Yes, you can make Meatloaf in an air fryer!
When it comes to comfort food, everyone thinks of something like Meatloaf, which is quick yet tasty and perfect for busy weekdays!
Air fryer meatloaf is the perfect recipe to feed the whole family who likes crispy and moist food.
If you’re a person who doesn’t like Meatloaf because it turns out too dense and greasy, then you must give it a second chance by making Meatloaf in an air fryer.
The best part of making Meatloaf in an air fryer is that all the grease drips down in the bottom of an air fryer so that it doesn’t turn out too greasy and leaves you with crispy and moist Meatloaf.
So if you didn’t think about making Meatloaf in an air fryer, now is the time because
- Perfect crisp on the outside and moist texture on the inside.
- Easy cleanup
- 2lbs of meat cooks in about 45 minutes.
Because here, I am going to give you a delicious recipe for Meatloaf with nutritional information that you would love to cook for your busy weekday dinners.
How does an Air Fryer work?
Air fryers use circulating hot air technology to cook. It circulates hot air around the food to achieve the same crispiness as traditional fried food. Air fryers accomplish this task by removing high-fat, high-calorie oil from the food preparation process.
With just one tablespoon of cooking oil, you can achieve the same results as a deep food fryer while using a fraction of the calories. It removes moisture from food by using heated air with fine droplets of oil. The air fryer, like many other cooking methods, causes a chemical reaction that improves the flavor and color of the food.
How to make Meatloaf in an Air fryer?
To make the delicious Meatloaf, you’ll need.
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- Two eggs large
- 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- One packet or 1.5-ounce Meat loaf seasoning
For Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Recipe
- Preheat your air fryer to 350° F temperature.
- Now combine beef, milk, meatloaf seasoning, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and bread crumbs, and mix it with a spoon or your hands.
- Form the combined mixture into a loaf shape and place it in the air fryer.
- Spray some oil in the air fryer before putting Meatloaf in it so that Meatloaf would be easy to take out after cooking.
- Let the meatloaf cook for good 25 minutes.
- Prepare its topping by mixing ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, and brown sugar.
- After 25 minutes, add 1/4 cup of topping to the Meatloaf and put it back in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes more.
- After 25 minutes, take out the Meatloaf from an air fryer. Also, you can add some more toppings as per your liking.
- Before slicing the Meatloaf, allow it to rest for 5 minutes at least.
Nutritional information on Meatloaf
| Total fat | 9g |
| Cholesterol | 100mg |
| Trans fat | 0g |
| Protein | 14g |
| Carbohydrates | 13g |
It is important to note that nutritional information is based on the number of ingredients used in this recipe which may vary according to different quantities of ingredients.
Here are some tips for making the best and most delicious Meatloaf in an air fryer!
- For the best flavor, use 80/20 ground beef.
- Cover the Meatloaf with aluminum foil if you notice the brown layer coming too early in the first 25 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the aluminum foil before topping the Meatloaf.
- You can use the remaining topping as a sauce because it tastes delicious.
Can I make Turkey Meatloaf in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can make turkey meatloaf in an air fryer. You can use ground pork, ground beef, and ground turkey as per your desire.
You can also adjust the ingredients according to your taste, as there is always an option to mix and match your favorite ingredients and cook them the way you like.
Whatever you choose, make sure to use 2Ibs pounds of ground meat in total.
Here is how you can make the best Meatloaf in an air fryer!
What’s the difference between a Meatloaf in an Air fryer vs. an Oven?
Time is the main difference between cooking Meatloaf in an air fryer vs. in an oven.
As far as taste is concerned, it remains the same in both.
The time saved while making the Meatloaf in the air fryer is worth it all because the air fryer doesn’t take too long to preheat, unlike the oven; hence it cooks the Meatloaf much quicker than the oven.
Meatloaf in an air fryer turns out more crispy than in an oven because hot air circulation cooks the Meatloaf evenly.
As air fryers are smaller than the oven, which usually make small portions of food which is good for small family or couples and even better for those who doesn’t want any leftovers.
However, there are still the following things to keep in mind while making Meatloaf in an air fryer.
- Not every air fryer needs the foil covering. I would recommend you to check the Meatloaf periodically to avoid covering it with foil.
- Many factors affect the cooking process of Meatloaf in an air fryer. If your Meatloaf is not done on recommended time, put it back in an air fryer for another 5-10 minutes till it reaches 165° F.
What are the valuable suggestions for making Meatloaf?
- Meatloaf is easily shaped directly in an air fryer or grill tray.
- Meatloaf can be directly placed on the air fryer basket when using the basket. The fat will drip down in the bottom- away from the basket, making you utilize the benefit of an air fryer.
- If you use parchment paper, it will store all the fat near the Meatloaf, which is not healthy for health.
- If fat storage isn’t the problem, you can use parchment paper to take out the Meatloaf easily, which is good for basket-style air fryers.
- It might be a concern to you to remove Meatloaf from an air fryer, especially if you’re using an Instant Pot air fryer lid. You can use a spatula under the Meatloaf to loosen it to make it easy to take out. Then use two spatulas from both ends to remove it.
- Always spray the basket or tray with oil so the Meatloaf can be easily removed.
- Also, quickly the Meatloaf at a lower temperature to avoid the quick browning of the top.
- Glaze the Meatloaf for about 5-10 minutes remaining to avoid the top from getting too brown or crispy.
How do you store air-fried meatloaf?
This meatloaf recipe should last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge when securely wrapped in foil.
You can also freeze meatloaf for 3 months when wrapped with foil. To use, partially thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, unpack and bake on a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan at 350° F until heated completely and a thermometer reads 165° F in the centre.
Conclusion
- Making Meatloaf in an air fryer is much easier and quicker than in the oven.
- You can use ground beef, ground turkey, and ground pork to make the Meatloaf.
- Using 80/20 ground beef is recommended for the best flavor.
- The taste of air fryer meatloaf and oven meatloaf is almost the same.