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Air Fryer Italian Meatloaf Bites with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Name: Air Fryer Italian Meatloaf Bites with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground turkey (lean); 1 cup Marinara sauce (divided); 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs; 1/3 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese; 1/2 Yellow onion (Finely chopped); 1 tbsp Dried parsley; 3/4 tsp Garlic powder; 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp Dried basil; 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional for spice); 1/2 tsp Kosher salt; Black pepper (to taste); 1 Egg; 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 3/4 lb Baby Dutch potatoes; Olive oil (to taste); Kosher salt (to taste); Black pepper (to taste); 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary (to taste); 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese (to taste)

4.67 / 5 ( 3 Reviews )

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Talk about a home-cooked meal– this Air Fryer Italian Meatloaf Bites with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes is so juicy and seasoned to perfection.

Aug 7, 2023 The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure

air fryer italian meatloaf bites

If you are in need of a delicious and filling meal, this Air Fryer Italian Meatloaf Bites with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes is exactly what you need! It is so good, it will have your tastebuds reeling.

You really can never go wrong with a well-seasoned meatloaf, and then to top it off with some baby smashed potatoes, talk about heaven.

It can even all be made in the air fryer to keep things simple too, which of course we all love. Aka the best dinner recipe to keep on hand.

For more great air fryer recipes make sure that you subscribe to my YouTube channel too since I go over so many there as well!

italian meatloaf ingredients

Ingredients and Supplies You’ll Need to Make Air Fryer Italian Meatloaf and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes:

Ingredients:

Lean ground turkey
Marinara sauce, divided
Panko breadcrumbs
Shredded parmesan cheese
Dried parsley
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Dried basil
Red pepper flakes (optional- for spiciness)
Kosher salt
Black pepper to taste
Egg
Balsamic vinegar
Worcestershire

Parmesan Rosemary Smashed Potatoes

Baby dutch potatoes
Olive oil, kosher salt, and ground black pepper, to taste
Dried rosemary, to taste
Shredded parmesan cheese, to taste

Supplies

Large pot
Large mixing bowl
Baking sheet
Ramiken
Sharp knife
Oil sprayer
Air fryer (Cosori Pro II)

Why does this taste so amazing?

This meatloaf recipe is unlike most others. It is appropriately seasoned and maybe adds even a little spice to kick things up a notch.

You can make this recipe as spicy (or not) as you want.

And of course, with the added Parmesan cheese in the meat mixture, you cannot go wrong.

Type of meat to use for Italian meatloaf

In an effort to keep this on a little bit of the healthier side of things, I opted to use ground turkey for this recipe.

However, you can also use ground beef or ground chicken for the meatloaf mixture as well!

Is this gluten-free?

Since we used Panko bread crumbs it does make this recipe gluten-free.

However, if you do not have panko you could also use old-fashioned oatmeal to keep this recipe gluten-free still.

How to make Air Fryer Italian Meatloaf and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes:

Step 1: Prep the potatoes

baby potatoes in a bowl

Wash the potatoes. Boil in a pot of water until tender (about 12-15 minutes).

Step 2: Create the meatloaf mixture

italian meatloaf ingredients in a bowl

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of marinara sauce along with all the remaining ingredients listed for the meatloaf.

meatloaf mixed together in bowl

When you incorporate all the ingredients together, do not over-mix. Mixing too much will create tough meatloaf patties.

Step 3: Make up the meatloaf patties

meatloaf patties in air fryer basket

Form the meatloaf meat mixture into evenly sized mini loaves.

You want to make them as best you can into a consistent thickness throughout the loaf so that it cooks evenly. Try to make all loaves a similar size so that they finish cooking at the same time.

Step 4: Cook the meatloaf patties

cooked meatloaf patties in air fryer basket

Place the mini meatloaf loaves in the air fryer basket on one side, leaving room for the smashed potatoes on the other for later.

Brush on the marinara sauce to the tops of the meatloaves. Air fry at 380 degrees F or 193 degrees C for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Continue with cooked potatoes

smashed baby potatoes on a cutting board

Once the potatoes are done boiling, carefully remove them from boiling water and place them on a hard surface, such as baking sheet.

Slightly cut an “x” into each potato with a knife to help it smash easier. Using a bottom of a ramekin, plate, or some other solid kitchen utensil, smash each potato to make it fairly flat.

Step 6: Add potatoes to meatloaf

cooked meatloaf patties with smashed potatoes topped with seasoning in air fryer basket

Add the potatoes to the other half of the air fryer basket. Spray the tops of the potatoes with oil and sprinkle on some salt, pepper, and dried rosemary to your liking.

Then, place the basket back in the air fryer and continue to air fry for an additional 5 minutes at 380 degrees F or 193 degrees C.

The meatloaf should register around 160 degrees F or 71 degrees C using an instant-read thermometer when it is done cooking. Add more time as needed to get it to temperature.

Step 7: Finishing touches

cooked meatloaf and melting cheese smashed potatoes in air fryer basket

Add some parmesan cheese to the top of the potatoes and then close the air fryer basket and let the food sit in the warm basket for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese (do not turn the air fryer on unless you desire charred cheese).

Remove contents from the air fryer basket, repeat for remaining loaves and potatoes, and enjoy!

plate of meatloaf and potatoes

Simple dinner recipes

This is not the only great meal you can make in the air fryer! There are so many delicious sheet pan dinners you can make in the air fryer to keep dinner simple and delicious. Give them a try too!

Sheet pan dinner recipes:

air fryer italian meatloaf

Final Thoughts

This Italian meatloaf recipe is some perfect comfort food that you can make in the air fryer and have a full meal ready in no time.

Since you cook the potatoes with this recipe, there is no need for additional sides when you want to keep it super simple.

meatloaf and potatoes on plate

More fabulous air fryer recipes to make for the whole family:

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