Air Fryer Hamburgers
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My air fryer hamburgers are tender, juicy, and flavorful- and they take half the time of grilling! They’re easy to customize and are a hit among kids and adults.
It’s no secret that my air fryer gets a workout almost every night (especially with my air fryer cookbook in its final testing stages!) and lately, I’ve been a little obsessed with making air fryer hamburgers. I first started cooking them this way on a whim (99% me missing summer)- I wanted that same juicy, smoky flavor you get from the grill, but without the reliance on the weather or making my stovetop smell like a butcher.
After a few rounds of recipe testing, I nailed the timing and temperature to ensure the burgers turn out crisp on the edges, tender inside, and with plenty of flavor.
They’re made with simple, everyday ingredients and come together in minutes. I usually serve them with air fryer French fries or sweet potato fries (thank you, Dual Air Fryer baskets) for the ultimate “takeout takeout” meal, but they’re great tucked into burger bowls, salads, or my partner’s meal prep.
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Perfectly cooked at the temp and time suggested, very juicy and flavorful. I only needed two patties, so I formed and packed them in parchment for the freezer. The best burgers ever with no mess or fuss.” – Nancy
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make my air fryer burgers. The full printable list with measurements can be found in the recipe card.
- Ground beef. I used lean ground beef, but any ground beef works.
- Spices. Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Onion. My mom taught me that grating onions into a hamburger mixture makes all the difference; I can’t disagree. It adds flavor without any chunks or bits throughout.
- Worcestershire sauce. No burger patty is complete without this sauce.
- Burger fix-ins. American cheese, hamburger buns, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and burger veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles.
How to air fry burgers
Step 1- Mix the beef, seasonings, sauce, and grated onion in a bowl.
Step 2- Add the patties to the air fryer basket. Press down onto the center of each patty.
Step 3- Air fry the hamburger patties for 4 minutes per side.
Step 4- Add cheese to each burger and air fry for another minute until it melts. Remove from the air fryer and assemble the burgers.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Line the air fryer basket. While I prefer the natural grill marks the air fryer basket makes, for a completely mess-free experience, use air fryer liners or a disposable air fryer basket.
- Shape the patties into equal-sized portions so that they cook evenly at the same time.
- Press down in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from puffing up during the cooking process (a neat trick I picked up in culinary school).
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket if you can’t comfortably fit all the patties in it. My Phillips XL air fryer can fit four patties (as pictured), but cook in batches if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Technically, you don’t need to. However, for aesthetic purposes, I like to do that to get the grill marks on each side.
Yes! Follow my method for making my air fryer frozen hamburgers. I include tons of tips and tricks there too.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Nutrition information has been reviewed by registered dietitian Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Air Fryer Hamburgers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef I use lean ground beef
- 1 small onion grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F.
- In a mixing bowl, add the ground beef, grated onion, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently mix until fully incorporated.
- Shape the mixture into four hamburger patties. Press down the center of each patty.
- Grease an air fryer basket and place the four patties in it. Air fry for 4 minutes per side, for a total of 8 minutes.
- Add a slice of cheese onto each patty and air fry for another minute. Remove the burgers once they reach your desired level of doneness (see the notes)/.
- Let the hamburger patties rest for a minute or two before assembling them into burgers.
Notes
- Rare: 115 to 120°F
- Medium-Rare: 120 to 125°F
- Medium: 130 to 135°F
- Medium-Well: 140 to 145°F
- Well-Done: 150 to 155°F
Nutrition
More grilling favorites in the air fryer
- Air fryer turkey burgers
- air fryer chicken patties
- air fryer brats
- air fryer sausage links.
- Air fryer steak
- Air fryer hot dogs
- Air fryer Italian sausage
- Air fryer filet mignon
Originally published September 2022
This looks perfect on photo. I really crave burgers and tomorrow will follow the recipe.
Wait I can make this in air fryer really? Wow!
My son just told me that this was the best burger I have ever made. That makes this mom SO happy!
Love it!!!
These air fryer hamburgers are so juicy and tender!!!
Great recipe!
Excellent!
Perfectly cooked at the temp and time suggested, very juicy and flavorful. Only needed two patties so formed and packed in parchment for the freezer. The best burgers ever with no mess or fuss.
Thanks, Nancy!
Also, how can I keep the burgers from looking like a tennis ball after they are cooked. They start out as patties and then I get round balls when they are done. Great recipes. Thanks!!!
Hey Janet, I found that piercing the patties all over with a fork helps them to stop balling up.
Where is the amount of soy and garlic? It prints links to a different recipe.
Apologies for that. It’s 1 tablespoon and 1 clove minced.
Oily food is very harmful in our daily life.Air fire food makes so easy and better for health.Thankyou.
My son just told me that this was the best burger I have ever made. That makes this mom SO happy!
Thanks, Margaret!
How many minutes to achieve the temperature you want your burgers? i.e. rare; medium rare? etc
Thank you
I was wondering the same thing. Similar or shorter than on the grill pan, I would assume.