are going to need to adjust your favorite meatloaf recipe if it uses more than 2 pounds of protein. I used 1 pound of protein for my recipe. Cutting down the protein helps the cook time and also it is pretty hard to fit 2 pounds of protein in an air fryer basket. You can easily make a meatloaf sandwich!
I put my meatloaf on a piece of parchment paper in my air fryer basket. I used parchment paper to make clean-up easy! You can use regular parchment paper and cut it to your needs or you can use parchment rounds.
If you are cooking this meatloaf with actual meat (from an animal) then I would recommend you get a meat thermometer. You are going to need to check the temperature of the meatloaf in the air fryer to make sure it reaches at least 165 degrees F.
AIR FRYER MEATLOAF INGREDIENTS
Protein (Meat Substitute, Beef, Turkey, or Pork) - this forms the bulk of our meatloaf. Choose any meat substitute that acts like ground beef.
Spices- I use a combination of oregano, garlic, smoked paprika, and salt. You can adjust the spices to your liking.
Breadcrumbs - choose gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed.
Onion - diced small, onion adds sweetness and a bit of a crunch.
Parsley - I love the small pieces of green herbs in my meatloaf.
Ketchup - adds sweetness and color.
Mustard - the bit of mustard also adds to the overall flavor.
Liquid Smoke - I like to add this to meat substitutes to get a more "meaty" flavor. Even if you're using actual meat, liquid smoke takes meatloaf to a new level.
Egg - binds all of the other ingredients together to form a loaf.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER MEATLOAF
- To make your meatloaf, start with your protein in a bowl.
- The process is basically a dump and stir. The items can be added in any order. Add the breadcrumbs.
- Fold in the onions.
- Add the spices
- Pour in the fresh diced parsley.
- Add the scrambled egg
- Pour in the ketchup, mustard, and liquid smoke.
- Stir well to combine.
- Shape the mixture into a loaf shape.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
HOW TO COOK MEATLOAF IN AN AIR FRYER
- Put meatloaf into the air fryer basket on top of parchment paper. Air Fry as directed.
- Mix the glaze ingredients together. Remove the air fryer basket from the unit.
- Spread the glaze on top of the meatloaf.
- Return the meatloaf back to the air fryer unit and continue cooking until done.
TIPS FOR MEATLOAF
- You can add vegetables to this recipe. Nice additions are a ½ of diced carrots or ¾ c of diced bell pepper. If you enjoy mushrooms, you can also add those to your air fryer meatloaf. Just be sure that you diced them very small so they cook through.
- If you want to make Paleo Meatloaf, you can sub out the breadcrumbs and sub in cassava flour or almond flour.
- Do not SKIP the “resting” part of this recipe. You need to let the meatloaf sit and rest to cool down. This will help you cut into the air fryer meatloaf.
- Use a serated knife to cut your meatloaf into slices. This type of knife will help the meatloaf not break apart when cutting.
- You need to check on your meatloaf every so often. You need to check to make sure it isn’t crisping too fast or burning. If you feel that the top of your meatloaf is starting to burn, you can place foil on top of the meatloaf to help with that. Be careful that you secure the foil so it doesn’t fly up into the air fryer’s heating area.
- Don’t try to rush this recipe by increasing the temperature. Cooking at a lower temperature helps to keep the meatloaf moist.
- Cooking times may vary a little depending on how you shape your loaf.
Suggested Kitchen Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Parchment Paper
- Meat Thermometer
WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER MEATLOAF
Air Fryer Asparagus comes out tender and delicious.
A perfect comfort food side dish is this Easy Broccoli Casserole.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato is so easy to make while the meatloaf is resting.
IS MEATLOAF IN AN AIR FRYER DIFFERENT THAN IN AN OVEN?
Pretty much the big difference when comparing the two is time. You are going to spend far less time cooking your meatloaf in an air fryer vs cooking your vegetarian meatloaf in an oven. The texture will be very similar.
