Air fryer meatballs are a great make-ahead meal. These Whole30 and Keto meatballs can be frozen and cooked in the air fryer for quick meal prep throughout the week. The post includes oven instructions.
Meatballs are a great protein-packed meal or snack, and using the air fryer is my favorite way to prepare them! No air fryer? I've included oven directions below.
How to make Meatballs in an Air Fryer
To start, I like to double the recipe. That way, I can freeze half or have extra in the refrigerator throughout the week - making them great for meal prep or quick meals.
You'll need the following ingredients for the meatballs:
- Ground Meat - Turkey, Chicken, Beef, or Pork will work for this recipe. We prefer ground turkey in our house, but use what you have on hand. I would avoid super lean turkey or chicken {99/1 meaning - 99% lean meat with 1% fat}. That will be to dry and likely fall apart during cooking. My favorite is 97/3. It's just enough fat for us.
- Almond Flour - Normal meatballs are held together with bread crumbs, but almond flour is a great substitute for a gluten-free version.
- Veggies - Besides basic onion and garlic, it's easy to sneak in some extra veggies. A few of my favorites include carrots, zucchini, and eggplant. Grate the veggie and squeeze in a clean kitchen towel before adding to the meatballs to remove extra moisture.
- Eggs - This helps hold the meatballs together.
- Seasonings - Changing the seasonings help keep these meatballs interesting. Adding Italian or Greek seasoning is great with pasta, basic salt and pepper are perfect with the BBQ dipping sauce, or try adding ginger and green onions for an Asian style meatball.
To form the meatballs, combine all the ingredients, minus the meat, in a large bowl. This helps incorporate the ingredients evenly.
Once mixed, add the meat and combine until everything is evenly distributed. I like to use my hands for this. Over mixing can cause tough meatballs, so mix until it is just combined.
Next, roll the meat into evenly sized balls. Place them on a lined baking pan. An ice cream scoop helps to create consistent sizes. One and a half pounds of meat will equal about 32 ping-pong ball sizes meatballs.
From here, you can cook right away or place the meatballs in the freeze. Once frozen, transfer the meatballs to a Ziploc bag and cook when needed.
Cooking in the Air Fryer
Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees. Once preheated, lightly spray the bottom of the basket or tray with cooking spray and add the meatballs - spread out, so they cook evenly on all sides. Cook for 8 minutes for small, 1 ounce meatballs. Flip halfway through the cooking process to brown both sides. Remove once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees for the chicken or turkey.
Cooking in the Oven
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Space the meatballs evenly on a baking dish and place in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from the oven once good through.
BBQ Meatball Appetizer
For a quick and easy appetizer for a party, toss the meatballs in BBQ sauce before serving. I used Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce for this recipe, but the Teriyaki would also be great too!
To keep the meatballs warm, you can place them in a crockpot with your sauce of choice and leave it on the warm setting until ready to serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
To make ahead, form the meatballs and place them on a lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer until fully frozen. Once frozen, transfer to a Ziploc bag. The meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once ready to cook, remove them from the freezer and place them in the air fryer or oven and cook as directed. Add 3-5 extra minutes for frozen meatballs. The meatballs do not need to be thawed before cooking. Cooked meatballs can be frozen and reheated, but it's not my favorite as they can dry out during the second cooking.
To store cooked meatballs, place them in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Preheat in the microwave or air fryer until warm.
Other Recipes to Try
Looking for more air fryer recipes? Try our Brussels Sprouts, Fried Okra, or Chicken Wings recipes!
Like this recipe? Don't forget to Pin it! Also, check out our Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube Channel for cooking demos and more. Plus you can also see what I am pinning on Pinterest for more Whole30 and Paleo recipe ideas!
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Whole30 Air Fryer Meatballs
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 32 Small Meatballs 1x
Description
Air fryer meatballs are a great make-ahead meal. These Whole30 and Keto meatballs can be frozen and cooked in the air fryer for quick meal prep throughout the week. The post includes oven instructions.
Ingredients
- ½ Onion - finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce* - Omit or use Primal Kitchen Steak Sauce for Whole30
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1.5 pounds Ground Meat {Turkey, Chicken, Beef, or Pork}
- Cooking Spray
- ¾ cup BBQ or Teriyaki Sauce - Optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the meat. Add the meat and fully incorporate without overmixing the meat. Your hands are the best tool for mixing.
- Roll the meat into small round balls and place on a baking sheet.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Once preheated, slightly spray the basket or rack with cooking spray and add the meatballs.
- Cook for 8 minutes for 1 ounce {ping-pong} size meatballs, flipping halfway through to cook all sides evenly.
- Once fully cooked, remove and toss in the sauce. Serve hot.
Notes
Whole30 - If Whole30 or Paleo, replace the Worcestershire sauce with Primal Kitchen Steak Sauce or Whole30 Ketchup. This gives the meatballs extra moisture and flavor.
Make-Ahead - Prep the meatballs and leave them in the refrigerator for 1 day or freeze until you're ready to eat. Cook as directed above, adding 3-5 minutes for frozen meatballs.
Storage - Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave until warm.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: air fryer meatballs, bbq meatballs, whole30 meatballs
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