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Frozen Burgers In The Air Fryer
Recipe Snapshot
PREP + COOK TIME: under 20 minutes (including time to preheat)
METHOD: Air fryer
TOTAL INGREDIENTS: 2
Consider this your basic how-to on prepping frozen burgers without the grill! The air fryer makes it so easy to cook frozen burgers to tasty perfection in under 20 minutes. With minimal effort, you can now enjoy a juicy burger whenever you feel like it!
What’s To Love About This Recipe
- Frozen burgers are one of my favorite things to keep on hand for a quick dinner when I have nothing else planned or prepared. The air fryer is a lifesaver with the ability to heat quickly and keep the mess minimal.
- You can pull frozen burgers straight from the freezer and go from frozen to done in under 20 minutes. No need to thaw before cooking!
- The grill might be the optimal choice for homemade burgers, but with the air fryer, you can get your burger fix without the perfect weather conditions. It’s much more practical to use the air fryer when you just want to cook a few patties or don’t want the mess of the grill or frying pan.
- Change up your burger meat options – from beef to turkey to bison! While the burgers cook, you can customize a delicious burger with cheese, toppings, and sides.
- It’s nice to have the option to cook a quality protein source without cooking a large amount. Cook just what you need in a short amount of time!
Ingredients Needed
- Frozen burger patties – I like to use the unseasoned Angus burgers from Aldi, but it’s easy to find frozen burger patties at almost any grocery store. Even better if you can buy a quality package of burgers in bulk to keep in your freezer! If possible, choose unseasoned burgers so you can control your own seasoning ingredients at home.
- All-purpose or burger seasoning – I used Kinder’s The Blend Seasoning, but any burger, steak, or all-purpose seasoning is fine. Use what you have on hand!
How To Make Frozen Burgers In The Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 ℉.
- Add the burger patties to the basket and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip, add seasoning to the top, and continue cooking for 7 more minutes or until done.
- Burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 ℉.
Pro Tips
- Make sure the burgers are in a single layer and not touching. I can usually get up to 3 or 4 patties in my 6-quart air fryer.
- I do recommend preheating the air fryer for frozen burger patties. Cooking time will vary depending on the type of meat and thickness. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness and to prevent overcooking (which makes them tough).
- If you’d like to add cheese, place it on the patties near the end of cooking and only leave it on for a minute or so to ensure it doesn’t melt through the bottom of the air fryer. (Believe me, you’ll want to avoid that melty mess!)
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Use any variety of store-bought frozen burger patties. There are lots of pre-formed options like turkey and bison burgers.
- Keep them simple, and just use the meat patty and a seasoning blend if desired. For most flexible meal prep, leave the burgers plain and customize them with added seasoning as noted in the cooking directions.
- Try adding different sliced cheeses such as deli-fresh American cheese, cheddar, Colby jack, or pepper jack.
- With a good quality patty, it’s easy to create different burger varieties! Here are a few ideas:
- A southwestern burger with cheddar cheese and guacamole
- A cowboy burger or bacon cheeseburger made with the Best Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
- A Hawaiian burger with pineapple and onion toppings
- And lots more!
I also like to make my own burger patties and freeze them to cook in the air fryer later. If you have time to prepare your own patties, this is the best way to do it!
Homemade Burger Patties
- Start with any uncooked ground meat you need to use.
- (Sometimes, I like to chop up leftover jalapeños and onions and add them to the meat – similar to my Air Fryer Turkey Burgers recipe.)
- Use a burger press to make flat, even burgers.
- Then, lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them until solid.
- Finally, transfer the frozen patties to freezer bags or vacuum seal them.
How To Serve Air Fryer Hamburgers
With easy hamburgers in the air fryer, your customization options are endless!
Toast fresh burger buns and prep some lettuce and tomato with cheese for a classic option. Use the air fryer again for Waffle Fries or Sweet Potato Fries. Add some unique condiments on the side, like homemade Sriracha Mayo.
If you’re making several burgers to share, you might set out a topping bar for everyone to make their own! Here are some options to get you started:
- Grilled onions
- Sauerkraut
- Various sliced cheeses
- Crispy bacon
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
- And of course, ketchup, mustard, and mayo!
Storing and Reheating
Store leftover burgers in the fridge for up to 3 days. (Don’t refreeze leftover burgers that were previously frozen.)
Reheat in the microwave, in a skillet, or back in the air fryer for a few minutes!
Frozen Burgers In The Air Fryer
Consider this your basic how-to on prepping frozen burgers without the grill! The air fryer makes it so easy to cook frozen burgers to tasty perfection in under 20 minutes. With minimal effort, you can now enjoy a juicy burger whenever you feel like it!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 frozen burger patties preferably unseasoned
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose or burger seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 370 ℉
- Add burger patties to basket and cook for 5 minutes
- Flip, add seasoning to top, and continue cooking for 7 more minutes or until done
- Burgers should be cooked to internal temperature of 160 ℉
Notes
- Store leftover burgers in the fridge for up to 3 days (but don’t refreeze), and reheat in the microwave, skillet, or air fryer for a few minutes.
- Burgers should be placed in a single layer and not touching sides.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the type of meat and thickness. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness and to prevent overcooking.
- If you want to add cheese, place it on the patties near the end of cooking and only leave it on for a minute or so to prevent melting and dripping to the bottom of the air fryer.
Air Fryer Frozen Burgers FAQs
- Do frozen burgers need to be flipped in the air fryer? Yes, flipping the burgers about halfway through cooking is important to ensure they brown on both sides.
- How long do you cook frozen burgers in the air fryer? In general, you will need 5-7 minutes per side of the burgers. When cooking from frozen, it’s important that the burgers reach an internal temperature of 160 ℉. You can remove the burgers a couple of minutes early to test the temperature if you like them more rare, or you can cook a bit longer to reach medium-well, well-done, etc.
- Is it ok if my frozen burgers overlap in the air fryer? Make sure the burgers are in a single layer and not touching. This allows air to circulate evenly, ensuring even cooking and browned edges on all sides.
- Why is the air fryer smoking? A little smoke from the air fryer can be normal. However, if you get too much smoke, it could be because your meat has too much grease and it’s leaking onto the heating elements. To be safe, you will need to correct this by stopping the air fryer, removing excess grease, or cleaning as needed.
