If you love tender, juicy meatballs packed with flavor – without a big splattering mess to clean up – you’re going to love my air fried meatballs! I’m breaking down how to make this meaty main dish keto, without breadcrumbs – and have lots of variations for other meats, including notes on making this dish kosher.

After first making meatballs in my air fryer – I can’t go back to any other method!

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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!

Simple Meatballs in the Air Fryer

Air fryer meatballs are one of my favorite easy meals – they are simple, quick, and SO delicious. Plus, meatballs work really well on a low carb diet like my husband and I are trying to follow – but are tasty enough my kids want to dig in, too. 

I have such a hard time finding meals that are low carb that my kids also love scooped over piles of pasta or rice – but these meatballs never fail to impress everyone in our family! And since buying an air fryer, they are so much easier. 

While I’ll admit I was skeptical of my air fryer at first (since it’s yet another piece of equipment), I’ve found myself using it every day. It is so easy to use, cuts WAY down on cleaning (no grease splatters everywhere!) and cuts way down on the cooking smell, too, since it’s totally contained. 

Ingredients for Meatballs without Breadcrumbs

To make this recipe, we will need the following ingredients:

• Ground Beef (1 lb): Adds bulk and a hearty, savory flavor to the meatballs. It provides a solid base for the texture and taste of the meatballs.
• Mild Italian Sausage (1 lb): Adds richness, moisture, and additional flavor. The sausage brings seasonings like fennel and herbs, which enhance the overall flavor profile of the meatballs.
• Onion, Minced (¼ cup): Adds sweetness and moisture, balancing out the richness of the meat and infusing the meatballs with subtle flavor.
• Garlic, Minced (2 cloves): Brings a strong, savory depth to the meatballs, enhancing their overall flavor and adding a bit of heat.
• Parsley, Chopped (2 tablespoons): Adds freshness and a mild, herby flavor to balance the richness of the meat and cheese.
• Eggs (2): Acts as a binder, holding the meatballs together while keeping them tender and preventing them from falling apart during cooking.
• Parmesan Cheese, Grated (1½ cup): Provides a rich, salty, umami flavor, adding depth and enhancing the overall taste of the meatballs. It also contributes to the binding.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (½ teaspoon): Adds a subtle kick of heat and a touch of spice that balances the richness of the meat and cheese.
• Italian Seasoning (½ teaspoon): A blend of herbs like oregano, thyme, and basil that adds a traditional Italian flavor to the meatballs.
• Salt and Pepper to Taste: Essential for seasoning and enhancing all the other flavors in the meatballs. Salt boosts the overall flavor, while pepper adds mild heat and depth.

How to make Meatballs in Air Fryer

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:

1. Mix. Add beef, pork, onion, garlic, parsley, eggs and cheese to a large bowl. Sprinkle meat mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until combined.
2. Form meatballs. Form into 1 or 2 inch meatballs – this recipe will make about 25 meatballs.
3. Cook. Lightly spray sir fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray. Add meatballs to air fryer basket, making sure they don’t touch too much or over crowd the basket (work in batches if needed.) Cook in air fryer for 13 minutes at 350 degrees, removing basket around 8 minutes to quickly rotate meatballs. Meatballs should be 165 degrees internally when a thermometer is placed into the thickest part of the meatball.
4. Enjoy! Serve hot, with marinara, or just eat as-is!

Meatballs Air Fryer Variations

Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs

Since meat balls need a binder to hold together, it’s important to be sure you have something in place of the breadcrumbs to soak up some of the moisture from the egg and the meat to hold the meatballs together. 

While you can use a low carb bread crumb (if you have one that fits into your diet), I just skip bread entirely and opt for parmesan cheese. 

Grated parmesan cheese (the kind in a can from your grocery store) is the perfect bread crumb substitute – it is light and fluffy, soaks up moisture, and helps to hold meatballs together – plus it adds an incredible cheesy and salty flavor that is perfection in an air fried meatball. 

For a dairy-free version, swap crushed pork rinds instead of parmesan cheese.

Meatballs Without Pork 

These meatballs can be made without pork if you don’t eat pork – you will need to add something with more fat and flavor to replace it in an all beef meatball recipe to help keep your meatballs from drying out, since you aren’t adding all the fat from the pork sausage. 

When using just 2 lbs beef in a recipe, I add 1 cup ricotta cheese to the mixture to keep my meatballs from drying out. 

Mix the meatballs as called for below just the same – but the ricotta will help to make the ground beef have a rich, moist, and fatty flavor that you might miss by skipping pork Italian Sausage. Red pepper flakes, oregano, and fennel (to taste, according to your preferences) can be added for more Italian sausage flavor without the pork. 

Kosher meatballs:

For a kosher version without pork or dairy, use the following modifications:

As a swap for pork sausage:

• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, minced
• 1 lb lamb sausage

To swap the dairy:

• Vegan parmesan
• Breadcrumbs (not keto, if that is a consideration)
• Nutritional yeast flakes

Turkey Meatballs Recipe

If you’re looking to lighten up this recipe, it is incredibly easy to swap out ground chicken or turkey for sausage and beef. 

When making lower calorie meatballs in an air fryer, you need to try to have a 1:1 ratio of “sausage” with ground meat for flavor.

That means if you use 1 lb ground turkey, you’ll want to also use 1 lb of ground turkey sausage. The same would work for chicken or ground pork. 

How to store Air Fryer Meatballs

To store air fryer meatballs, let them cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer storage, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, where they’ll last up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw frozen meatballs in the fridge overnight if needed, then warm them in the air fryer or oven until heated through, which will help retain their crispy exterior.

More Keto Recipes

If you’re looking for delicious, easy recipes to serve with your low carb air fryer meatballs (or recipes you can use these meatballs in), please check out some of my favorite dishes below: 

Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer

Brown Bag Herb Roasted Turkey

Best Cornish Game Hen Recipe

One Pot Cheeseburger Soup

Also try One Pot Creamy Meatball Soup, Garlic Butter Parmesan Meatballs, Paleo Spaghetti and Meatballs, The Best Ever Cauliflower Rice, Low Carb Squash Stroganoff, 10 Minute Broccolini Recipe, Perfect Sauteed Mushrooms, and The Best Easy Cacio E Pepe Recipe Ever

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