Making frozen burgers in the air fryer is the answer for those nights when you need to get dinner on the table fast. Simply cook frozen burgers straight from the freezer in your air fryer for a quick and easy meal. Add some air fryer frozen steak fries to complete the meal.
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Frozen hamburgers in the air fryer may not result in the same texture or taste as cooking a burger from scratch, but when you’re short on time and can’t wait for meat to thaw, a frozen burger in the air fryer is a perfect option.
Air frying frozen burgers is a game-changer for busy weeknights. Not just because the hamburgers are cooked in a matter of minutes, but there’s less cleanup around the stove and countertops.
The air fryer is like a mini oven. Hot air circulates around the frozen hamburger patties for evenly cooked meat.
There’s also no need to thaw the frozen burger. Preheat the air fryer, arrange the burger patties in a single layer, and air fry.
Be sure to check out my post that has all the cooking times for the air fryer, organized by type of food. And for a vegetarian option, try the easy Impossible Burger air fryer recipe. Frozen crinkle cut fries would be an quick and easy accompaniment.
💡 Tips for Making Frozen Burgers in an Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to make sure the burgers start cooking right away.
- Place the beef burgers in the basket in a single layer; don’t overcrowd. The patties need room for the hot air to circulate around them for even crisping.
- For easy cleanup, you can make a shallow tray out of aluminum foil to catch the juices. The tray should be small enough to allow air to circulate around it.
- Flip halfway through the cooking time for even cooking.
- Check the internal temperature of the burger patties with a digital meat thermometer to ensure they’re cooked through. The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to 160° F (71° C).
- Remove cooked patties from the air fryer and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to settle.
- Work in batches if cooking a large quantity.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the burger patty. My Cosori air fryer takes about 10 to 12 minutes to cook 4 ounce burger patties, and it takes closer to 15 minutes for 6 ounce patties. Your air fryer’s times may vary due to wattage and capacity.
- Serve burgers in buns with toppings like lettuce, tomato, bacon, ketchup, or your favorite sauce, with a side of frozen steak fries or french fries.
❓FAQS
Some frozen hamburger patties come preseasoned. I like to season burgers with my roasting seasoning mix. A little goes a long way, so lightly sprinkle the top of each patty with a pinch of seasoning after you’ve flipped them. You can also just use any or all of the following individual spices: onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
If you’re getting flare-ups, add a tiny bit of water (a tablespoon or two) to the bottom of the air fryer before adding the frozen burgers. Some people place slices of white bread at the bottom, but I haven’t tried that.
Cook thawed burgers for 10 to 12 minutes, and check the internal temperature to make sure it’s at 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).
After the burgers reach an internal temperature of 155 degrees F (68 degrees C), turn off the air fryer and place a slice of cheese over the cooked beef burger. Close the air fryer and leave the patties in the air fryer for about a minute, letting the cheese melt in the residual heat.
📝 How to Cook Frozen Hamburger Patty
- Preheat the air fryer. Place frozen burgers in air fryer, leaving plenty of room for air to circulate.
- Cook burgers, flipping once halfway through cooking process. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper or your favorite burger seasonings.
- Air fry until internal temperature registers at 160 degrees F (71 degrees C).
See recipe card below for details
You can air fry all kinds of frozen foods like air fryer chicken breasts, chicken pot pie, pizza rolls, chicken fries, chicken tenders, and more.
✅ MY FAVORITE AIR FRYER ACCESSORIES
EVO oil sprayer is great for spraying oil on food. This is the best I’ve tried.
An instant-read thermometer is invaluable when air frying meats or frozen foods.
Perforated parchment sheets come in handy when making messy foods.
Frozen Burgers in the Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 frozen burgers 4 ounces each (¼ lb. or 113 grams) * See Note 1
- pinch roasting seasoning or salt, pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder, to taste
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions (See Note 2!)
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F (193 degrees C) for 4 minutes.
- Add the frozen burger patties to the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit (193 degrees Celsius). At the 5-minute mark, flip the burgers with a spatula, sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, or my roasting seasoning to taste, and continue air frying.
- Check the internal temperature periodically till a meat thermometer registers at 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). For cheeseburgers, add a cheese slice to the patties when they reach 155 degrees F (68 degrees C) and let them sit in the air fryer for a minute.
Notes
- Don’t thaw the frozen beef patties before air frying.
- Nutrition information is for a 4 ounce 80% lean / 20% fat burger, without seasoning.
- Note 1: ⅓ lb. burgers such as Bubba Burger will take a few more minutes to cook.
- Note 2: Every air fryer’s cooking time will vary due to wattage and capacity. The first time you make this recipe, monitor the burgers and check on them 2 to 3 minutes before the time is up. Adjust the air frying time as needed.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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