Healthy Air Fryer Meatloaf (Easy Recipe)
This healthy Air Fryer Meatloaf is a quick and easy recipe to make any night of the week. It cooks in less than 30 minutes and yields a juicy, flavorful meatloaf with a delicious tangy glaze.
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Healthy Air Fryer Meatloaf
Homemade meatloaf is a classic comfort food that the whole family loves and is always welcome on the dinner table! My version is lightened up and cooked in the air fryer for reduced cooking time.
Faster cooking means meatloaf can now be enjoyed even on your busy weeknights! I’ve been relying heavily on my air fryer for quick meals and meal prep and this is such a great recipe to add to the regular rotation.
This recipe calls for 2 pounds of meat with 1 pound of ground beef and a pound of ground pork (see substitutions below) so it serves more than a small loaf made with just 1 pound of meat. If I’m going to go through the effort of making meatloaf, there better be leftovers!
Especially because we all know leftovers is just another way to say “meal prep”. With this easy meatloaf recipe, you can feed your family of 4 dinner one night and then have 4 meals prepped for lunches or another dinner. Easy peasy!
One serving of meatloaf is right around 300 calories, which leaves plenty of room for some healthy side dish recipes if you’re trying to stick to a 500 calorie meal.
Enjoy!
If you love this meatloaf in the air fryer, be sure to make these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders next!
Enjoy!
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Meatloaf Ingredients
- Plain Breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Milk – regular low-fat milk
- Minced Onion – finely minced onion distributes the onion through the meatloaf better
- Minced Fresh Parsley
- Minced Garlic
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- Dried Italian Seasoning
- Ground Beef
- Ground Pork
- Ketchup
- BBQ Sauce
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Substitutions
Gluten Free – use gluten free breadcrumbs, gluten free Worcestershire sauce, and gluten free BBQ sauce to make a gluten free meatloaf.
Dairy Free – use unsweetened and unflavored almond milk or your favorite plant based milk.
Keto/Low Carb – use keto breadcrumbs made from keto bread or ground pork rinds for a keto meatloaf. Make the glaze with sugar free ketchup and sugar free bbq sauce. If preferred, you can omit the onion or sub for onion powder.
Protein – you can use 2 pounds of ground beef instead of the ground beef and pork combination. Ground turkey could also be used but the meatloaf will be drier and not as juicy.
Brown Sugar – if you’d like a little sweeter sauce, you can add 1 tablespoons of brown sugar to the glaze. A sugar-free brown sugar substitute could also be used.
Note: Any ingredient substitutions you make will affect the total calorie count.
Tools you’ll need
- Air Fryer – My favorite is the Cosori Pro II.
- Parchment Air Fryer Liner
- Large Bowl
- Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
- Large Sturdy Spatula
- Meat Thermometer
How to Make Meatloaf in an Air Fryer (Visual Instructions)
Shape the mixture into a loaf and carefully place it in the preheated air fryer basket. Cook at 375F for 20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Meatloaf pair so well with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, mashed cauliflower, smashed sweet potatoes, or even roasted cauliflower rice.
You can also serve it with a green vegetable like Air Fryer Green Beans, blanched green beans (so great for meal prep!), broccoli, or sautéed zucchini.
Tips for making this Air Fryer Meatloaf recipe
- Room temperature eggs are easier to beat and incorporate into your meatloaf mixture.
- For even cooking, let your meat sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to help take this chill off.
- Don’t over mix the meat mixture! Over mixing will result in a tough meatloaf.
- Split the meatloaf into two smaller loaves for an even faster cook time.
- Sauté and cool the onions before adding them to the breadcrumb mixture if you want to reduce the onion flavor.
- Don’t forget to preheat your air fryer!
- The best way to tell if a meatloaf is done is by using a meat thermometer to ensure the meatloaf has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Resting the meatloaf after it’s done cooking will help prevent it from falling apart when slicing.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Storage and Meal Prep
Leftover meatloaf should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If making this meatloaf to meal prep, divide the meatloaf into 8 servings and portion into meal prep containers with your desired sides.
You can also freeze leftover meatloaf. If freezing, slice into individual servings before freezing and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil then store in a freezer safe bag. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then remove the plastic wrap and foil before reheating.
If you tried and loved this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Healthy Air Fryer Meatloaf
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs, regular or gluten free
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons non-fat milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup finely minced onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 pound lean ground beef 90/10
- 1 pound ground pork, see notes
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Next, add the onion, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Mix well to combine.
- Add the ground beef and pork. Very gently mix to incorporate the seasonings into the meat. You don’t want to compact the meat or it will result in a tough meatloaf.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 375 degrees for 5 minutes before ready to cook the meatloaf.
- Shape the mixture into a loaf (about 8” long, 2” tall, and 3” thick) and carefully place it in the air fryer. Or place the meatloaf on an air fryer liner, if using, and then add the meatloaf to the preheated air fryer basket.
- Cook at 375F for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup and BBQ sauce. Spread the mixture over the meatloaf.
- Cook the meatloaf for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the meatloaf from the air fryer and let it rest 5-10 minutes. Slice it into thick (1”) slices (8 pieces total). Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Notes
- I used Diamond Crystal Salt in this recipe.
- Lean ground beef can be subbed for the ground pork.
- I used Heinz organic ketchup and Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce.
- See the post of for diet/ingredient substitutions.
Nutrition
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