Air Fryer Meatballs With Cherry Tomato Sauce
In this simple family dinner, both the meatballs and the sauce are prepared using an air fryer, yielding delightful outcomes and conserving your valuable time and energy in the process.
Ingredients
For the beef meatballs
- 80 g/2¾oz breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 medium free-range egg
- 500 g/1lb 2oz beef mince
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
- 100 g/3½oz feta cheese
For the Sauce:
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and halved
- 400 g/14oz cherry tomatoes halved lengthwise
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped (about 50g/1¾oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Serve:
- 400 g/14oz dried spaghetti
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh basil
- 50 g/1¾oz crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- To make the meatballs, combine breadcrumbs, milk, and egg in a spacious bowl. Add beef, parsley, basil, and crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper, mix thoroughly, and shape into 16 meatballs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Slide out the basket and line it with an air fryer parchment sheet or use baking paper to form a shallow base.
- For the sauce, arrange garlic, cherry tomatoes, and shallots on the lined tray. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Air fry for 25 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through.
- Once done, carefully transfer the contents to a large bowl, remove the paper, and blend the mixture until smooth using a stick blender or a food processor. Transfer the sauce to a small pan and keep it warm over low heat. Leave the air fryer on.
- Place the meatballs evenly in the air fryer and cook for 10–12 minutes, ensuring they are cooked through.
- Meanwhile, prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and mix in the butter.
- For serving, heap the spaghetti on plates and place the meatballs and sauce on top. Garnish with chopped parsley, basil, and a sprinkle of crumbled feta.