Juicy Air Fryer Hamburgers In 12 Minutes

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Friends, these easy Air Fryer Hamburgers are a lifesaver for last-minute dinners or busy nights, when dinner needs to happen fast, like *20 minutes to empty the laundry, find trainers, feed kids and get everyone out of the door again* fast. My family clean their plate, every single time.

No grill, no fuss, no standing over a stove wondering if they’re cooked through. Just perfectly juicy burgers, packed full of great flavor with a slightly crispy outside. Yeap, they are what eating classic all-American burgers, is all about. Especially when served with some classic crispy Air Fryer Frozen French Fries or Air Fryer Potato Wedges.

And for those times when we’re craving something beyond the classic beef patty, we loooove these Air Fryer Turkey Burgers paired with these really delicious Air Fryer Green Beans.

Here Is What Makes These Air Fryer Burgers Great

No complicated weeknight food here. Simple food you will make on repeat.

• Easy: Made with 5 simple everyday pantry eats aka 5 ingredients you already have.
• Beginner cook: So simple that beginner cooks can make these.
• Versatile: This recipe can be made fresh with ground beef, or using homemade or store-bought frozen patties if you are short on time.
• Customizable: These juicy burgers are easy to adapt with various spices, and everyone can make them their own by adding their favorite toppings.
• Meal Prep: this recipe is great for meal prep and is freezer friendly too. Make extra paties and freeze for even easier weeknights. Even better, you can cook them straight from frozen like these air fryer frozen burgers.

Key Ingredient And Tips

Now let’s talk about what goes into this awesome recipe;

• Ground Beef: I keep it simple with 80/20 ground beef which gives the perfect juicy burgers. These also worked with 90/10 beef and you can use lean beef but the burgers will not be as juicy. This absolutely works with ground chicken or ground turkey instead. Aim for 1 quater of a pound of meat per burger patty.
• Seasoning: I mostly keep this simple by using salt and black pepper. However when the mood strikes I add juiciness with some grated onion, and flavor with Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, burger seasoning, Italian seasoning and more. I add cumin for a southwestern taste or dried dill / parsley for a Mediterranean flavor or liquid smoke or smoked paprika for a smoky flavor. Other burger seasoning ideas include my Stone House Seasoning, Steak Seasoning,easy Greek Seasoning and Creole Seasoning.
• Cheese: I like using sliced American cheese for topping the burgers. Feel free to use 2 or 3 slices per burger, depending on thickness (and your love of cheese!). Add some shredded cheese into the burger mix for extra awesome cheese flavor.
• Burger Buns: My preference is brioche buns as they offer a hint of sweetness, but use any buns to your taste. Toast the buns for an even better flavor.

How To Make Air Fryer Hamburgers

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Step 1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C. Mix together the ground beef, salt, and black pepper in a bowl, then use your hands to form into four burger patties. Place in the air fryer basket.

Step 2. Air fry for 8-12 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. Flip burgers over halfway through cooking. When done, switch off the air fryer, top each patty with cheese, close the air fryer, and let the cheese melt for 1-2 minutes.

Bintu’s Tips for Burger Success

• Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Leave space between each burger so they cook evenly.
• To avoid the cheese flying off the burger, switch off the air fryer before topping the patties with the cheese.
• Shape the ground beef into similarly sized patties so they cook at the same rate.
• Made slight indents in the centre of the patties, so they cook more evenly.
• Shape into 2 patties instead of 4, but they would need a longer cook time.
• Air fryer temperatures will vary depending on the make and model, so use the cooking time listed as a guide only and adjust as needed.
• Optional start with frozen patties like these Air Fryer Frozen Burgers

Prep Ahead and Storage

Assemble uncooked patties ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator till needed. Refrigerate cooled leftover patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat cooked burgers in an air fryer preheated to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Or reheat for a few minutes in a skillet or microwave.

You can also make a big batch of hamburgers for freezing. Double or triple the recipe, shape the meat into patties and freeze individual patties between baking parchment in a freezer bag. You can either air fry them from frozen or defrost and cook. Freeze for up to 1 month.

Degrees of Doneness for Hamburgers

I use the degrees of doneness is a gauge of how thoroughly cooked the meat is based on the color and internal temperature.

It’s important to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. For burgers, common gradations include: rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, and well done.

• Rare: Cool red center, internal temperature of 125 degrees F / 52 degrees C.
• Medium rare: Warm red center, internal temperature of 135 degrees F / 57 degrees C.
• Medium: Warm pink center, internal temperature of 145 degrees F / 63 degrees C.
• Medium well: Slightly pink center, internal temperature of 150 degrees F / 66 degrees C.
• Well done: a burger that is well done will have very little to no pink with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F / 71 degrees C.

Serving Suggestions

This goes well with dishes like crispy Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings or these Air Fryer Zucchini Fries as a lighter side option, or Air Fryer Potato Wedges and these Air Fryer French Fries are the burger sidekick that’s loved by everyone. To make this a low carb meal, skip the bun and serve with a salad or in lettuce wraps.

Not just for breakfast, Air Fryer Frozen Hash Browns are a delicious and budget-friendly option and crispy yet Air Fryer Baked Potatoes and easy Southern Coleslaw work too. Extra toping ideas include Chipotle Aioli, Pesto Aioli, Pickles, and Quick Pickled Onions.

More Air Fryer Recipes

Love this? Then check out these other recipes too.

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Thank you for reading my air fryer burgers recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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