PF
Delicious meatballs in sweet and spicy sauce served with crispy chips on a wooden table.
Stovetop~35 minComplexity

Air Fryer Meatballs

Air Fryer Meatballs offer 6g protein and 69 calories per serving, micro-dose protein portions that scale to 20 servings in one session. Quick-preps on the stovetop as a modular protein component to add to rice, pasta, or vegetable bases. Bridges gaps between main meals when you need to hit remaining daily protein without cooking full dishes.

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Ingredients

20 servings
  • Parmesan Cheese(80g)

    Grated Parmesan — the shelf-stable canister is fine for cooking.

  • Bread Crumbs, Dry, Plain(80g)
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes (or 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Italian seasoning(5g)
  • Garlic powder(3g)
  • Onion powder(3g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Red pepper flakes(1g)
  • 93/7 Ground Beef(454g)
  • Egg, Whole, Large
  • Parsley, Fresh
  • Parmesan Cheese

    Grated Parmesan — the shelf-stable canister is fine for cooking.

  • Pasta Sauce, Marinara, Canned
  • Bread, French Or Hoagie Roll
  • Rice, Brown, Long-Grain

Instructions

  1. 1In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. Stir well to combine.
  2. 2In a small bowl, beat the eggs, then add to the dry mixture along with the ground beef. Mix lightly with a fork or your fingers just until evenly combined—do not overmix or compact the meat.
  3. 3Portion and shape the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs (approximately 20 total). Arrange them on a plate or parchment-lined sheet, spacing them apart so they don't touch.
  4. 4Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a light coating of oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding, cook the meatballs 7–9 minutes, gently rolling them every 2–3 minutes until all sides are browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer each finished batch to a clean plate and keep warm.
  5. 5While the meatballs cook, warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5–7 minutes until heated through.
  6. 6Cook the brown rice according to package directions until tender and fluids are absorbed (typically 45–50 minutes).
  7. 7Toast the French bread slices in a separate skillet over medium heat, 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
  8. 8Divide the cooked meatballs, marinara sauce, rice, and bread evenly into 5 airtight containers while warm. Store refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave before serving.

Nutrition — Per Serving

69

calories

6g

protein

3g

fat

Carbohydrates
4g
Saturated fat
1.3g
Sodium
117 mg
Dietary fiber
0.3g

20 servings per batch · ~31g each

Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central

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Common questions

How much protein does Air Fryer Meatballs have per serving?

Each meatball contains 6g of protein and 69 calories with 3g fat and 4g carbs. At this size, they function as a snack or appetizer component rather than a primary protein source.

How long does Air Fryer Meatballs take to prep and how many servings?

Quick prep yields 20 servings (meatballs), making this one of the highest-volume batch prep options in the app. You can prepare an entire week's worth of snacks in one cooking session.

Is Air Fryer Meatballs good for fat loss?

At 69 calories per meatball with 6g protein, these work as a high-volume snack option for fat loss when you need to fill volume without exceeding calorie targets. Stack 3-4 meatballs for a 20-25g protein snack under 280 calories.

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