• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Winding Creek Ranch
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Main Dishes
  • About
    • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Air Fryer

    Easy Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer

    Published: Dec 12, 2021 · Modified: Aug 14, 2022 by Jeri Walker · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Sharing is Caring!

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe
    Meatballs in the air fryer basket, cooked from frozen

    Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer are juicy, lightly crispy on the inside, and packed with flavor, a lifesaver for busy weeknights. These are the quickest and easiest meatballs you will ever make. They taste delicious and can be thrown together with some sauce for an easy main meal in less than 15 minutes!

    Frozen meatballs cooked in the air fryer. this …

    If you are looking for an excellent idea for a quick dinner, this meatball recipe is it. You can have a delicious meal on the table in minutes. This is one of my favorite recipes for an easy dinner.

    These air fryer meatballs have the juiciest interior and work for small and larger meatballs. So if you are making a main dish, quick snack, or a quick appetizer, this meatball recipe is a handy way to make a tasty meal without too much prep work.

    Use frozen homemade meatballs or buy store-bought. Either way, skip the takeout and enjoy a home-cooked meal tonight!

    Air fryer frozen meatballs are one of the easiest things to make and are perfect for weeknight meals, holiday gatherings, or game days. Everyone loves meatballs!

    Want more meatball recipes? Check out Venison Meatballs With Sweet and Sour Sauce, which you can make with any meat type, and Easy Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs and Low Carb Meatballs Without Bread Crumbs.

    More Frozen Food in Air Fryer

    • Two servings of sweet potato fries in a wire fry basket with a side of ketchup beside them.
      Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer
    • Tilapia fillets cooked in the air fryer and served on a white platter with slices of fresh lemon.
      Tilapia in Air Fryer - No Breading (Keto-Friendly)
    • Waffle fries on parchment paper with dipping sauces.
      How To Make Frozen Waffle Fries In An Air Fryer
    • Frozen broccoli cooked in an air fryer until tender yet crispy.
      Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer
    Jump to:
    • More Frozen Food in Air Fryer
    • Why you will love frozen meatballs in the air fryer
    • Ingredients
    • How to cook frozen meatballs in air fryer
    • Can I make my own frozen meatballs?
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tips
    • More Tasty Air Fryer Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • Food safety
    • More Recipes
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you will love frozen meatballs in the air fryer

    QUICK RECIPE: These meatballs cook much faster than on the stove or in the oven; mine were done in just 8 minutes!

    EASY RECIPE: This is an easy way to get a meal on the table, fast! Open a bag of frozen meatballs, dump them in the air fryer basket, set the temperature and time, and that's it! It doesn't get much easier than that!

    GREAT MAIN DISH: Everyone will love them, and they go with anything! They turn out perfect every single time. Just add your favorite sauce for a meal ready in minutes!

    NO EXTRA OIL: No extra olive oil is needed for these meatballs. The meatballs do not stick to the air fryer basket.

    ONE INGREDIENT: Yup, only one ingredient. Meatballs. Any kind. I used leftover meatballs that I had frozen. You can easily find frozen meatballs in any grocery store. Any type of meatballs will work—even vegan meatballs. Get little meatballs for an appetizer and larger ones for the main dish.

    PERFECT FOR WEEKNIGHT MEALS: These are perfect for quick weeknight meals with no prep. Pair them with Frozen Broccoli and Instant Pot Rice for a quick meal!

    Ingredients

    To make these air-fried meatballs from frozen, you only need one ingredient. You guessed it, frozen meatballs! 🙂

    Frozen meatballs in a ziploc bag

    I used frozen beef meatballs made with ground beef. You can also use chicken meatballs or a mixture of pork and beef. Venison meatballs also work well. Use turkey meatballs for a healthier option. I used homemade meatballs that I froze in a Ziploc bag.

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    How to cook frozen meatballs in air fryer

    To cook frozen meatballs in the air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees f. Open the bag of frozen meatballs, and place meatballs in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are in a single layer and are not touching. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes for meatballs about 1 to 1.5-inches in size.

