Air-Fried Classic Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
Active Time: 10 minutes / Total Time: 50 minutes / Servings: 6
- 2 slices white bread
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 medium onion grated coarsely
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 medium carrot grated finely
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1½ cups tomato sauce
- 12½ ounces pasta sauce of your choice
- Cooked lasagna noodles or spaghetti grated Parmesan, and basil leaves to serve
Instructions
- Tear the bread into a large bowl and pour milk over it.
- Add grated onion, crushed garlic, grated carrot, ground beef, chopped parsley, egg, and tomato paste to the bowl.
- Season well.
- Allow it to stand for 10 minutes without stirring.
- Preheat a 5- or 6-quart air fryer to 400˚F for 5 minutes.
- Use your hands to combine the ingredients in the bowl thoroughly.
- With damp hands, shape 1½ tablespoons of the beef mixture into balls and place them on a parchment paper-lined tray.
- Spray with cooking spray.
- Carefully pull out the air fryer pan and basket, spray the basket with oil, then place half of the meatballs in the basket in a single layer.
- Slide the pan and basket back into the appliance.
- Keep the temperature set at 400˚F and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- Cook, shaking the basket halfway through the cooking time, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
- Transfer the meatballs to a tray and cover them to keep warm.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining meatballs.
- In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce and pasta sauce.
- Roll the meatballs in the tomato sauce mixture.
- Place the coated meatballs in a 6-inch x 8¾-inch, 6-cup oval heatproof dish, then pour the remaining tomato sauce mixture over the meatballs.
- Place the dish in the basket.
- Keep the temperature set at 400˚F and set the timer for 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are heated through.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Serve the meatballs with cooked lasagna noodles or spaghetti and sauce. Garnish with grated Parmesan and basil.
Variation:
Combine 4½ ounces each of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Roll them into small balls and press them into the center of each meatball in step 3.
Continue with steps 4 and 5 and serve with cooked pasta and additional shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
Mexican Stuffed Meatballs
To the meatball mixture in step 1, add 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 1 teaspoon Tabasco chipotle sauce.Combine 4½ ounces each of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Roll them into small balls and press them into the center of each meatball in step 3.
Continue with steps 4 and 5 and serve with cooked pasta and additional shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese.