Homemade Meatballs with Sweet Glaze in the Air Fryer

Freezer Meal: Air Fryer Meatballs and Glaze

When life gets busy, having homemade meals ready to go in the freezer can be a lifesaver, and these sweet-glazed meatballs are no exception. These tender meatballs are packed with flavor and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a party appetizer.

The best part? You can make a big batch, freeze them, and pull them out whenever you need a delicious meal. Whether you’re cooking them frozen or fresh, this recipe ensures you’ll have perfectly cooked meatballs every time. Pair them with a sweet, tangy glaze that everyone will love.

It takes 15 minutes to prep this meatball freezer meal and 15 minutes to air fry it. Cooking frozen meatballs is 4x quicker than doing it in the oven. That’s what I need for a last-minute, no-prep weeknight dinner!

Ingredients and Supplies Needed to Make Homemade Meatballs

Ingredients

This homemade meatball recipe is one of the best freezer meals out there! Not only do the meatballs taste delicious and are full of fresh and exciting flavors, but it is so easy to assemble, freeze, and cook later! To make these tasty homemade meatballs, you need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 oz evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup oatmeal
• 1/3 cup saltine cracker crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 pepper
• 3/4 tsp chili powder

For even more flavor: To add even more flavor to your meatballs, I suggest adding ½ teaspoon of Dash seasoning or no-added salt garlic and herb seasoning to the meatball mixture.

PRO TIP: Get some major meal prep accomplished and make a few extra freezer meals. This recipe makes approximately 24 meatballs; you can easily double or triple the recipe for freezing— This is a great way to make several meals at once.

The glaze really makes this meal special. Top the meatballs with this sweet glaze and they become amazing. The best part is that this glaze is extremely easy to make. You can either freeze the glaze ahead of time or make it the day of. To make the glaze, you will need:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke*
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion

*Recipe substitution: If you don’t have liquid smoke, substitute it with ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon of malt vinegar.

Supplies

• Air fryer
• 2-inch cookie scoop or large spoon
• Large bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Small saucepan

How to Make Homemade Meatballs in the Air Fryer:

Step 1: Mix the ingredients

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. I prefer disposable gloves to incorporate everything into the meat without getting my hands dirty.

Step 2: Form meatballs

Form the mixture into meatballs using a cookie scoop, spoon, or your hand. You can make the meatballs whatever size you want. However, I recommend 1-2 tablespoons of mixture for each meatball.

Step 3: Freeze or air fry right away

To freeze the meatballs:

1. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
2. Place the meatballs on the sheet.
3. Cover the meatballs and place the cookie sheet in the freezer to freeze the meatballs.

Once frozen, remove the meatballs from the freezer and store them in a Ziploc bag or container.

To cook thawed meatballs, place them in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 350°F (176°C) for 10 minutes. Spoon on the glaze during the last 2 minutes, or serve the hot glaze with the meatballs after baking. The meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)

How to Cook Frozen Meatballs in the Air Fryer

If your meatballs are frozen, remove them from the freezer bag and preheat the air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 5 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil, and layer the meatballs in a single layer in the basket. Cook for 15 minutes at 350°F (177°C). At the halfway point, stir the meatballs. The meatballs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Spoon some of the glaze over the meatballs for the last two minutes. You will want to save some of the glaze for serving your meatballs.

How to Make a Sweet Glaze for the Meatballs

Step 1: Heat on the stovetop

First, mix all the ingredients on the stovetop over low/medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Let the glaze cool and serve with the meatballs.

You can also freeze the glaze in a container or ziplock bag. It will freeze soft and be scoopable later. However, this glaze is so easy to make that I recommend making it the day you cook the meatballs. You can whip it up while the meatballs cook in the air fryer.

What to Serve with Meatballs

Meatballs are delicious in so many dishes. Serve them as an appetizer or in a sandwich. But for most nights I serve them:

• On top of pasta, tossed in olive oil and parmesan cheese.
• Over rice.
• Alongside baked potatoes garnished with fresh parsley.

