Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf Recipe

Making meatloaf in the air fryer seems like a no-brainer since it cooks just as quickly as it does in the oven, but may use less than half the electricity and won't heat up your kitchen to nearly the same extent. Making things even better with this recipe, though, is the fact that developer Julianne De Witt wraps her meatloaf in bacon because she feels that "everything is better with bacon" (even these unexpected ingredients). In her opinion, "The combination of the salty bacon with the sweet tangy glaze and the flavorful meat just works."

De Witt considers this meatloaf to be "comfort food at its best" and likes to accompany it with mashed potatoes and broccoli. You can, of course, pair it with any other sides you wish — De Witt says "roast potatoes, a soft polenta, or sweet potato fries would work," but if you want something less starchy you could go with a green salad, instead. In fact, you might even want to use some bacon grease in the salad dressing for extra bacony goodness.

The base of the meatloaf is a mixture of ground beef and pork, with the meats being bulked out with Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and bound with eggs. The mixture is then flavored with more Italian seasoning plus salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. You'll also need bacon for wrapping the loaf — ketchup, brown sugar, and white wine vinegar to glaze it with, and cooking spray to grease the air fryer basket.

Add eggs to a medium-sized bowl and whisk.

Add Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder, pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce to eggs, mix well.

Place ground beef and pork in a large bowl. Add onions, breadcrumbs, and egg mixture and combine gently using a wooden spoon or hands.

Form the meat mixture into a loaf.

Arrange 3 slices of bacon lengthwise on meatloaf and 5 slices crosswise. Tuck the ends of the bacon under the meatloaf.

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.

Place meatloaf into basket and add to air fryer. Cook at 350 F for 40 minutes.

While meatloaf is cooking, prepare the glaze: add ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar to a small bowl. Mix well.

After 40 minutes, carefully remove air fryer insert and brush ½ of the glaze over meatloaf. Turn air fryer down to 325 F. Return meatloaf to air fryer and continue cooking for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 F.

Remove meatloaf from air fryer, brush on remaining glaze and let sit for 5 minutes.

Slice and serve immediately.

If you're afraid that the hot air circulating in the air fryer might dehydrate your meatloaf, De Witt says that shouldn't be a problem with this recipe. For one thing, the bacon will certainly help, but for another, as she tells us, "The addition of ground pork to the beef creates a fattier blend that won't dry out in the air fryer."

De Witt also assures us that lowering the temperature for the last 20 minutes of cooking will also help keep the meatloaf moist, but she notes, "Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the loaf." She advises using a meat thermometer rather than relying on the times given here. Even after the meat reaches the necessary internal temperature (that being 160 F), there's one more important step you'll need to take. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before you cut into it because, as De Witt explains, "This allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat, giving you a moist slice."

Although De Witt exhorts you to serve the meatloaf "immediately" once it comes out of the air fryer, she acknowledges, "Leftovers taste even better the next day." This means that no, you don't need to force yourself to consume all 8 slices in a single sitting if you'll be eating it on your own.

Leftover meatloaf should be good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. De Witt advises giving it a good squirt with some cooking spray on both sides, then heating it back up in a 350 F air fryer for about 5 minutes. The leftovers can also be frozen if you won't be eating them right away. De Witt even suggests that "You can also prepare the meatloaf and freeze it raw," although she adds the caveat that you should use fresh ground pork and beef if you're going to do this. If you'll be cooking the meatloaf right after you make it. However, it's okay to use meat that's been previously frozen and thawed.