    Shake the basket halfway through the cooking time. Use tongs to remove the meatballs from the air fryer basket. Place them in a large bowl with your favorite sauce. Serve them as is, or with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes for a meal everyone will love!

    Because all air fryers cook differently, and some cook hotter than others, you may need to adjust the cooking time. For example, if your meatballs are not hot enough, place them back in the air fryer tray for 1 or 2 additional minutes.

    Frozen meatballs in the air fryer basket

    Can I make my own frozen meatballs?

    Yes, of course! To easily make your meatballs, prepare meatballs as you normally would. Try this recipe for a delicious low-carb meatball.

    It is best to get the size of your meatballs to be the same, for even cooking. To do this, I like to use a cookie scoop to get meatballs the same size quickly.

    Place raw meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the uncooked meatballs into a preheated 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown.

    The internal temperature of the meatballs should be 165 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meatballs.

    Cool the meatballs, then flash freeze them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for an hour or two until they are frozen. Next, transfer frozen meatballs into a Ziploc bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal the bag. Now you have your homemade frozen meatballs ready anytime you want a quick dinner, and you can feel good knowing they do not contain any artificial ingredients.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    How long to cook frozen meatballs in an air fryer?

    It takes about 8 minutes at 400 degrees F to cook frozen meatballs in the air fryer.

    Can you cook raw beef meatballs from frozen?

    Yes, you can cook raw beef meatballs from frozen. However, the cooking time will need to be extended by a few minutes, depending on the size of your meatballs.

    Should meatballs be frozen raw or cooked?

    You can freeze meatballs either raw or cooked. I find it more convenient to cook the meatballs first and then freeze them; that way, I can grab them whenever I need a quick meal.

    Variations

    Make these air fryer meatballs from frozen, then toss them in your favorite sauce. Some great ideas to try are:

    • Add bbq sauce to the cooked meatballs
    • Add tomato sauce to the cooked meatballs
    • Make a meatball sandwich or meatball sub sandwich
    • Add cooked meatballs to spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce, and top with parmesan cheese.
    • Be sure to try these delicious Swedish meatballs with frozen meatballs.

    Equipment

    To make meatballs from frozen, you need an air fryer. The one I used for this recipe was the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer. It has an eight qt capacity with two baskets, making it easy to cook enough food to feed my family in no time! I highly recommend it!

    I also have an Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer. It was very reasonably priced and has a large basket so I can cook food in larger batches.

    Storage

    Fridge: Cooked meatballs will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.

    Freezer: The meatballs were already cooked and frozen before frying them in the air fryer. If they are refrozen, bacteria could start growing on them, which is not good.

    Top tips

    • Use homemade meatballs that are frozen for best flavor, and you can feel good knowing that the meatballs contain no artificial ingredients.
    • The length of time to cook the frozen meatballs depends on the size of the meatballs, the size of your air fryer, and how hot the air fryer cooks. Keep an eye on the meatballs to make sure they do not overcook.
    • Shake the air fryer basket halfway through the cooking time so the meatballs cook evenly.

    More Tasty Air Fryer Recipes

    • Four pieces of air fryer salmon on a white plate, with a plae of broccoli in the background and sliced lemon beside it.
      Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer (Low-Carb)
    • A closeup of sweet potato fries on brown paper with a side of ketchup.
      The Best Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries Recipe (Crispy)
    • Extra crispy air fryer chicken wings on a serving tray with ranch dipping sauce.
      Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Baking Powder
    • A white plate of food sitting on a table, with Salmon and Teriyaki sauce.
      Teriyaki Salmon Air Fryer

    I hope you enjoyed this recipe to make Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer. If you try it out and like it, I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a star rating below. Also, please leave a comment below saying how much you enjoyed it and what other types of recipes/ingredients would be interesting for me to write about in the future.

    Thank you so much for reading my article, and don't forget to share it with your friends on social media!

    You can also Follow Me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

    📋 Recipe

    Frozen meatballs cooked in the air fryer.