WHAT TYPE OF PROTEIN SHOULD I USE FOR MEATLOAF?
You can use any type of protein that fits your dietary needs. You can use a vegetarian alternative, beef, pork, turkey or any combination of the above.
CAN I USE MY OWN MEATLOAF RECIPE IN THE AIR FRYER?
Yes, you can. Use your own recipe for meatloaf and incorporate my cooking times/temp as a jumping-off point!
CAN I MAKE EGG-FREE AIR FRYER MEATLOAF?
Yes, you can make egg-free meatloaf. Simply use Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
MORE AIR FRYER RESOURCES
Air Fryer Resources - if you are looking for air fryer resources, we have got you covered. We have a variety of air fryer posts that teach you everything you want to know about your air fryer.
Vegetarian Air Fryer Resources - We have a vegetarian air fryer newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. We also have a specific vegetarian air fryer recipes group on Facebook. You can find that Veg Air Fryer FB Group here.
If you are looking for vegetarian recipes beyond air fryer ones, we have a Vegetarian Newsletter as well as a Vegetarian Recipes Facebook group. This newsletter and FB group offer food recipes made on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, in the instant pot, and more!
Other Resources:
- Air Fryer Calculator (convert oven recipes to air fryer)
- Common Air Fryer Mistakes
- Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet
- Can You Put Foil in the Air Fryer
- How to Clean Your Air Fryer
- Tips for Your Air Fryer
- Cosori Air Fryer Reviews
More Air Fryer Goodies:
- Meat + Veg Newsletter
- Air Fryer Recipes - Facebook Group (large + fast-paced - meat/veg)
- Air Fryer Recipes for Seniors - Facebook Group
- Gluten-Free Air Fryer Recipes - Facebook Group
- Air Fryer Eats - Facebook Group (slower paced)
If you are new to air frying and you have some oven recipes that you would like to convert to air fryer recipes, we can help! Our sister site Air Fryer Eats, just launched an Air Fryer Calculator.
To use the air fryer converter, simply enter your oven temp and time into the calculator and it will give you an estimated time and temp (in F or C) to start with when you use your air fryer!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review and star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Pinterest and Facebook, too!
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Air Fryer Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Protein I used Beyond Meat, you can use beef, turkey, pork, etc
- ½ c breadcrumbs (or ½ c flour) *if you are gluten free, use gf
- 2 T ketchup
- ½ cup onion diced
- ¼ c fresh parsley
- 1 egg whisked
- 1 T mustard
- 1 T liquid smoke
- 1 t garlic powder
- ½ t salt
- ½ t smoked paprika
- ½ t oregano
Glaze
- ¼ c ketchup
- ¼ c brown sugar
- 2 t Dijon mustard
Instructions
- To make your air fryer meatloaf, start with your protein in a bowl. The process is basically a dump and stir. The items can be added in any order.
- Add the breadcrumbs. Fold in the onions. Add the spices.
- Pour in the fresh diced parsley. Add the scrambled egg. Pour in the ketchup, mustard and liquid smoke. Stir well to combine.
- Shape mixture into a loaf shape. Put air fryer meatloaf into the air fryer basket on top of parchment paper.
- Air Fry for 20 minutes at 370 degrees F.
- Remove the air fryer basket from the unit. Mix the glaze ingredients together. Spread the glaze on top of the air fryer meatloaf.
- Return meatloaf back to the air fryer unit and continue cooking at the same temperature for 10-15 minutes. (If you are using meat, it needs to reach 165 degrees F minimum, use your meat thermometer).
- Let air fryer meatloaf stand still for 10 minutes. This will help the ingredients to unify and it will help when you go to cut it.
- ENJOY!
Notes
Air Fryer Meatloaf Tips:
- You can add vegetables to this recipe. Nice additions are a ½ of diced carrots or ¾ c of diced bell pepper. If you enjoy mushrooms, you can also add those to your air fryer meatloaf. Just be sure that you diced them very small so they cook through.
