How to make Frozen Burgers in an Air Fryer (Easy!)

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Can you put Frozen Burgers in an Air Fryer? Yes! Whether it’s for a quick lunch or an easy weeknight dinner, the whole family will love eating a juicy hamburger in no time at all. It’s healthier than fast food or frying it in a pan, and can be served in burger bowls or in a toasted bun!

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• Easy: All you have to do for this tasty air fryer recipe is cook the frozen burgers in the air fryer. Add some cheese towards the end if you’d like. And that’s about it! It’s such an easy way to cook flavorful burgers.
• Quick: Air fryer frozen burgers are so much quicker than oven-baked or grilled ones! The air fryer cooks these frozen patties in just 15 minutes. Perfect for a satisfying meal in the comfort of your own home on busy weeknights.
• Healthy: Air frying burgers is a much healthier option than cooking them in a frying pan or ordering fast food. Fried burgers tend to be coated in a lot of grease whereas, in the air fryer, the grease drips through the holes and is caught below the burgers, kind of like when you grill them.
• Fits many diets: You can use any kind of burger, even homemade to ensure that it fits your specific dietary needs.

🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Frozen burgers: Any kind of frozen hamburger patty will work for this recipe: beef patties, turkey burgers, chicken burgers, lamb, pork, or even veggie burgers.
• Spray oil: This is optional, and can be useful to prevent the frozen beef patties from sticking to the air fryer basket.
• Additional seasoning: Store-bought frozen patties are usually not seasoned as well as they could be. I like to add some smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes for a kick. This is entirely optional. See below for more seasoning ideas.
• Buns & toppings: Choose your favorite toppings! Ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a slice of cheese! You can use any kind of bun e.g. gluten-free or keto-friendly to suit your diet, or completely skip the bun to make a burger salad bowl.

🥣 How to cook frozen burgers in an air fryer

1. Preheat: Begin by preheating the air fryer to 190°C/375°F.

2. Add frozen burgers to the air fryer: When the air fryer is ready, add 2-4 frozen patties to the air fryer basket in a single layer. I find that 3 patties fit perfectly in mine.

3. Cook: Air fry the patties for 7 minutes on each side (14 minutes in total). Flip them either with silicone tongs or a fish slice/spatula. I avoid using metal utensils as they can scratch the air fryer basket. If your frozen burgers are raw, cook them for 20 minutes total, flipping them after 10.

4. Check that the burgers are ready by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the burger, or the middle if it’s pretty even). The thermometer should read 71°C/160 degrees F when it’s ready.

5. Optional: Add a slice of cheddar cheese (or your favorite kind of cheese) to the tops of each burger for the last minute. Nothing beats melted cheese on a burger! Pro tip: if the cheese isn’t staying on top of the burger (mine flew off!) secure it down with a toothpick.

6. Serve: Pop your air fryer burgers into hamburger buns or over salad to make a hamburger bowl with your favorite burger topping (see below) and a side or two of vegetables, and enjoy!

🫙 Storage Instructions

Any leftover burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat thoroughly in the air fryer, microwave, oven, or grill before consuming.

It’s not advised to refreeze frozen food after cooking.

✨ How to season frozen burger patties

Whether it’s a little garlic powder, onion powder, or Montreal steak seasoning, adding seasoning to a frozen burger before cooking is the easiest way to turn a regular burger into the most perfect burger!

Check out my post on 21 Delicious Ways to Season Frozen Hamburger Patties for more tricks and tips!

🍔 Homemade Frozen Hamburger Patties

It’s so easy to make your own frozen beef hamburger patties at home! Frozen ground beef burgers are great to keep on hand for easy weeknight dinners. I love that I know exactly what’s in the hamburgers I make. There is no nutrition label with strange ingredients I can’t pronounce. My Homemade Freezer Burgers Recipe is perfect for gluten-free, keto, low carb, whole30, and paleo diets. For whole30, just make sure the ketchup is whole30 friendly, and replace the Worcestershire sauce with coconut aminos. You can cook this delicious burger recipe on the grill, air fryer, stove, or in the oven.

🪄 Recipe Notes & Tips

• Cooking time: Cook time will vary between different air fryer brands and also depending on the thickness of your burger. In any case, ensure the internal temperature reaches 72°C/160°F before consuming by checking it with an instant-read thermometer.
• Air fryer smoke: Occasionally an air fryer can smoke when cooking frozen air fryer hamburgers. This is because the fat from the patty sizzles and can jump up to the heating element above the air fryer basket. The best way to avoid this is by adding a little water to the air fryer basket before preheating it.
• Less mess: To make cleanup even easier, I use a silicone air fryer liner beneath my frozen patties. It has holes in it to the hot air can still circulate properly, and the burgers cook really well. Unlike the air fryer, the silicone liner is dishwasher-safe too! You can also add a sheet of aluminum foil to the bottom of the air fryer (underneath the basket) to make that section easier to clean too. I usually skip this, as it’s really easy to wash in the sink already.

🍽️ What can I serve with a juicy burger?

Favorite toppings

• Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, blue cheese, pepper jack)
• Caramelized onions (I love red onion on burgers)
• Raw onions
• Fresh tomato
• Lettuce
• Mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Spicy mayo
• Ketchup
• BBQ Sauce
• Burger Sauce
• Taco Truck Green Sauce

Delicious sides

• French Fries
• Curly Fries
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Pickled Beet Salad
• Potato chips

😋 More air fryer recipes you will love

• Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast Recipe
• Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Cookie Dough (Refrigerated or Frozen)
• 100+ Keto Air Fryer Recipes
• Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast

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