    Easy Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer

    Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer are juicy, lightly crispy on the inside, and packed with flavor, a lifesaver for busy weeknights. These are the quickest and easiest meatballs you will ever make. They taste delicious and can be thrown together with some sauce for an easy main meal in less than 15 minutes!
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 204kcal
    Author: Jeri Walker
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 16 frozen meatballs or 4 meatballs per person

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
    • Open the bag of meatballs and dump them in the air fryer's basket.
    • Set the timer for 8 minutes, shaking the meatballs in the basket halfway through the cook time. Since all air fryers cook differently, check to make sure they do not burn in the last couple minutes of cooking.
    • Remove the meatballs from the air fryer when the timer is up. Serve with your favorite sauce.
    • Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Nutritional information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only.
    Storage:
    Fridge: Cooked meatballs will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
    Freezer: The meatballs were already cooked and frozen before frying them in the air fryer. If they are refrozen, bacteria could start growing on them, which is not good.
    Top tips:
    • Use homemade meatballs that are frozen for the best flavor, and you can feel good knowing that the meatballs contain no artificial ingredients.
    • The length of time to cook the frozen meatballs depends on the size of the meatballs, the size of your air fryer, and how hot the air fryer cooks. Keep an eye on the meatballs to make sure they do not overcook.
    • Shake the air fryer basket halfway through the cooking time so the meatballs cook evenly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.3g | Protein: 31.7g | Fat: 5.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Cholesterol: 118.6mg | Sodium: 569.2mg | Potassium: 505.6mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 21.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 18.4mg | Iron: 3.5mg
    L❤️VE this recipe? PIN it for later! 😊Mention @windingcreek_ranch or tag #windingcreek_ranch on IG!

    Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended

    More Recipes

    • Refreshing watermelon salad in a white serving bowl, topped with a fresh basil leaf, with sliced lime beside it.
      Easy Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta and Honey Glaze
    • Pineapple chicken stir fry in a white bowl, topped with sliced green onion and sesame seeds, with chopsticks
      Sweet and Tangy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
    • Homemade Irish soda bread baked in a cast iron skillet.
      Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe Without Buttermilk
    • A creamy shamrock protein shake in a tall glass, topped with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles.
      Easy Shamrock Protein Shake Recipe (Healthy Smoothie)

    More Easy & Delicious Air Fryer Recipes

    • A halibut fillet on a white plate with homemade tartar sauce, sweet potato fries, and broccoli.
      Air Fryer Halibut with Crispy Parmesan Crust
    • Two air fried filet mignon with bacon on a white plate with garlic herb compound butter on top.
      Easy Air Fryer Filet Mignon with Bacon
    • Crispy chicken tenders on a white plate with a small white dish of buffalo dipping sauce.
      Crispy Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer
    • Crispy golden brown shrimp tempura in a white bowl with lemon slices, and a yellow napkin in the background.
      The BEST Crispy Air Fryer Shrimp Tempura

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. nancy

      December 13, 2021 at 4:54 pm

      5 stars
      who doesn't like 15 minute meat balls when they are in a hurry!

      Reply
    2. Jeannie

      December 13, 2021 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      That was quick! I like that it uses less oil

      Reply
    3. Jerika

      December 13, 2021 at 2:00 pm

      5 stars
      Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer in just 15 minutes! Love it! 🙂 It's just perfect for a busy person like me. Thanks!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Jeri!

    I'm a passionate home cook who loves creating easy and delicious recipes for busy families! My goal is to help you make tasty meals quickly so you can spend more time on what matters most-- family!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Perfectly cooked thighs in the air fryer basket.
      Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
    • Homemade iced coffee with cream being added to the glass.
      How To Make Delicious Iced Coffee At Home
    • A closeup of pork chops on a platter.
      Thin Pork Chops in the Air Fryer
    • Smoked salmon fillet baked to perfection, placed on a slate board with slices of lemon beside it.
      Best Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill
    • Dry spice rub for chicken in a white bowl.
      Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken
    • Closeup of smoked chicken thighs stacked on a white plate.
      The Best Smoked Chicken Thighs On A Pellet Grill

    As seen in

    A collection of sites where my recipes have been featured.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Reach Out

    • About
    • Contact Me
    • Subscribe

    Let's Connect

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
    • Twitter
    • Web stories

    Disclaimers

    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Statement

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Winding Creek Ranch | All Rights Reserved