Can You Cook Ground Beef in an Air Fryer?

Yes, you can indeed cook ground beef in your air fryer. How convenient, right? Not only can you air fry ground beef, but doing so actually makes for a healthier option, as this method requires little to no oil, unlike cooking on the stovetop. If your plan is to use ground beef you’ve been storing in the freezer, however, you should first fully defrost your raw meat before cooking it in the air fryer.

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Why Choose the Air Fryer Over the Stove When Cooking Ground Beef?

There are several benefits to cooking ground beef in your air fryer as opposed to on the stove:

• It’s healthier: You’re not cooking the ground beef in oil like you would on the stove. Also, rather than the beef cooking in its own fat the way it would on the stove, the rendered fat drains off through the holes in the air fryer basket.
• It’s more hands-off: You’re not needing to constantly stir the ground beef when cooking in the air fryer.
• It frees up your stovetop: If you’re going to need several burners to prepare your meal, cooking the ground beef in the air fryer frees up an additional burner on the stove to use however you need.

Cooking Time: How Long to Ground Beef in an Air Fryer

Altogether, it will take just under 10 minutes to cook your ground beef in the air fryer, and you’ll want to stir your ground beef or flip it (if you’re making burgers) around halfway through.

How to Cook Ground Beef in an Air Fryer: Step-by-Step Instructions

Cooking ground beef in your air fryer is easy. To do so:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
2. Add up to 1 lb of ground beef to your air fryer basket.
3. Season your meat as needed.
4. Cook the ground beef for 5 minutes, then stir.
5. Cook for up to 5 minutes longer, until the meat is fully cooked and no pink remains.

Can You Freeze Cooked Ground Beef?

Yes, you can absolutely freeze leftover cooked ground beef if you’re not planning to use it all.

To freeze your cooked ground beef:

1. Wait for the meat to cool.
2. Transfer the cooked meat to a freezer-safe bag or container, making sure to get out as much air as possible.
3. Write the date on the container.
4. Pop it into the freezer.

That’s it! Your frozen ground beef will keep for up to four months.

How to Reheat Ground Beef in an Air Fryer Without Drying It Out

While the benefits of reheating leftovers like pizza, fries, and chicken tenders in the air fryer are no secret, you may not have realized you can also reheat your leftover cooked ground beef in the air fryer in under 7 minutes.

To reheat ground beef in your air fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Arrange the ground beef in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
3. Heat the meat for 3-4 minutes.
4. Remove the basket, shake the contents, and finish reheating for another 2-3 minutes.

Meal Ideas Incorporating Ground Beef

Looking to use up some leftover ground beef with lunch or dinner this week? There are obviously tons of ways you can repurpose that meat, so here are a few quick-and-easy meal ideas you might consider:

• Hamburgers
• Tacos
• Nachos
• Lasagna
• Beef and rice bowls
• Stuffed peppers

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