These air fryer sweet chili glazed meatballs are one of my favorite things to make for dinner or as an appetizer. They come out juicy on the inside with a sticky, sweet glaze on the outside.
The mix of pork and beef gives these meatballs a really nice flavor and keeps them tender. And the sweet chili glaze is so simple to put together but tastes like it took way more effort.
The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. No need to stand over a hot pan or heat up your whole oven. Just pop them in and let the air fryer do its thing.
Once the meatballs are cooked, you toss them in the glaze and put them back in the air fryer for just two more minutes. That short blast of heat caramelizes the sauce and makes them irresistible.
You can serve these over rice for a full meal or set them out with toothpicks as a party snack. Either way, they disappear fast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The Glaze Caramelizes Perfectly – That final 2 minutes at 400°F turns the sweet chili sauce into a sticky caramelized coating that looks and tastes incredible.
Crispy Outside and Juicy Inside – The air fryer gives these meatballs a golden crispy exterior while keeping the pork and beef blend tender and juicy.
The Flavor Combo Is Addictive – Sweet chili sauce with soy sauce and rice vinegar creates a sweet-savory-tangy glaze you will not stop eating.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 cup Sweet Chili Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- Sesame Seeds and Green Onions for garnish
How To Make
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, panko, egg, garlic, ginger, and salt. Mix until just combined and form into 20-24 meatballs.
Step 2
Arrange meatballs in air fryer basket in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Air fry at 380°F for 10-12 minutes, shaking basket halfway through.
Step 3
While meatballs cook, whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a large bowl.
Step 4
Transfer cooked meatballs to the bowl with sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
Step 5
Return glazed meatballs to air fryer for 2 minutes at 400°F to caramelize the glaze. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Tips
Don’t Overmix the Meat
When you’re combining the pork, beef, panko, egg, garlic, ginger, and salt, stop mixing as soon as everything is evenly distributed. Use your hands and gently fold it all together.
Overworking the meat squeezes out moisture and makes the proteins bind too tightly. You’ll end up with dense, rubbery meatballs instead of tender, juicy ones.
If you can still see tiny streaks of panko or small bits of ginger, that’s totally fine. It all melts together as it cooks.
Keep Your Meatballs the Same Size
Try to make all 20-24 meatballs roughly the same size so they cook evenly. If some are way bigger than others, the small ones will dry out before the big ones are cooked through.
A cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) works great for portioning. Scoop, then roll each one into a ball with slightly wet hands so the meat doesn’t stick to your palms.
Don’t Skip Working in Batches
It’s tempting to pile all the meatballs into the air fryer at once, but overcrowding the basket blocks airflow. That means the meatballs steam instead of getting that nice browned exterior.
Leave about half an inch of space between each meatball. Depending on your air fryer size, you’ll probably need two batches.
The first batch stays warm while the second cooks, and they all get tossed in sauce anyway, so the timing works out perfectly.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
- Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken
- Air Fryer Sweet And Sour Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use all beef instead of the pork and beef mix?
You can, but the pork is what keeps these meatballs extra tender and juicy on the inside. All beef tends to come out a bit denser, especially in the air fryer where things dry out faster than in an oven.
If you do go all beef, try using 80/20 ground beef so there’s enough fat to keep them moist. You could also add a tablespoon of milk to the mixture to help with tenderness.
Air Fryer Sweet Chili Glazed Meatballs
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Sweet Chili Sauce
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- Sesame Seeds and Green Onions for garnish
- In a large bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, panko, egg, garlic, ginger, and salt. Mix until just combined and form into 20-24 meatballs.
- Arrange meatballs in air fryer basket in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Air fry at 380°F for 10-12 minutes, shaking basket halfway through.
- While meatballs cook, whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a large bowl.
- Transfer cooked meatballs to the bowl with sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Return glazed meatballs to air fryer for 2 minutes at 400°F to caramelize the glaze. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.