How Long Does It Takes To Cook Meatloaf In An Air Fryer?

Did you know you can make meatloaf in an air fryer? Just like ice cream, bagels, and poached eggs, you can add your favorite comfort meal to the list of unexpected dishes made easy to cook in this device. While meatloaf is simple to air fry, considering you essentially pop it in the basket and wait until it's ready to eat (with a brief intermission to add glaze), it's also substantially quicker.

If you cook a classic meatloaf in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it will take about an hour until your dish is done. In the air fryer, however, you can speed up that timeframe to anywhere between 20 and 25 minutes at the same temperature or a bit higher. An air fryer will blow heat around your food much faster than an oven will and has a smaller container, so the hot air is much more concentrated around your food. When it comes to meatloaf, this means less time sweating in a warm kitchen and a delicious dinner on the table faster.

The process for prepping air fryer meatloaf isn't much different than the traditional method. You'll want to combine all your ingredients, including the meat, bread crumbs, egg, onion, and spices, then form everything into a loaf shape. You can then put your mixture in a loaf pan in the air fryer, but you don't have to — as long as it's an even thickness throughout, it can go straight into your device's basket after you add some cooking spray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to place it at an angle so it fits, although you can also form it into two mini loaves and let them cook side-by-side. It's also important to preheat your device so your food isn't going in a cold basket.

Typically, you'll want to let your meatloaf air fry for 15 minutes, then pull it out and brush on a ketchup glaze. Afterward, it can go back in the device to cook for another five to 10 minutes or so, until it reaches the desired temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can check with a meat thermometer. Just like with oven-baked meatloaf, make sure to let it rest for at least five minutes before cutting into it and chowing down.