How Long Does It Take To Cook Meatloaf In The Air Fryer?

Meatloaf is hearty, filling, and easy to adapt to whatever ingredients you have on hand. However, making it in your oven may require a full hour of cooking time, not including preheating, for a comfort meal that can leave your kitchen uncomfortably hot. Luckily, making the crispiest meatloaf ever — in half the time it takes to cook in the oven — is one of your air fryer's many hidden talents.

For recipes that require about a pound of ground meat, it will take about 20 to 25 minutes to cook in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. A meatloaf that uses two pounds of meat will take around 35 minutes to cook in your air fryer at the same temperature. Remember to brush on your ketchup glaze before the last 10 minutes of cooking, just as you would when using your oven. Or, try a bacon jam glaze or one of our other favorite ingredients to upgrade your homemade meatloaf. The cooking time may vary depending on your recipe, the thickness of your meatloaf, and your air fryer model. If you're using beef or pork, cook your meatloaf to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, or heat to 165 degrees Fahrenheit if you're using ground chicken or turkey.

If your trusty meatloaf pan won't fit in your air fryer, don't worry. The best part about using this countertop appliance to make meatloaf is that you can simply shape it into a loaf, freeform-style, and cook it directly on the frying basket or grate insert. Yes, the fat will drip into the bottom and can potentially smoke, but this is easily mitigated by adding a little bit of water to the drawer under the basket to help catch drippings. Those neatly collected juices are perfect for adding to veggies or making gravies or sauces, but make sure to avoid these common mistakes when making gravy.

As your air fryer works its magic, circulating heated air around the loaf, it'll draw away excess fat and moisture, creating a caramelized crust along the top, bottom, and sides of your meatloaf. For even more crusty deliciousness — and an even shorter cooking time — split your meat mixture into two or more single-serving mini meatloaves. That way, every serving will have its own delicious crust — no more fighting over the coveted corner pieces.

In no time, your meatloaf will emerge from your air fryer with a tantalizingly tender brown crust and melt-in-your-mouth tomato glaze. After avoiding the mistakes that cause dry meatloaf, there's one more thing to do before digging in: Cover your meatloaf and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving it.

It's important to always rest meat after cooking, even when it comes to meatloaf. This is because during cooking, the muscle fibers in the meat shrink and contract, squeezing moisture from the center of the loaf towards the outer surfaces of the meat. During rest time after cooking, the muscle fibers relax so those juices can reabsorb back into the meat, rather than escaping all over your plate or cutting board. What's more, resting will allow your meatloaf to firm up a bit for a loaf that holds its shape so it's easy to slice without crumbling.