Air fryer hamburgers are the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner dish. They take less than 20 minutes from start to finish. They don’t require a grill, griddle, or skillet and are relatively fuss and mess free. And they’re still juicy and flavorful, especially when layered with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and condiments and sandwiched between two hearty buns.

Whether you need a quick dinner, an easy meal prep, or just want a freezer friendly dish handy, these air fryer burgers have you covered!

Hamburgers, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and buns assembled on a baking sheet.

Ingredients

Ground beef – we prefer 93/7 lean ground beef to keep these burgers lower in fat but still juicy and flavorful.
Seasonings – granulated garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper is all we use to create flavorful burgers. You can add any other seasonings you’d like. Chipotle powder or red pepper flakes for some spice. Thyme, oregano, basil, mint, chives for some added vibrancy.
Optional toppings – hamburger buns, cheddar cheese, sliced onion, butter lettuce, sliced beefsteak tomatoes, and condiments round out these burgers.

Tips for Making the Best Hamburgers

Place a dimple in the center of the burger – ever had your burgers shrink up and dome when cooked? Try making an indent with your thumb in the center of your burgers. This helps to prevent shrinking and bulging.
Don’t crowd the burgers – if your air fryer is on the smaller side, cook your burgers in batches. You don’t want to crowd the burgers otherwise they won’t cook evenly. They should be in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Use internal temperature, not time – for the best results, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, not time. Rare:120-125℉. Medium:140-145℉. Well done: 160℉. Note, the FDA recommends cooking ground beef to 160℉.
Don’t overmix or over-handle the meat – be careful not to mix or handle the meat too much. Over-handling the meat can result in tough, compact burgers.

How to Cook Hamburgers in the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 370℉ (if needed).

Combine the beef, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Form into 4 patties. Place a slight indent in the center of the burgers with your thumb (this will prevent shrinking when cooked).

Lightly mist the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the burgers in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Cook the burgers 5-6 minutes on one side. Flip the burgers and cook another 4-5 minutes. If you’re using cheese, add the slices to the top of the burger and air fry 1 more minute. *Note: the times listed result in medium-well burgers. You can check for doneness by using a meat thermometer. Burgers are medium-well at an internal temperature of 150-155℉ and well done at 160℉.

Serve with your favorite toppings, like burger buns, cheese, butter lettuce, sliced onion and tomato, and dressing of choice.

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerate – store cooked burger patties in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze – you can freeze cooked and uncooked patties. Place wax paper between the patties and store them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Thaw/reheat – thaw frozen burgers overnight in the fridge. Cook raw thawed patties according to directions. You can also cook raw frozen patties in the air fryer, but you’ll need to add a few minutes to the cook time. Reheat cooked patties in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed throughout. Add a little bit of water or broth to the pan to prevent them from drying out.

Best Hamburger Toppings

Onions – fresh, caramelized, or pickled
Spicy toppings – hatch green chiles or pickled or candied jalapenos
Cheese – cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, Swiss, blue cheese, or feta cheese
Bacon – pork or turkey bacon or bacon jam
Avocado – sliced, mashed, or guacamole
Fruit – sliced pineapple, apples, or fruit jam (cranberry is surprisingly good!)
Veggies – sliced tomato, sauteed pepper, mushrooms
Greens – butter lettuce, romaine, iceberg, spring mix, spinach, arugula
Slaw – standard coleslaw, citrus slaw, broccoli slaw, apple slaw
Condiments – ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, mayo, horseradish sauce, chimichurri, tzatziki, romesco, aioli, etc.

What to Serve with This Dish

French fries – sweet potato, waffle, or crinkle cut fries
Zucchini fries
Tots – tater tots, zucchini tots, or sweet potato tots
Burger buns – whole wheat, brioche, sesame, potato, pretzel, or ciabatta rolls
Slaw – citrus, apple, or classic coleslaw
Potatoes – baked potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, garlic potatoes, or mashed potatoes
Mac and cheese – white cheddar, butternut squash, cauliflower, broccoli, or baked mac and cheese
Pasta salad – peach, Greek, avocado, or classic pasta salad
Veggies – grilled, roasted, or air fryer veggies like broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, butternut squash, asparagus, or green beans

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long to cook hamburgers in the air fryer – depends on your preferred doneness. For rare burgers, cook 3 minutes per side. For medium, cook 5 minutes per side. For well done, cook 7+ minutes per side. Check out this handy graphic for reference.
What internal temperature do hamburgers need to be – depends on your preferred doneness. For rare, 120-125℉. For medium, 140-145℉. For well done, 160℉. Note, the FDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160℉.
What temperature do you cook hamburgers in air fryer – 370℉. This allows a nice sear on the outside without drying the burgers out.
Do you need to flip hamburgers in air fryer – yep! Flipping the burgers allows them to cook more evenly and you’ll get a sear on both sides.
Do you need to put a dimple/thumbprint in a burger – putting a small depression in the center of the patties helps prevent bulging in the center and keep their shape as they cook.
Do you need to use egg in hamburger patties – No, ground beef patties do not require eggs to bind them together.
Do you need to add breadcrumbs to hamburger patties – no, traditional beef burgers do not include breadcrumbs. If you do choose to add breadcrumbs, you may need to add egg to help with the binding.

Check out our other burger recipes