- If you are wanting to make Paleo Meatloaf, you can sub out the breadcrumbs and sub in cassava flour or almond flour.
- Do not SKIP the “resting” part of this air fryer meatloaf recipe. You need to let the meatloaf sit and rest to cool down. This will help you cut into the air fryer meatloaf.
- Use a serated knife to cut your air fryer meatloaf into slices. This type of knife will help the meatloaf to not break apart when cutting.
- You need to check on your air fryer meatloaf every so often. You need to check to make sure it isn’t crisping too fast or burning. If you feel that the top of your air fryer meatloaf is starting to burn, you can place foil on top of the meatloaf to help with that. Be careful that you secure the foil so it doesn’t fly up into the air fryer’s heating area.
- Don’t try to rush this air fryer meatloaf recipe by increasing the temperature. Cooking at a lower temperature helps to keep the meatloaf moist.
- Cooking times may vary a little depending on how you shape your loaf.
Suggested Kitchen Equipment for Air Fryer Meatloaf:
What to serve with Air Fryer Meatloaf:
- Air Fyer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Air Fyer Asparagus
- Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Easy Broccoli Casserole
Air Fryer Meatloaf Questions:
Is meatloaf in an air fryer any different than in an oven? – Pretty much the big difference when comparing the two is time. You are going to spend far less time cooking your meatloaf in an air fryer vs cooking your vegetarian meatloaf in an oven. The texture will be very similar. What type of protein should I use for my air fryer meatloaf? – You can use any type of protein that fits your dietary needs. You can use a vegetarian alternative, beef, pork, turkey or any combination of the above. Can I use my own recipe for air fryer meatloaf? – Yes, you can. Use your own recipe for meatloaf and incorporate my cooking times/temp as a jumping off point! Can I make this air fryer meatloaf egg free? – Yes, you can make egg free meatloaf. Simple use Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.Nutrition
When we started posting air fryer recipes years ago, people were so excited! It’s hard to believe so much time has passed. I think we probably were using the air fryer before it even became the “cool” new kitchen gadget that everybody loves! When it comes down to it, we have lots of air fryer recipes that we love, but a few stick out when I think about favorites!
Making Jalapeno Poppers is a huge treat when using your air fryer! You are going to love this recipe and you can even make them ahead of time (just prep them), freeze them, and then thaw/cook when ready to eat! If you are looking for some delicious air fryer side dish recipes check out Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Sweet Potato In Air Fryer, Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, and Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes.
Love air fryer recipes? Maybe you like to have breakfast for dinner? You can use your air fryer to help you. Check out these Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes! Or maybe you want to use your air fryer to make starters, we have a great list of Air Fryer Appetizers
Made this for my family. I am not GF so I used regular Panko and I used ground beef. My family loved it. Thank you. Thank you
Sarah, I am so glad you loved our air fryer meatloaf!
Delicious! Made this tonight with ground beef and it was amazing! The glaze was awesome!
Yay!! I am so glad you made it and loved it. Thank you SO much for coming back and letting us know!
Could I sub oatmeal for the breadcrumbs?
That is a great question, I haven't done it personally but I know its been done in other "meatloaf" recipes. It may be worth a try! If you try it, let me know! I'd love to learn how it turned out!
How much Parsley? Not shown in the recipe ingredient list but is in the instructions.
Hello Carol, Thank you for bringing that to our attention! I've updated the recipe to include that omission! It is 1/4 c of fresh parsley 🙂
So far I’ve made this about 5 times. With impossible meat and with beyond meat. It’s very delicious. I’ve been eating more tofu as of lately for health reasons and am going to attempt to make this with that substitute. Any suggestions?!
Hello Melanie! So glad to hear you love this meatloaf as much as we do!! It is SUPER good! I haven't made it with tofu, that is a great idea. I would press the tofu to remove the liquid, then saute it as a crumble and add it in. Let me know if it works!