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Sliced Air Fryer Meatloaf Recipe with glossy ketchup glaze and fresh parsley in a glass baking dish.
Daniel

Air Fryer Meatloaf

Classic comfort food with a caramelized glaze and crispy edges, ready in under an hour with no oven heating up your kitchen.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Meatloaf
  • 1.5 lb ground beef (80/20) not lean - you need the fat for moisture
  • 0.75 cup breadcrumbs plain or Italian
  • 0.25 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 0.5 cup yellow onion finely diced, about 1 small onion
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Glaze
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Equipment

  • Air fryer (minimum 5-quart capacity)
  • Small loaf pan or foil sling
  • Instant-Read Thermometer

Method
 

Prep
  1. Stir together ketchup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside half for serving if you like extra sauce on the side.
  2. In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, diced onion, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Use your hands and mix just until everything is incorporated - overmixing makes tough meatloaf.
  3. Form into a compact loaf about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. The shape matters: too thick and the middle won't cook through; too flat and it dries out. If your air fryer basket is small, curve the loaf into a C-shape to fit.
  4. Place loaf in the air fryer basket or on a small rack. Cook at 350°F for 20 minutes. The meat will shrink and release some fat - this is normal.
  5. Brush half the glaze over the top and sides. Continue cooking at 350°F for 10-15 minutes more, until the internal temperature hits 160°F in the center. The glaze should be tacky and caramelized in spots.
  6. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes - this keeps it juicy. Slice thick and serve with the reserved glaze if desired.

Notes

Don't skip the rest - meatloaf continues cooking from residual heat and the juices redistribute. For a 2-pound loaf, increase first cook to 25 minutes. If your air fryer runs hot, check temperature early. Leftovers make incredible sandwiches with mayo and pickles.