Easy Air Fryer Meatloaf

Table of Contents

First things first:

Is meatloaf one word or two words?
Meat loaf … Meatloaf … Meat loaf … Meatloaf… I can’t tell. The more I stare at it the weirder it looks either way. According to the internet both spellings are used so now that that is sorted we can carry on!

Can You Cook Meatloaf in an Air Fryer?

You better believe it!

Meat loaf is an American comfort food and it can be an easy weeknight meal idea made even easier by using an air fryer! Wait. Is air fryer one word or two? :p

Easy Air Fryer BBQ Meatloaf with Quinoa and Frozen Veggie Mix

Does Portugal Have Meatloaf?

Learn Portuguese

Portugal has something called a “rolo de carne” (literally “meat roll”) which is similar but more of a rolled up meat loaf with cheese or other filling stuffed inside. (Think of a pumpkin roll, but with meat and cheese).

This ‘Portuguese meatloaf’ can be tasty, but sometimes the ground meat gets a bit dried out during cooking since it’s thinner in order to roll up around the recheio (Portuguese word for “filling”).

So anyways… back to a simple meatloaf…

How to Make Meat Loaf in an Air Fryer

Meat loaf is a blank canvas. You start with ground meat of your choice, shown here is beef, and then add salt & pepper and adapt it to any flavor profile you want.

Some meat loaf recipes call for eggs and breadcrumbs (Oh by the way, many ground meat packages in Portugal already contain bread crumbs or similar, so please double check if you’re eating gluten free)

Just chuck everything in a big pan and combine it all with your hands, ideally. It feels gross, but you can do it! This working of the meat not only incorporates the flavors of your chosen spices, but also contributes to the end texture of the american rolo de carne.

If it grosses you out too much, don’t worry, you can use a utensil, but you’ll still want to get your hands involved to form the meatloaf well.

Once you have mixed everything together and shaped the meat into a loaf shape (lol), place it on the air fryer basket as shown above!

FAQS – Cooking Meatloaf in an Air Fryer

What temperature should I cook a meat loaf in an air fryer?

Try setting your air fryer for 190C (375F) and cook it for around 25 minutes if its 1 kilo (~2 pounds)

What is the internal temperature for meatloaf?

Ground beef, like in a meatloaf, should be cooked to 165 degrees internal temperature to ensure food safety.

How to tell if meatloaf is cooked inside?

Easy! Use an instant read meat thermometer. Ensure it reads 165F or ~74C.

What to Eat with Meatloaf

There are so many delicious side dishes for meatloaf. For example:

Mac and Cheese
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Corn on the Cob
Corn Bread
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Steamed Veggies like Brocoli, Cauliflour, and Carrots

For this quick weeknight meal I just made a plain meatloaf.

When it was nearly done I added barbecue sauce and put it back in the air fryer to sizzle.

For sides we just had the default – frozen veggies from Lidl (this time broccoli, cauliflour, and carrots) along side rice with some quinoa mixed in.

Ways to Make Meatloaf More Interesting

Instead of BBQ sauce, try a Ketchup (heinz plz + tks) topped meatloaf!
Use a beefy mushroom soup mix when you prepare the meat mixture
Stuff it with cheese in the middle – try mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack, provolone, gouda, or havarti.
Wrap it in bacon. Nuff said. 😉