Ingredients and Substitutions
Ground beef. I use an 70/30 beef mix but feel free to use lean ground beef/ beef mince. Ground turkey or ground chicken can also be used if you don’t like red meat. Ground pork. I like adding ground pork to meatballs as they add tenderness and more flavor. Substitute with ground beef if you prefer. White bread. Soaking bread in milk is an old fashioned tip to making the best meatballs and I absolutely love how juicy this makes the finished meatballs. You can substitute with breadcrumbs if you prefer. Milk. Parmesan cheese. Spices: Dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. The great thing with meatballs is that they are so versatile. Flavor them in whichever way to suit the dish you are planning on serving them with. If you want more Middle Eastern flavor, adding spices like cumin, curry powder, sumac etc. are a great idea. Italian? Add basil or your favorite Italian seasoning. Onion and fresh garlic. A note on egg: I always add an egg to my meatball mixture but forgot when I was testing this recipe. They came out perfectly in tact, juicy and tender. I think as long as you form them properly, you don’t need an egg with these meatballs. Since they’re being air fried, there isn’t a lot of moving going on while they’re cooking so the need for a binding agent like egg is not as necessary.
How to cook meatballs in the air fryer
Can I make this ahead?
This meatball recipe is great to prepare ahead. The cooked or leftover meatballs can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the air fryer before serving. The raw meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply freeze the meatballs on a sheet pan until frozen then store in freezer bags.
Meatball Recipes
