Searching for a simple meaty appetizer that is lean and sure to please? Air fryer frozen turkey meatballs might be the answer!
Easy to make with less prep than homemade air fryer turkey meatballs, these meatballs are a great appetizer when having people over and can also be used as an ingredient in another dish!

Recipe Tips
Before you head off to make frozen turkey meatballs in the air fryer, quickly read through these tips:
- There’s no need to add extra oil to these meatballs since they crisp up nicely without it.
- The cooking time will vary based on the size of the meatballs and your air fryer. The meatballs we used were quite small – bigger meatballs will take longer to cook.
- We used pre-cooked meatballs – be sure to check whether yours are raw or pre-cooked as this will also affect cooking time. Make sure the center is properly cooked through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Try not to overcook the turkey meatballs as this can make them dry.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.

Step by Step Instructions
If you want to know how to make frozen turkey meatballs in the air fryer, you can follow the recipe steps in this section to see just how ours turned out.
If you don’t care for visuals, you can skip down to the recipe card below!

First, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once it is hot, add in the frozen turkey meatballs. They should be in one even layer – with no overcrowding to help with even cooking.
If you can’t fit that many meatballs into your air fryer without overlap, cook them in two batches.

Air fry the frozen turkey meatballs at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes total until fully cooked and lightly browned on the outside.
Shake the air fryer basket every 4 minutes to help with even cooking. The exact cooking time can vary based on your air fryer and the size of the meatballs. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Try not to overcook the turkey meatballs as this can make them dry.

When done, remove the meatballs from the air fryer and serve. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
After you’ve air fried turkey meatballs, you can store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for around 3-4 days. Because they are meat, use them sooner rather than later.
To reheat them, you can microwave them, toss them back in the air fryer (be sure not to dry them out), or add them to a pasta sauce (or other dish) as it’s simmering.
Related Recipes
If you are looking for more tasty frozen appetizers, check out these air fryer creations:
- Frozen Sausage Rolls in the Air Fryer
- Breaded Frozen Pickles in the Air Fryer
- Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer (Frozen)
- Frozen Arancini Balls in the Air Fryer
- Frozen Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Air Fryer Frozen Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen turkey meatballs, approximately 30-35
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once it is hot, add in the frozen turkey meatballs. They should be in one even layer – with no overcrowding to help with even cooking. If you can't fit that many meatballs into your air fryer without overlap, cook them in two batches.
- Air fry the frozen turkey meatballs at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes total until fully cooked and lightly browned on the outside. Shake the air fryer basket every 4 minutes to help with even cooking. The exact cooking time can vary based on your air fryer and the size of the meatballs. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When done, remove the meatballs from the air fryer and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Our meatballs were quite small. Larger meatballs will take longer to cook.
- Our meatballs were also pre-cooked. Check the packaging to see if your meatballs were raw or cooked before freezing. Make sure to cook the meatballs fully – don't consume meatballs that are not fully cooked!
- There's no need to spray the meatballs with oil first.
- Try not to overcook the turkey meatballs as this can
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.