Best Air Fryer Meatloaf with Tangy Sauce (Makes Two)

This easy recipe for Best Air Fryer Meatloaf is topped with a tangy sauce and makes two small free-form loaves with secret ingredient to prevent them from being dry. It is easily halved if you just need one. If you don't have an air fryer, no worries. I give you oven directions, too!

I've been making this flavorful, moist meatloaf recipe for 25 years in the oven. Originally, I adapted it from a recipe I tested in the Oxmoor House test kitchen. Now, I'm adapting it again to make in the air fryer. I'll share my oven method in the notes of the recipe, too.

I often make this easy meatloaf with half ground chuck and half venison, ground beef, or even ground pork. Venison and ground sirloin are very lean, so pairing them with ground chuck or ground beef helps to add flavor and ensure a moist meatloaf.

One of the reasons I love this simple recipe is getting to use whatever ground meat I have in the freezer.

Another reason to love these saucy little meatloaves is that it makes TWO loaves-one for dinner the first night and one for Meatloaf Sandwiches for lunch the next day. Or, if my adult kids are home for a visit, there's more "end pieces" to go around because they are always the favorite slices.

What hasn't changed about this recipe over the years is the secret ingredient that makes it moist- quick-cooking oats. Not cooked oatmeal. Not rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. It may sound crazy, but it works! The oats magically disappear as the meatloaf bakes.

What you will need

Meatloaf

• 1 large egg
• 2 pounds ground meat: ground beef, ground chuck, ground sirloin, venison OR a combination of any two. (I don't recommend venison and ground sirloin together because both are super lean meats)
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Tangy Sauce

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

How to make the meatloaf

Preheat air fryer at 375° for 3 minutes.

1. To save washing another bowl, start by beating the egg in a large bowl with a fork.

2. Break up the ground meat in the bowl. There's no getting around using your hands here. I usually use a pair of nylon/rubber gloves simply for easily clean up. Gloves may be a luxury these day, though.

3. Add quick-cooking oats, salt and pepper.

4. With your hands, gently mix in the egg, oats, salt and pepper with the ground meat. Overworking the meat will make it tough. Under mixing may leave patches of oats or egg not evenly incorporated.

5. Shape the mixture into 2 free-form loaves, roughly 3 x 5.5 inches. The size will depend on what will fit into your air fryer. (For conventional oven method, see size in recipe notes) Carefully place the loaves side by side in the preheated air fryer basket or tray.

Tip:

Tip: If not using gloves, to clean your hands, start with wiping your hands off with a paper towel, then move to the sink and use dish soap instead of hand soap

Air fry at 375 degrees for about 19 minutes or until meatloaves are done in the middle-firm when pressed in the middle or temperature on an instant read thermometer reads 155°.

It's a good idea to check at 17 minutes to make sure they aren't getting too brown. All air fryers are not alike.

6. Meanwhile, prepare the Tangy Sauce.

Stir or whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.

7. When meatloaves are 155° with an instant read thermometer or no pink shows in the center, evenly spread the Tangy Sauce over both meat loaves. Cook an additional 1 minute on Air Fry to set the sauce and raise the internal temperature to 160°.

8. Remove the meatloaves with silicone coated tongs if the air fryer basket is coated with a nonstick surface. Let the meat loaf stand on a cutting board or plate 5 minutes before slicing.

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Can I make Air Fryer Meatloaf in the oven?

Yes. You can bake these mini meatloaves in a conventional oven.

• Shape the same meat mixture into one free-form loaf or keep them shaped in two smaller loaves.
• Place the free-form loaf/loaves on a cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet. (I like to line the pan with foil for easy cleanup.)
• Bake the one larger loaf uncovered in the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes on 375F. Spread the Tangy Sauce over the loaf and bake an additional 5 minutes or until center of loaf shows no pink.
• Bake the two smaller loaves in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes on 375F. Spread the Tangy Sauce over the 2 loaves and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the center of loaves show no pink.

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What can I use instead of quick oats?

• Crushed saltine crackers
• Crushed Ritz crackers
• Fine dry breadcrumbs
• Make soft breadcrumbs from sliced bread in the food processor or blender, then toast them in air fryer or oven to dry them out.

How can I make meatloaf moist using lean meat?

If you are using all lean meat (the higher the fat content, the more moist it will be) such as venison or ground sirloin, add 3 tablespoons of milk to the egg before adding the meat.

If you are substituting breadcrumbs or crackers for the oats, add the milk to this and let it soak 5 minutes. This will help add moisture to your meatloaf when using very lean meat.

Why is an egg added to meatloaf?

• Eggs are added to meatloaf as a binder to help keep it from falling apart.
• Eggs are also added to meatloaf to add moisture along with oats, breadcrumbs or crushed crackers.

What can I substitute for the Tangy Sauce?

• Barbecue sauce is an excellent substitution for the homemade Tangy Sauce
• Although straight ketchup is an option, it will have less flavor. Spicy bottled ketchup can be used.
• Teriyaki sauce that is as thick as ketchup might be a flavorful option.

What can I serve with meatloaf?

• I think the most iconic sides to serve with meatloaf are mashed potatoes and English peas. At least, that's what I grew up eating with it and I've served them to my own family this way.
• Other sides to serve with Best Air Fryer Meatloaf with Tangy Sauce: Oven-Fried Okra, Perfect-Every-Time Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern Fried Yellow Squash, Fresh Green Beans with Bacon, Instant Pot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon.

How can I make this gluten-free?

Easy! It's already gluten-free except the Worcestershire sauce if you use quick-cooking oats. Liquid aminos can easily be substituted for Worcestershire sauce to make it totally gluten-free.