Air Fryer Hamburger Patties (Fresh or Frozen) (2024)

Air fryer hamburger patties are a great way to get that burger fix without heating up your kitchen. You can cook fresh hamburger patties using just three ingredients or frozen hamburger patties in the air fryer using this method. Keep reading and I'll show you how to make air-fried burgers in the comfort of your own home.

Why You Will Love Hamburgers in the Air Fryer

• Easy: Air fryer burgers are the perfect weeknight meal for aspiring home cooks with little cooking experience or busy people.
• Quick: Air frying hamburgers saves you time! You can cook the patties and the buns with only one appliance.
• Convenient: The air fryer helps you cook burgers to perfection without making your kitchen greasy and dirty! No need to heat up your kitchen and use multiple pans and dishes. The air fryer is easy to use and clean.
• Tasty: Burgers cook up juicy, flavorful, and perfect every time! You can cook both fresh or frozen patties with this air fryer hamburger recipe.

Ingredients

Here's a look at the simple ingredients you will need to make the best burgers in the air fryer. The quantities of each are listed in the recipe card.

• Oil: You will need just a bit to brush or spray on the air fryer basket to keep your burgers from sticking. Use any neutral cooking oil that's great for high-heat cooking.
• Hamburger patties: It's your choice to use fresh or frozen hamburger patties. The only that changes slightly is the cooking time.
• Cheese: An optional ingredient but if you're a cheeseburger fan like me you can choose your favorite cheese for burgers. Classic American, cheddar cheese, pepper jack, Swiss cheese, and Provolone are just a few favorites!
• Burger buns: Use your favorite hamburger buns! You can even make homemade brioche buns, air fryer hamburger buns, or pretzel buns.
• Burger toppings: The sky is the limit so it's up to you but tomato, lettuce, onions, pickles, ketchup, and mayo are a few popular options. Try our fresh burger sauce or try this honey mustard sauce for more unique flavors.

Fresh vs Frozen Burgers

If you're not sure which way to go -- here are my thoughts on both options!

Fresh Burger Patties

I prefer 100% beef patties that are made from scratch and I think my hamburger patties recipe is the best. Even better, you only need 3 ingredients to make patties from scratch.

Fresh beef burgers that are about ¼ - ½ inch (0.6-1.3cm) thick, I recommend cooking them on high heat for a short time. This ensures that the juices remain in the meat.

If it's easier you can use pre-made burger patties that are either fresh or thawed. However, if you use burgers with breadcrumbs and eggs added, you will need to adjust the cooking time and temperature as they are thicker and take longer to cook.

Air Fryer Frozen Burgers

Frozen burger patties are a great convenience food. In most cases, they're pre-made and ready to go! Burgers can be cooked in the air fryer from frozen just as easily.

You just need to increase the time and decrease the temperature to make sure they're cooked evenly and aren't frozen in the middle while they're overcooked on the outside. If you prefer to thaw them first, cook them like fresh patties.

How to Cook Hamburgers in the Air Fryer

Here's a look at the main steps for cooking burgers in the air fryer. Keep in mind that the instructions are the same whether you use fresh or frozen burgers. The ONLY thing that will change is how long you cook the burgers.

PRO TIP: For best results, preheat the air fryer and lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil to avoid sticking. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat setting allow it to run for five minutes before adding the burgers.

Step 1: Arrange the patties in the air fryer basket and cook to your preferred doneness, flipping halfway through.

Step 2: If you're planning to make cheeseburgers, just place a slice of cheese on top of each patty at the last minute.

PRO TIP: If your air fryer has a tendency to blow the cheese off the patties, cook the patties first, turn the air fryer off, add the cheese, and let it melt for 1 minute.

Step 3: Remove the patties from the air fryer and toast the burger buns for 1 minute until hot and crispy. I love my burgers with fluffy brioche buns, potato buns, or pretzel buns. Since all air fryer models work differently, you need to figure out whether the cut side should be facing up or down for them to be toasted.

See Also

How to Make Air-Fryer Frozen HamburgersWe Made Burgers 4 Ways. Here's How You Can TooBest Frozen Burger Patty Recipe {+ Grilling Instructions}Frozen Turkey Burgers in Air Fryer

Air Fryer Hamburgers Topping Ideas

There's no right or wrong way to eat a burger! Here are a few ideas for some inspiration when it comes to what toppings to add to air fryer burgers.

• Add a Tasty Sauce: For the classic cheeseburger, I recommend my burger sauce, which tastes just like the special sauce from In-N-Out. For pretzel burgers, I recommend my honey mustard sauce.
• Sweet Onions: And if you are a burger eater, you know that caramelized onions transform any burger into something special.
• Spicy: Add some sliced jalapeno peppers or pepper jack cheese for a bit of heat!

Storing and Reheating Tips

• Fridge: Air-fried hamburgers can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap to prevent odors from getting into the other foods in your refrigerator. Reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for 1-2 minutes.
• Freezer: You can also freeze them for up to 4 months by wrapping them in plastic wrap twice and placing them in freezer bags. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (177°C) until they are hot, about 10 minutes.

Note: Please note that reheated burgers are not as juicy as freshly cooked ones.

Top Tips for Success

• Variable Cooking Time. The thickness, size, ingredients, and air fryer model you have may influence the time it takes to cook your burgers. Note that you may need to adjust the cooking time and temperature. I suggest cooking a test patty and from there adjusting the time and temperature to suit your needs. Mine were tested in an Instant Vortex Plus.
• Don't Crowd Your Burgers. Make sure the burgers don't overlap and that they have enough space to cook without touching. This ensures that the heat can circulate and the patties cook through evenly.
• Air Fryer Settings. No matter what settings your air fryer has, the only two things that really matter are time and temperature. You can disregard the different pre-settings such as air frying, grilling, roasting, or baking, and simply set the cooking time and temperature for your desired doneness.
• Small Burgers. You can shape smaller patties to serve on dinner rolls instead of burger buns. Just note that you will likely need to shorten the cooking time for small patties.

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