Air-Fryer Frozen Burgers (2024)

Air-fryer frozen burgers are the epitome of convenience. They capture everything we love about air-fryer hamburgers without the need to thaw hamburger patties from frozen beforehand.

These juicy hamburgers cook quickly and evenly, and they taste just as good as grilled burgers. As a bonus, the cleanup is contained inside the air-fryer basket, which means you won’t have to mop up any grease splatter from the countertops. So, if you don’t have the patience to thaw burgers from frozen ahead of time, go ahead and cook that frozen burger in the air fryer.

How to Cook a Frozen Burger in the Air Fryer

Air-fryer recipes are a convenient alternative to recipes that include deep-frying, grilling or baking—especially when it comes to frozen food. A grill’s harsh heat is too intense for a frozen burger patty, causing it to burn on the outside before it cooks through. The air fryer’s convection technology moves hot air around the frozen meat, thawing and browning frozen burger patties in one fell swoop. The burger stays moist and tender inside while the exterior gets nice and crispy.

To make it happen, simply separate the frozen burger patties and spritz them lightly with cooking spray. Air-fry the burgers in a 350°F air fryer for about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through for even cooking. Then, add toppings and enjoy! You can use this technique to make any of our best hamburger recipes.

Ingredients for Air-Fryer Frozen Burgers

• Frozen raw beef patties: This recipe works for store-bought frozen burger patties or homemade patties prepared from your go-to burger recipe. We used 6-ounce burger patties when testing the recipe, so you may need to adjust the cooking time for larger or smaller patties.
• Cooking spray: Spritzing the burgers with a little cooking spray helps them brown in the air fryer.
• Hamburger buns: Choose any soft buns, like brioche or potato buns. If you’re feeling ambitious, whip up a batch of homemade hamburger buns.
• Optional toppings: Stick to the classics—ketchup, mustard, cheese, lettuce and tomato—or get wild and wacky with creative burger toppings.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the patties

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Spray both sides of the frozen patties with cooking spray. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Air-fry frozen hamburgers

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Preheat the air fryer to 350°.

Arrange the patties in a single layer in a greased air-fryer basket. Cook until a thermometer reads 160°, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Serve the burgers on buns with the toppings of your choice.

Editor’s Tip: For cheeseburgers, don’t bother putting the cheese on the patties while they’re still in the air fryer. It’ll make a mess! Instead, add the cheese just after removing the patties from the air fryer. Cover the cheese-topped burgers with a plate to help the cheese melt.

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Recipe Variations

• Use another patty: Instead of all-beef patties, make this recipe with frozen turkey burger patties or plant-based patties like air-fryer black bean veggie burgers. Use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature while cooking and adjust the cooking time as needed.
• Skip the bun: Turn the recipe into a keto air-fryer recipe by plating the burger on Bibb lettuce leaves, as done with these California lettuce-wrap burgers.

How to Store Air-Fryer Frozen Burgers

Store leftover air-fryer burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat the burgers in a 350° air fryer until heated through.

Air-Fryer Frozen Burger Tips

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How long do you cook frozen burgers in an air fryer?

Air-fryer cooking times vary, but it generally takes about 20 minutes to cook frozen burgers in a 350° air fryer. We recommend flipping the burgers halfway through for even cooking. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer and adjust the cooking time depending on the size and thickness of your burger. Whether you start with a fresh or frozen burger patty, 160° is the safe internal temperature of a cooked burger.

How do you make sure frozen burgers cook evenly in the air fryer?

Place the frozen burger patties in a single layer in the air fryer to ensure they cook evenly. Overlapping can cause the burgers to cook unevenly. If all the burger patties don’t fit in the air fryer at once, cook the burgers in multiple batches.

How do you make burger patties to freeze?

To make burger patties to freeze, form the patties using the tips from our best hamburger recipe to avoid overworking the meat. Then, place a piece of parchment between each patty, and transfer the patties to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to four months.

What do you serve with air-fryer frozen burgers?

Serve the cooked burger patties in lightly toasted hamburger buns with burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Pair an air-fryer hamburger with a side of french fries, onion rings, barbecue baked beans or one of our top pasta salad recipes.