Your Air Fryer Is a Lean, Mean Burger-Making Machine (2024)

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Make juicy burgers in just a few minutes. Cleanup is easy and you can toast the buns in the air fryer as well!

Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

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Published September 13, 2022

Safety Tip for Air-Frying

Any time you are air-frying meat that has a high fat content like bacon or, in this case, ground beef, it’s a very good idea to add some water to the bottom of your air fryer basket. In fact, I would say it’s an essential step.

The water in the bottom won’t interfere with the air-fryer cooking at all, but it will catch all the fat that drips off the meat and keep it from smoking. If you forget this step, you’ll know it because your smoke alarm will almost certainly go off while you make these burgers.

How to Use an Air Fryer: A First-Timer's GuideREAD MORE:

My Favorite Blend for Hamburgers

I’m a firm believer that fat is flavor when it comes to burgers, so I always look for at least an 85-15 blend for ground beef when I’m making burgers. You can also purchase an 80-20 blend.

If you can find ground chuck in an 80-20 blend, you should snag it and freeze it for burger days. I think it’s the best store-bought burger blend if you don’t want to make your own. (If you do want to venture into making your own burger blend, I posted my favorite ground beef blend for burgers on Macheesmo a few years ago. It’s a cooking project no doubt.)

Your Air Fryer Is a Lean, Mean Burger-Making Machine (5)

How to Air Fry Hamburgers

Once you have taken the safety step of adding water to your air fryer basket, spray your basket with some nonstick spray so the burgers don’t stick. Then season your burgers well with salt and pepper and add them to the basket.

They will need to air fry for about 8 minutes at 350˚F and, importantly, you don’t need to flip them while they cook. Just let them cook!

Once the burgers are cooked, you can add some cheese to the burgers and fry them for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese is perfectly melted.

Air Fryer Recipes for Busy FamiliesREAD MORE:

Toasting Buns in the Air Fryer

This is an optional step, but kind of fun. If you have some extra space around your air-fryer basket, you can add your burger buns and toast them in the air fryer for a minute or two. It’s okay if the buns are even at an angle. They will toast just fine!

What to Serve With Hamburgers

Any time I’m making burgers, I’m thinking about side dishes and there are so many delicious options on Simply Recipes. Check out this easy macaroni salad that you could make well in advance. For something a little lighter, check out this caprese corn salad or this fruity watermelon and feta salad!

Your Air Fryer Is a Lean, Mean Burger-Making Machine (6)

More Amazing Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Air Fryer Hamburgers

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time12 mins

Servings3 servings

Although it isnot required, you can preheat your air fryer following the instruction manual.

Ingredients

For the quick burger sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons minced pickles

For the burgers

1 pound ground beef
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Nonstick spray, for air fryer
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, sliced

For serving

3 hamburger buns
Lettuce
Sliced tomato
Sliced red onion

Method

Make the burger sauce:
In a small bowl, combine the mayo, ketchup, and minced pickles. Store in the fridge until ready to assemble the burgers.
Shape the burger patties:
Divide the ground beef into 3 even 6 ounce burgers and press into flat patties. I recommend weighing the meat to ensure the patties are even, but you can eyeball it. Patties should be slightly larger than buns and 1/3-1/2 inch thick.
Use your thumb to make a divot in the center of each burger. This prevents the burgers from swelling in the center and keeps them nice and flat.
Season the burger patties:
Season each burger with salt and pepper on both sides.
Prep the air fryer:
Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your air fryer basket to prevent smoking. Spray the basket with nonstick spray.
Cook the burgers:
Place burgers in the basket making sure they aren’t touching. Air fry for 8 minutes at 350˚F.
Tip Box
You do not need to flip the burgers while they are cooking.
Finishing the burgers:
After burgers cook, add a few slices of Cheddar cheese to the burgers. Return to air fryer and cook for another 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.
Toast the buns:
Optionally, once your burgers are cooked, you can toast the buns for the burgers in the air fryer as well.
Place the buns, cut-side up in the air fryer and air fry for 1 minute. Rotate through the buns until they are all toasted.
Assemble burgers:
Serve burgers immediately on toasted buns with burgers sauce, lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
874	Calories
55g	Fat
36g	Carbs
56g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories	874
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 55g	71%
Saturated Fat 20g	99%
Cholesterol 180mg	60%
Sodium 1198mg	52%
Total Carbohydrate 36g	13%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 56g
Vitamin C 4mg	22%
Calcium 431mg	33%
Iron 7mg	37%
Potassium 800mg	17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

I'm an experienced culinary enthusiast with a deep understanding of various cooking techniques, recipe development, and the nuances of creating delicious meals. Over the years, I've honed my skills and knowledge, contributing to the culinary community and engaging with a diverse range of cooking styles.

Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article about making juicy air-fryer burgers:

Air-Frying Safety Tip:
- The article emphasizes the importance of adding water to the bottom of the air fryer basket when cooking meat with high fat content, like ground beef. This step prevents fat drippings from causing smoke, ensuring a safe cooking environment.
Burger Blend:
- The author recommends using ground beef with at least an 85-15 fat-to-lean ratio for flavorful burgers. An 80-20 blend or ground chuck is suggested as an excellent store-bought alternative. The importance of fat for flavor in burgers is highlighted.
Air-Frying Hamburgers:
- After the safety step, the process involves seasoning the burger patties with salt and pepper, placing them in the air fryer basket, and cooking them at 350˚F for about 8 minutes. Importantly, there's no need to flip the burgers during the cooking process.
Melting Cheese in the Air Fryer:
- Once the burgers are cooked, the author recommends adding cheese slices and air-frying for an additional 1-2 minutes to achieve perfectly melted cheese.
Toasting Buns in the Air Fryer:
- While optional, the article suggests toasting burger buns in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes, taking advantage of any extra space around the air-fryer basket. The author reassures that even if the buns are at an angle, they will toast perfectly.
Burger Sauce and Serving Suggestions:
- A quick burger sauce is introduced, made with mayonnaise, ketchup, and minced pickles. The author recommends serving the burgers on toasted buns with the burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
Nutrition Information:
- The article provides nutrition facts per serving, including calories, fat, carbs, protein, and other nutritional information. This information is calculated using an ingredient database and is presented as an estimate.

Overall, the article provides a comprehensive guide to making air-fryer burgers, covering safety measures, ingredient choices, cooking techniques, and serving suggestions. It caters to both novice and experienced cooks, making the process accessible and enjoyable.