Sticky Air-Fryer Honey Garlic Meatballs
Pin itThese are the meatballs I make when I want dinner to feel like a little more than a Tuesday but I still have zero patience. You roll them, the air fryer browns them while you stir together a four-ingredient honey garlic sauce, and then you toss the two together until everything is sticky and glossy. Over rice, they are a real dinner. On toothpicks, they vanish. Either way, roll a double batch and freeze half, you will be glad you did.
Why this one is so easy
The air fryer browns the meatballs all over with no pan of oil, so they get that roasted edge and no greasy mess.
That honey garlic glaze is sticky, salty, and sweet, the kind of sauce you want to spoon over rice.
They double and freeze beautifully, so I always make extra for a fast dinner later.
Della's tips
Mix with a light hand and stop as soon as it holds. Overworked meat makes dense, tough balls.
Roll them the same size so they cook evenly. A cookie scoop keeps it fast and uniform.
Sauce the meatballs right before serving. Coat them too early and the glaze soaks in and dulls.
Single layer with a little space. Crammed meatballs steam and lose the browned edges.
Make it your own
+ Spicy honey garlic: add a spoon of sriracha or a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce.
+ Teriyaki lean: swap the honey for brown sugar and add a little grated ginger.
+ Turkey or chicken: use ground poultry, just add a splash of oil to the mix so they stay moist.
If you are out of something
No rice vinegar? A squeeze of lime or a splash of apple cider vinegar works.
No panko? Regular breadcrumbs, or crushed crackers in a pinch.
Short on time? Frozen meatballs air fry straight from the freezer, then toss in the sauce.
This is a great one to batch. Roll and freeze the raw meatballs on a tray, then bag them and air fry from frozen with a few extra minutes. Cooked and sauced meatballs keep in the fridge for a few days and reheat gently, and they freeze well for a month. I make the sauce fresh when I reheat so it stays glossy rather than gummy.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix the beef, panko, egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper with your hands until just combined. Do not overwork it or the meatballs get tough. Roll into about 20 balls.
Air fry at 400F for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned and 165F inside. Keep them in a single layer with a little space, so cook a second batch if they do not all fit.
While they cook, simmer the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and rice vinegar in a small pan for a couple minutes, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and let it thicken to a sticky glaze.
Toss the cooked meatballs in the warm sauce until every one is coated and glossy.
Scatter with sesame seeds and scallion, and serve over rice or with toothpicks.
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Questions, answered
About 10 to 12 minutes at 400F for 1 inch meatballs, until browned and 165F inside. Bigger meatballs need a little longer, so go by temperature.