When you’re craving burgers our air fryer frozen burgers will get dinner cooked quick. Air frying burger patties from frozen is a game changer! We’re obsessed with air fryer frozen hamburgers because it’s so simple and quick.

Air Fryer Frozen burgers patties
Air Fryer Frozen burgers cooked in basket

Can you cook air fryer frozen burgers or hamburger patties? 

Yes you definitely can and the results are amazing! The hot circulating air of the air fryer cooks hamburger patties from frozen. The burger patties are fantastic, simple and quick. Best of all, it’s budget friendly to make these at home rather than going out to eat.

Do you need to thaw frozen patties before air frying? 

No you don’t have to thaw the patties. Just place the frozen patties in the air fryer (do not pre-heat) and start air frying. After your first batch you’ll know more of what the best timing is for specific air fryer and brand of patty. All air fryers cook a little differently and everyone has a different preference for how cooked they want their beef patties to be.

THAWED: But if you do end up using thawed patties, just reduce cooking time. Thawed patties will cook quicker than frozen patties. 

Video: Air Fryer Frozen Hamburgers

Tips for How to Air Fry Frozen Burgers Patties

  • Do not pre-heat the air fryer. The frozen patties shouldn’t cook too hot too quick. You don’t want the middle of the patty to still be frozen while the outside is cooked too quick.
  • Thick or thin patty? There’s so many different brands so you will need to adjust timing. We give two different timings for 1/4 pound patties and 1/3 pound patties.
  • Adding a light oil spray on both sides of the beef patties will help keep them juicy and not dry out on the outside.
  • Like we mentioned above after you cook your first batch you’ll know what the best timing is for your preferred doneness. 
  • With so many different air fryer models, styles and different brands of burger patties timing will vary. 
  • Air fry your burger buns for about 1 minute. Warm hamburger buns make a huge difference for texture. This is our favorite: warm your burger buns in the air fryer!
  • Use a digital thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the patty is 160°F. This is the recommended temperature.
  • All recipe details with time and temp are in the recipe box below. There’s also some step-by-step pictures to guide you.
  • Pro-Tip: here’s our favorite tools to help make air frying easier:
Evo Oil Sprayer
Evo Oil Sprayer

We LOVE Evo Oil Sprayers. Not the prettiest, but they’re functional and spritz oil great! They don’t clog up like many others we’ve bought. There’s different styles, but all seem to have the same great spray head. Works great for grilling!

8.5" Square Blue Silicone Mat
Perforated Silicone Mat

There are Square Mats & Round Mats. These perforated non-stick silicone mats are used to cook food in your air fryer or steamer to minimize sticking. Holes allow hot circulating air to cook the food & keeps the food from sticking.

Perforated Parchment Paper
Perforated Parchment Paper

Parchment sheets are great for your air fryer or bamboo steamer (food tends to stick most on wire basket or tray). Choose from different sizes, shapes, white and brown (unbleached). Holes allow air to cook food evenly.

air fryer frozen hamburgers in basket
Air fryer frozen burgers hamburgers recipe
Air Fryer Frozen burgers patties

Air Fryer Burgers from Frozen Patties

Yield: 4 Burgers
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Timing will be most determined by how thick the burger patties are. Depending on your air fryer and cooked preference, you might need to add a little time for thicker patties, or a little less of thin patties. Some frozen patties come pre-seasoned, while others are not. Season to taste if needed. You don't need to thaw the burger patties before air frying. Do not preheat the air fryer before cooking the frozen patties.
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Ingredients

  • 4 frozen raw beef patties , usually sold as either 1/4 lb.(113g) or 1/3 lb.(150g)
  • salt , to taste if needed
  • Lots of black pepper
  • oil spray , for coating

Burger assembly:

  • 4 Buns , + optional cheese, pickles, lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, cooked bacon etc.

