My air fryer meatloaf recipe is a family friendly meal that is sure to become a regular on your weekly menu. This meatloaf has an amazing crust on the outside and is perfectly moist on the inside. I’ve topped this with my easy, secret sauce to add lots of flavor.

My easy recipe for meatloaf in the air fryer

I am obsessed with my air fryer and use it all the time. It’s perfect when I don’t want to take up oven space if I’m cooking something else.

That’s why I first decided to try making meatloaf in the air fryer. I was baking hash brown casserole and didn’t have any extra room in the oven for the meatloaf, so I brought out my trusty air fryer.

I have tested this recipe many times to make sure it cooked through and of course that it tastes delicious.

If you are interested in more meatloaf recipes be sure to try this Lipton Onion Soup meatloaf, BBQ meatloaf, one pound meatloaf, or these other meatloaf recipes.

Why you’ll love this meatloaf recipe

• Perfect crust on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside.
• A 2-lb meatloaf cooks up in about 45 minutes. You can also make this simple one pound meatloaf in the air fryer.
• Simple, easy, and not much clean-up.
• Makes amazing leftovers.

Air fryer meatloaf ingredients

• Ground beef – You can also use ground turkey. The higher the fat content, the more grease so I typically use a lean beef.
• Panko bread crumbs – I like using panko bread crumbs but you can substitute with regular bread crumbs, Italian bread crumbs, gluten-free bread crumbs, or quick cooking oats.
• Eggs – These help to bind the meatloaf together.
• Milk – Add a little moisture to the meatloaf.
• Onion – Diced onion adds great flavor.
• Parsley – Fresh parsley adds a hint of freshness. This can be omitted.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds depth of flavor.
• Garlic salt
• Italian seasoning
• Sauce – For the meatloaf sauce, I use ketchup, brown sugar, and ground mustard.

How to make air fryer meatloaf

Scroll to the bottom for full printable recipe, ingredients and video.

Step one: Mix – Place the bread crumbs, milk, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix to combine. Add in the ground beef, diced onion, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning. Mix to combine.

Step two: Form – Place a piece of parchment paper in a loaf pan. Put the meat mixture on top of the parchment and form into a loaf.

Step three: Air fryer – Lift the parchment with meatloaf out of the pan and place in the air fryer basket. Cook at 380 degrees for 30 minutes.

Step four: Sauce – Place ketchup, brown sugar, and ground mustard in a small bowl. Stir together to combine. After cooking the meatloaf for 30 minutes, spread the sauce on top of the meatloaf. Continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F. Let meatloaf rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Heather’s recipe tips

• If the top of the meatloaf starts to get dark after 15-20 minutes of cooking, you can cover it with a piece of foil.
• I recommend using a lean beef to keep the grease down.
• You can make this recipe into mini meat loaves by dividing the mixture into 2 or 3 smaller loaves. Cook at the same temperature.
• Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F.
• If you don’t want to use all of the meatloaf sauce, you can save the reserve to serve alongside the meatloaf.
• Don’t like ketchup? Replace the sauce with BBQ sauce.

How to slice meatloaf

I recommend letting it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife for the best results.  

How to store leftovers

Store any leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or place in the oven at 350 degrees.

Meatloaf makes wonderful leftovers! I love using it to make a meatloaf sandwich.

What to serve with this air fryer meatloaf

There are so many wonderful meatloaf side dishes that are perfect with this main dish. A few of my favorite include:

• Roasted potatoes
• Roasted broccoli
• Mashed potatoes
• Simple salad
• Pasta salad

Common questions

More tasty air fryer recipes

• Air fryer chicken breasts – Easy method for cooking chicken.
• Air fryer turkey meatballs – Lean turkey meatballs can be used for many dishes and meal prep.
• Air fryer grilled cheese – A simple way to make a delicious sandwich.
• Air fryer tuna steak – Make ahi tuna in minutes.
• Air fryer turkey tenderloin – Flavorful turkey can be made in minutes.

Let me know if you made this recipe in the comments below.