Air Fryer Recipe
Lamb and Feta Meatballs
These air-fried lamb and feta meatballs are a tasty Mediterranean-style twist on a classic, with savoury lamb, salty feta and a nicely browned outside.
Ingredients
- 500g ground lamb
- 100g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Olive oil spray
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C.
- In a large bowl, combine the lamb, feta, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, breadcrumbs and parsley. Mix gently.
- Shape the mixture into small balls, roughly the size of a walnut.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray.
- Arrange the meatballs in the basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overcrowded.
- Cook the meatballs in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Remove the meatballs and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Fast convection dries the outside quickly while rendered lamb fat helps the meatballs brown rather than steam. Egg and breadcrumbs bind the mince and absorb feta moisture; gentle mixing limits protein extraction, so the texture stays tender instead of bouncy or dense.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket air fryer holding one layer of walnut-sized meatballs with 1–2cm gaps; in a single drawer, turn or shake once for even browning, while dual-zone drawers usually need smaller batches per side and may take 1–2 minutes longer because the food sits closer to the walls.
Common pitfalls
- Pale tops and damp undersides after 10 minutes mean the basket is overcrowded or the feta has shed moisture; remove a few meatballs, leave clear gaps, turn them, and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- Blue smoke or an acrid smell usually comes from high-fat lamb dripping onto the hot drawer; pause, drain or wipe excess fat from the drawer, then continue at 170°C to finish without scorching.
- Cracked meatballs with feta leaking out by minute 6 signal a mixture that was packed too tightly or feta chunks that were too large; crumble the feta finer next time and roll lightly, just until the balls hold together.
- Deep brown outsides with a soft or pink centre mean the meatballs are too large for the stated timing; aim for 22–25g each, or lower to 170°C and cook 2–4 minutes more until the centre reaches 75°C.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap half the lamb for beef mince for a milder flavour; it usually renders less fat, so a slightly more generous oil spray helps the surface brown.
- Use fresh mint instead of parsley for a Greek-style finish; it does not change the timing, but add it finely chopped so it distributes without weakening the bind.
- Replace breadcrumbs with panko for a looser, lighter texture; the meatballs may brown faster on the ridges, so check from minute 9.
- Use firm goat’s cheese instead of feta for a creamier centre; it melts more readily, so keep the pieces small and avoid overfilling each meatball.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked meatballs chilled for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 4–6 minutes until hot through.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
