Air Fryer Burgers
These easy air fryer burgers are juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection in just minutes with almost no cleanup.
I first tried making burgers in the air fryer on a night when I didn’t want to dirty up my freshly cleaned kitchen. Normally I’d cook burgers outside or in a skillet, but I was looking for the easiest possible dinner and decided to give the air fryer a try.
To my surprise, they turned out fantastic. The burgers developed great browning on the outside while staying juicy inside, and all of the grease collected underneath the basket instead of splattering all over the stovetop. Since then, this has become one of my favorite ways to make burgers when I need a quick and easy dinner.
This method is incredibly simple and requires very little hands on time. The air fryer creates a beautifully browned burger without needing a grill, and cleanup is much easier than cooking on the stovetop. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, rainy days, or anytime you’re craving burgers without the extra hassle.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Ground beef – I typically use 80/20 ground beef for juicy burgers, but any ground beef will work.
- Salt and pepper – Sometimes simple really is best.
- Burger buns – Homemade buns make these extra special, but store bought buns work perfectly too.
- Toppings – Use your family’s favorites, from cheese and pickles to lettuce, tomato, and burger sauce. I have included some links below to my mayo, a delicious special sauce, or my sourdough buns:
How I Make It
I start by dividing the ground beef into equal portions and gently shaping them into balls. Then I flatten each one into a thin patty, making them wider than I want the finished burger since they shrink and puff up during cooking.
While the air fryer preheats, I season the patties with salt and pepper. Once it’s ready, I lightly spray the basket with olive oil and transfer the burgers using a spatula.
After about 8 minutes, the burgers are browned on the outside and juicy on the inside. One of my favorite things about this method is that there’s no need to flip them. The burgers cook evenly, and all of the grease drains underneath the basket, keeping everything neat and simple.
Tips
- Make the patties thinner and wider than you think they should be. They will shrink as they cook.
- Avoid pressing down on the burgers while cooking.
- Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
- Add cheese during the last minute of cooking if desired.
- Let the burgers rest for a few minutes before serving.
This recipe came from one of those nights when I wanted burgers without heating up the grill or making a mess in the kitchen. If you’d like to see exactly how I made them, you can watch the full video below.
Air Fryer Burgers
Ingredients
Notes
- Thinner patties produce the best results because the burgers shrink and puff up as they cook.
- Cooking times may vary slightly depending on your air fryer and desired doneness.
- Add cheese during the final minute of cooking if desired.
Method
- Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions and gently shape into balls.
- Flatten each portion into a thin patty, about ½ inch thick or slightly thinner.
- Season the tops with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C).
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket or grates with olive oil.
- Use a spatula to transfer the patties to the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 8 minutes. No flipping is required.
- Remove from the air fryer and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
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