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Spray both sides of frozen burger patties with oil. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place the patties in the basket in a single layer. Cook in batches if needed.
    Spraying frozen patties with oil
  • For 1/4 lb. frozen burger patties: Air Fry at 360°F/180°C for a total of about 8-12 minutes. After the first 6 minutes flip the patties and continue to Air Frying at 360°F/180°C for another 2-6 minutes or until it’s cooked to your preferred doneness. The internal temperature should be 160°F/71°C. 
    Cooked 1/4 pound beef patties in air fryer
  • For 1/3 lb. frozen burger patties: Air Fry at 360°F/180°C for a total of about 12-16 minutes. After the first 10 minutes flip the patties and continue to Air Frying at 360°F/180°C for another 2-6 minutes or until it’s cooked to your preferred doneness. The internal temperature should be 160°F/71°C. 
    Cooked 1/3 pound beef patties in air fryer
  • For Cheeseburgers: add the slices of cheese on top of the cooked patties. Air fry at 360°F/180°C for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to melt the cheese.
    Adding cheese to cooked beef patty
  • Cover the patties and let rest for 3 minutes. Warm the buns in the air fryer at 380°F/193°C for about 3 minutes while patties are resting. Serve on buns, topped with your favorite burger toppings. 
    Finished burgers on plates

Notes

Nutrition based on 1/4 lb. patties and just bun. Optional toppings or 1/3 lb. patties will increase values. 

If your air fryer is preheated or if you are cooking multiple batches, you may need to reduce timing by a few minutes (unless preheating is called for in the recipe).

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 366kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 300mg, Potassium: 360mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 4mg
Course: Main Course, Sandwiches
Cuisine: American
Calories: 366

How to Make Air Fryer Burgers from Scratch with Fresh Ground Beef?

Here’s our Recipe for Air Fryer Burgers from Scratch, Homemade! If you want to make a homemade batch instead of using frozen burger patties in the air fryer, give it a try! It’s super simple to make and alot juicier. It also depends on the type of fresh ground beef that you select. Some beef has a higher content then others but the fat is what gives great flavor. After making a batch of homemade burgers in the air fryer, it’s hard to do it any other way. Well, our favorite is grilling burgers but learning how to air fryer burgers is a close second! Enjoy!

Uncooked patties in the air fryer

Low Carb or Keto Friendly Protein Burgers

Ditch the buns and make protein burger lettuce wraps! If you’re on the keto or low carb diet, replacing the buns with fresh crispy lettuce is great. It’s an easy way to eat healthier and add more greens to the air fryer burger patty. These burger lettuce wraps are super delicious and fresh. Add some extra pickles or cucumber slices for the extra crunch. If you want to try a vegan based burger here’s our recipe for air fryer beyond burgers

Best burger topping ideas 

No two burgers are alike, especially when it comes to toppings. Customize the burgers the way you want and all these ideas are perfect for a burger bar. If you’re having a party it’s easy to air fry burgers to order and they’ll be perfectly warm with toasty buns.

  • Different types of lettuce and greens can elevate a burger. Arugula, spinach, green leaf, red leaf and butter leaf are great foe burgers 
  • Sweet heirloom tomatoes are an amazing addition to hamburgers. 
  • Good cheeses like sharp cheddar, aged Swiss, smoked Gouda and blue cheese make a burger taste great. 
  • Add sauces like bbq sauce, flavorful hot sauce, Buffalo wing sauce and different cheese sauces. 
  • Hope you enjoy these air fryer frozen hamburgers!

Can you freeze air fryer burgers?

Yes, you definitely can. Allow it the patties to cool completely and then store them in air tight containers.

How to re-heat frozen hamburger patties that are already cooked?

We suggest allowing them to thaw first so that you don’t dry out the patties when you air fry them again. Once they are thawed, add a light spray of oil over the patties. Then air fry them at 360°F for about 3-4 minutes, OR until they are cooked to your liking. Sizes of patties can vary and so can the heat level of different air fryer models. But start at the base 3-4 minutes and then add more time if needed.

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