I love this recipe because I can prepare it in bulk and have it in my freezer, ready to go in various dishes. Preparing freezer meals ahead of time makes dinnertime much easier. 

I love cooking this recipe in the air fryer because it is so much faster than baking it in the oven. The glaze is delicious and full of great flavors. This recipe is always a hit! Share with us what you love about making these frozen meatballs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when the meatballs are done cooking?

Ground beef should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). I usually test meatballs halfway through cooking with an instant-read thermometer to determine whether I need to add more time or if I can remove them earlier from the air fryer.

Cutting them open is also an option to see if they’ve browned sufficiently, but it is okay if they are still a little pink inside.

How do you keep meatballs from falling apart?

Meatballs often fall apart while cooking in a sauce because they are too wet and cannot bind together, or they start to crack open because they are overbaked.

Make sure to add your sauce at the end. This gives the meatballs time to bake and hold their shape. Adding the sauce at the end will also keep them moist afthey’vey’ve baked and dried some. Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overbaking the meatballs.

How long do I bake meatballs in the oven?

You can also cook the frozen meatballs in the oven. In a baking dish, bake at 350°F/177°C for 1 hour. Make sure to spoon the glaze over the meatballs halfway through cooking.

Check out more of these awesome and easy freezer meals:

• Super Easy Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken
• Chicken Broccoli & Rice Casserole Freezer Meal
• Kid-Approved Meatloaf in the Air Fryer
• Campfire Breakfast Burritos Recipe (Make-Ahead)

Do you love meatballs as much as I do? Try these other delicious recipes!

• Greek Meatball Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce
• Swedish Meatball Freezer Meal Recipe
• Crescent Roll Meatballs (with frozen meatballs)
• Air Fryer Meatball Pasta Bake (with frozen meatballs)

Have questions about your air fryer? Read these guides for help:

• Air Fryer 101
• Common Air Fryer Mistakes!
• The Best and Worst  Air Fryer Accessories 
• How to Clean Your Air Fryer

Quick and Easy Freezer Meal Meatballs and Glaze for the Air Fryer

This easy homemade meatballs with a sweet glaze recipe is tasty and simple. Prepare and freeze these meatballs and then cook them later in the air fryer!

4.50 / 5 ( 6 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Serves: 6

Adjust Servings: 6

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 oz evaporated milk
• ⅓ cup oatmeal
• ⅓ cup saltine cracker crumbs
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¾ tsp chili powder

Glaze

• 1 cup ketchup
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ tsp liquid smoke*
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion

Instructions

Meatballs

• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
• Using a cookie scoop or spoon, form the mixture into meatballs. You can make the meatballs whatever size you want, however I recommend about 1-2 tablespoons of mixture for each meatball.
• To freeze the meatballs, place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
• Place the meatballs on the sheet.
• Cover the meatballs and place the cookie sheet in the freezer to freeze the meatballs.
• Once frozen, remove the meatballs from the freezer and store them in a Ziploc bag or container.

Glaze

• Mix all the ingredients together on the stovetop over low/medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Let the glaze cool and then place the glaze in a container in the freezer. It will freeze soft and be scoopable for later. You can also make the glaze the day of.

Air Fryer Instructions

• Once you are ready to cook your frozen meatballs in the air fryer, remove the meatballs from the freezer and preheat the air fryer at 400°F/204°C for 5 minutes.
• Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil then layer the meatballs inside.
• Cook for 15 minutes at 350°F/177°C.
• At the halfway point, stir the meatballs.
• During the last 2 minutes, spoon some of the glaze over the meatballs. You will want to save some of the glaze for serving your meatballs
• Once the meatballs register an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C, they are ready! Serve on top of pasta tossed in olive oil and parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Oven Instructions

• Place the frozen meatballs in a baking dish.
• Bake at 350°F/177°C for 1 hour.
• Spoon the glaze over the meatballs halfway through cooking.

Recipe Notes

*If you don’t have liquid smoke, you can substitute it with ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon of malt vinegar.
Can be served on top of pasta, rice or potatoes
If you want to add more flavor to your meatballs, add ½ teaspoon of Tony’s spice to the meatball mixture.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 882mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g