Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs

We cook frozen meatballs in air fryer all the time because they come out tender and delicious in a Ninja Foodi or Cosori. Tossed with a sauce this makes a cheap appetizer everyone loves. Crispier than our Crockpot frozen meatballs and faster too.

Meatballs cooked from frozen is the great start to so many meal ideas. Using our fail proof step by step instructions below you can throw them in with noodles or enjoy as is as a protein packed snack. Just one of our favorite easy air fryer recipes to keep in your back pocket.

There are lots of different ways of how to cook frozen meatballs but if you like easy with a bit of crispy on the outside this is the best. You just throw them in out of the bag without sauce and you can toss with that later if you would like.

Now that I am obsessed with easy Ninja Foodi recipes I had to figure it out in that machine too. It works a bit different and doesn’t take as long. You will use the lid that is attached to make this one.

Years ago I figured out how to make Instant Pot frozen meatballs, that was handy. It used high pressure with hot steam to puff up the once rock hard straight out of the freezer meat to perfection.

Sometimes I just crave some meat as a snack, but cooking frozen meat can be tricky. Throw these in, get them tender and pour some spaghetti sauce over them for a quick snack.

If you want to make Ninja Foodi spaghetti, these are a great add in as well. You don’t even need non stick spray to make these perfect. I usually use that for everything but it isn’t necessary at all.

Ingredient Notes

You are of course going to start with a bag of frozen meatballs. You can cook as is without defrosting with the temperature and timing listed below. However, if thawed you’d need less time.

That is all you need for the basics. Unless you want them super crispy in that case I use a light spray of olive oil near the end to get that super duper golden brown color to them. If I add a sauce I choose a jar of spaghetti sauce, teriyaki or bbq sauce to toss with.

Or just throw it into a pot of Instant Pot spaghetti to add protein to your meal! Most of the time I am making these to serve as is with a dip on the side.

I used my Cosori air fryer for this. In the Foodi you would use the lid that is attached to make this only.

Tips for Success

Always make sure that you preheat air fryer to 380 – 400 degrees first so the heat is even the whole cooking time. Dump frozen meatballs into air fryer basket and cook.

Air fry 8 minutes but timing may vary slightly depending on their size. You just want to make sure they are heated through to the center.

Check near the end and can add 1-2 minutes longer to get a crispier outside texture. Warm spaghetti sauce if desired and toss with meatballs to serve.

This is what they look like smothered in tomato sauce with seasonings. Great as is really. Biggest tip for both is to ensure they’re in a single layer in your air fryer basket. This way the outsides can get crispy all the way around.

Nutritional facts such as calories and saturated fat will vary depending on the brand. Refer to the bag you buy for very accurate information.

NOW if you want quick and easy but homemade with ground beef, you can do that too. In a large bowl combine ground pork, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese to make our basic meatball recipe. Set on a baking sheet and when done use our directions for air fryer meatballs instead.

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