Frozen Hamburgers in the air fryer are juicy, flavorful burgers you can make in about 15 minutes. Serve with Copycat Big Mac sauce and Air Fryer Seasoned French Fries for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
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Did you know you can cook frozen hamburgers in your air fryer?
Instead of running out for fast food, you can make a juicy burger right at home with those frozen patties in your freezer.
Air fryer frozen hamburgers are a fast and easy meal you can throw together in minutes.
There's no need to defrost them first, just throw them in the air fryer frozen!
And clean up is a snap. The grease is contained to the air fryer basket -- no spatters all over your kitchen.
Top air fryer burgers with melted cheese, Copycat Big Mac sauce, and all your favorite toppings and serve with Air Fryer Seasoned French Fries and Tuna Macaroni Salad for a full meal deal.
Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
Easy way to cook frozen burger patties -- no defrosting!
Delicious, easy air fryer recipe for busy weeknights
Make up to 4 juicy air fryer hamburgers in about 15 minutes
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Ingredients
Beef burgers. I used ⅓ pound Angus ground chuck and ground beef patties and was able to easily fit 4 patties in the air fryer basket. Use whatever kind of frozen hamburger patty you like such as grass fed beef patties or ground sirloin patties. Quarter-pound frozen hamburger patties, they'll cook in less time.
Buns and burger toppings for serving. Hamburger buns, cheese slices, tomato slices, and red onion slices.
Big Mac sauce. This Copycat Big Mac sauce is the perfect burger sauce and fry dipping sauce with mayo, sweet pickle relish, mustard, and special seasonings. Get the recipe here.
The Best Cheese for Burgers
A great way to make your juicy hamburger even more delicious is with a slice of cheese. But which one to choose? Here are five of the best cheese choices to top your frozen air fryer burger.
American cheese. This classic is a hands-down favorite for meltiness, creaminess, and mild flavor.
Cheddar. Mild or sharp cheddar are both great choices to add extra flavor to your air fryer burger
Swiss. Swiss melts fabulously and adds nutty flavor. An obvious choice for mushroom burgers.
Monterey Jack. Monterey Jack is a great melting cheese -- and its mild flavor pairs well with strong flavors.
Blue cheese. For big flavor, try adding blue cheese. It doesn't melt as well as the others, but it makes up for it in flavor.
Optional Seasonings
Salt and black pepper are the only seasonings a good burger really needs. But feel free to sprinkle both sides of the frozen beef patties with your favorite seasonings like:
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Montreal steak seasoning
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
How to Make Frozen Burgers in an Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
Place the frozen burger patties in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer and sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper.
A little overlap is okay -- they'll shrink as they cook. But you definitely don't want to crowd the basket. If necessary, cook them in batches.
Air fry for 6 minutes. Flip the hamburger patties and salt and pepper the other side.
Air fry for 6-9 more minutes or until they reach your preferred doneness. USDA guidelines recommend cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Actual cooking time will vary by the model of your air fryer and the thickness of the burgers. Be sure to check for doneness throughout the cooking process to ensure they're cooked exactly to your liking.
If desired, add a slice of cheese to the tops of each burger. Air fry for 30-60 more seconds until melted.
Place cooked burgers on toasted or warm burger buns, and top with Big Mac sauce, sliced tomatoes, onions, and pickles. Serve with Air Fryer Seasoned French Fries.
Store leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Expert Tips
Flip the frozen hamburgers in the air fryer once to ensure even cooking.
Check for doneness before you reach the early side of the cooking time to ensure they do not overcook and become dry.
The exact cooking time may be different depending on your specific air fryer and the thickness of your burger. Thinner patties will cook in less time than thicker ones.
FAQs
Cook ⅓ pound frozen beef hamburger patties in an air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees f or until they reach an internal temperature of 160.
No, you shouldn't stack frozen beef patties in the air fryer. The hot air in the air fryer needs to circulate around all sides of the patties to cook them. A little overlap is okay right at the beginning because they shrink as they cook.
Yes. Flip the frozen hamburger patties once at the halfway point during cooking to ensure they cook evenly.
Get the Stuff I Use
This digital meat thermometer is waterproof and magnetized -- I keep it stuck to the side of my fridge next to the stove.
My Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Oven is perfect for making hamburgers, French fries, and cinnamon rolls!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
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How to Cook Frozen Hamburgers in an Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 ⅓ pound frozen hamburger patties
- 4 hamburger buns
- 4 slices American cheese
- Big Mac sauce, optional
- Sliced tomatoes, onions, and pickles for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
- Place the frozen patties in the basket of the air fryer. Sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper. Air fry for 6 minutes. Flip them over and salt and pepper the other side. Air fry for 6-9 more minutes or until they reach your preferred doneness. USDA guidelines recommend cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
- If desired, add cheese to the tops of the burgers. Air fry for 30-60 more seconds until melted.
- Serve with toasted buns, Big Mac sauce, and sliced tomatoes, onions, and pickles.
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