How to Make a Burger in a Ninja Foodi Air Fryer (The Complete Guide)
I love cooking, and I absolutely adore food. With that being said, there is one particular thing about cooking that I hate: waiting for it to cook!
That’s why when a friend of mine told me about this Ninja Foodi air fryer, which can make your burger perfect in only a few minutes flat, my interest was piqued (pun intended).
So just how does this work? Well, the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer is up for the challenge.
How to cook burgers in a Ninja air fryer
- Mix your 80/20 lean ground beef with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
- Form 1/4-pound patties and flatten them to about 1/2 inch thick
- Press and make an indention in the middle of the patty
- Preheat the Ninja Foodi air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Arrange each patty on the tray, single-layered and separate from each other
- Set the cooking time to 6 minutes
- Flip the patty over and add another 4 minutes to the cooking time
- Check for the patty’s internal temperature to reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place a slice of cheese on top of the patty and add 1 more minute to the air frying
- Spread butter in between your bread buns
- Toast your buns in the air fryer for about 1 to 2 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Assemble the burger to your pleasure
What temperature does an air fryer need to cook hamburgers at?
It’s important to preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook one side of the patty for 6 minutes. Once done, flip the patty over to the other side and add another 4 minutes to the air fryer cooking time. If you want to add cheese, you can do so by placing a slice of cheese on top of the cooked patty and leaving it to cook for another minute.
The patty is cooked once the internal temperature of the burger patty is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend using a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the patty.
At what temperature are hamburgers done?
The USDA recommends that you cook your beef until the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature must be maintained at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 minutes in order to kill any bacteria that may still be alive.
Almost every Ninja Foodi air fryer model will be capable of getting temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit some of which can get as high as 510.
What kind of ground beef should I use?
We recommend ground beef that is 80/20. This means you should choose 80% lean meat and 20% fat. This ratio of meat to fat produces an intense flavor and a juicy burger. It’s important to have a high fat content because the air fryer will end up draining much of the fat anyway.
As the fireworks circulate hot air throughout all corners of the burger patty, the fat will begin to drip off the burger patty and end up at the bottom of the basket. If you choose a ground beef type that is more lean with less fat, then you may end up with a burger that is dry and bland.
At what point should I add cheese to the burgers?
Cheese should be added toward the end of the cooking phase of the patty. Once the patty is cooked on both ends, which usually takes about 10 minutes, place a slice of cheese on the top of the patty and air fryer for one more minute.
However, you may want to understand that cooking the burger patty for another extra minute may end up drying the patty even further. Another option would just be to leave the slice of cheese on top of the burger patty and allow the heat from the burger to cook the slice of cheese naturally.
What to serve with air fryer burgers
You can basically serve your air-fried burgers with anything. What better way to eat burgers than to have air-fried French fries. Make sure you add your lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles.
Do you need to flip burgers in an air fryer?
It is highly advised that you flip your burgers over after cooking one side for 6 minutes. Once you flip it over, cook that side for another 3 to 4 minutes, and you should end up with the perfect cooked patty. Flipping your patty over helps the hot air reach the bottom of the burger patty more easily. This will help create a more even cooking throughout the entire patty itself.
Can you cook frozen burgers in an air fryer?
Yes! You can cook frozen burgers in an air fryer. Place the frozen burger in the fryer, seasoned side facing up. Halfway through the cooking process, make sure to flip the patty over. When you flip the burger above, season the other side and continue cooking.
How long should you cook frozen hamburgers in an air fryer?
It should take you between twelve and fifteen minutes to cook your frozen burger in an air fryer. If you were going to use fresh refrigerated beef, it would take about eight minutes to cook your burger. By cooking with a frozen burger, you are adding approximately four to seven minutes to your cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the burger before serving it. The temperature should be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to season hamburgers
Hamburgers are meant to be seasoned. An unseasoned hamburger is bland, and no one will want to eat it. Seasoning is essential to cooking. It creates rich tastes that go together to make flavorful food. To season your hamburger perfectly, follow these steps:
- If you are using raw meat, place it in a medium-sized mixing bowl
- Season the raw ground meat with salt and pepper. Salt is one of the best seasonings you can add to ground meat. Use 3/4 of a spoonful of salt for the best taste
- In addition to salt and pepper, you can add:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Barbecue sauce
- Chopped onions
- Chopped garlic
- Shredded cheese
- Chili flakes
- Oregano
- Basil
- Thyme
- Egg
Tips for making the best tasting burgers in the air fryer
As great as your burger will taste with these added seasonings, sometimes just good ol’ salt and pepper will do the trick. There is such a thing as over-seasoning, so make sure you use a balanced number.
Shape your raw ground beef into burger patties. Burger patties shrink when cooked, so you can make them slightly larger than you usually would because they will get smaller while frying.
The benefits of air-fried hamburgers
Making the best burgers in your air fryer is simple if you follow these tips and tricks:
- Use lean meat. By doing this, you are ensuring the meat stays moist.
- Handle the burgers as little as possible.
- Use tasty burger buns like brioche, sourdough, and potato.
- If you are using pre-shaped raw burgers, they are often thinner than homemade patties and will cook faster.
- Do not press down on the burgers while cooking unless you want to lose all the delectable juices.
- Add up to four minutes to your cooking time if you prefer a well-done burger.
- Cook only two burger patties at a time; you do not want to crowd the basket. Four patties may be too much.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the burgers. The thermometer should read 166 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can you cook burgers and fries in an air fryer at the same time?
Yes, you can cook a burger and fries in the air fryer simultaneously, although it is not recommended. French fries and burgers are cooked at different lengths and temperatures. You will need to pay a lot of attention to the cooking process to ensure you are not overcooking or undercooking your food. There is too high of a risk of serving raw or overcooked food. Also, depending on your air fryer, the food may not fit in there. Two burgers and French fries will take up a lot of room, even in a decent-sized air fryer. Once you add the patties, you likely will not have room for the French fries.
Do you need to thaw frozen patties before air frying them?
Before putting it into an air fryer, you do not have to thaw out a frozen hamburger patty. Place the frozen burger into the fryer as is. If you do thaw your burger out first, that is fine too! You just want to remember to decrease the cooking time because thawed patties will cook faster than unthawed ones.
Can you put a raw burger in an air fryer?
You can put raw burgers into the air fryer. After you have formed and seasoned your patties, place the formed burgers into the air fryer. Cook the burgers at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for four minutes per side. Once cooked, remove the burger, and if you were planning on adding cheese, do so immediately. Finish assembling your hamburger, eat it, and enjoy it!
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