Stuffing Balls in the Air Fryer
Stuffing balls usually compete with everything else for oven space on a roast day. In the air fryer they brown on all sides in about 15 minutes, with a crisp outside and a soft, herby middle, and the oven stays free for the meat and potatoes. This recipe uses pork sausage meat, with a vegetarian sage and onion version and timings for frozen and leftover stuffing too.
- Temperature
- 180°C
- Total time
- 35min
- Prep
- 20min
- Servings
- 4
- Core temp
- 75°C
- Per serving
- 320kcal
Why the air fryer works for stuffing balls
Making stuffing balls in air fryer baskets gives you the texture people love about the edges of a roasting-tin stuffing: crisp, deeply browned and slightly chewy, with a soft middle. Each ball is surrounded by hot air, so there is far more crust than in a baking dish, and the fat in the sausage meat helps the outside colour without any need to baste.
It is also a time saver. A roast dinner needs the oven for the joint and the potatoes, and stuffing balls in air fryer baskets take only 15 minutes, so they can go in while the meat rests. A 4–6 litre basket takes 12 balls in one layer; if you are cooking for a large crowd, cook them in two rounds and keep the first batch warm under foil.
How to make stuffing balls in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Soften the onion Fry the chopped onion in the oil over a medium heat for , until soft but not brown. Tip it into a large bowl and leave it to cool for a few minutes.
- Mix the stuffing Add the sausage meat, breadcrumbs, sage and egg to the bowl, plus a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper. Mix with your hands until it holds together. If it feels dry, add 1 tbsp of water.
- Shape the balls Divide the mixture into 12 balls about the size of a golf ball, roughly 40 g each. Roll them firmly, as loose balls crumble. For a crisper finish, brush them with a little oil.
- Preheat and cook Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C for . Place the balls in a single layer with a little space between them and cook for , shaking the basket or turning them after .
- Check the temperature Push a meat thermometer into the centre of the largest ball. Because the mixture contains minced meat, it must reach 75 °C all the way through (the FSA says food is safe at 75 °C for 30 seconds). Rest for and serve hot.
Cooking times and temperatures
| Stuffing Balls | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sausage stuffing balls, 40 gTurn halfway, 75 °C in the centre | 180 °C | 14–16 min |
| Vegetarian sage and onion ballsUse vegetable suet and extra egg | 180 °C | 12 min |
| Frozen stuffing ballsTurn once | 180 °C | 15–18 min |
| Reheating cooked ballsSteaming hot, 75 °C | 160 °C | 4–5 min |
| Mini balls, 20 g | 180 °C | 9–10 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size of the food and the power of your air fryer. Cooked when the centre reaches 75 °C. See also cooking times and temperatures for all dishes.
You may also like: Christmas dinner in an air fryer
Tips
- Chop the onion finely. Large pieces make the balls crumble and stay raw in the centre. Cooking the onion first also removes the sharpness.
- Keep the sizes even. Weigh the first ball and match the rest to it, so that they all finish at the same time and reach the safe temperature together.
- Do not skip the thermometer. Colour tells you little about minced meat. Probe the largest ball and look for 75 °C.
Serving
Serve the stuffing balls with a turkey crown, roast chicken or a pork roast, and plenty of gravy. They are also good at Christmas, alongside the other dishes in our Christmas dinner in the air fryer guide. Or tuck one into a sandwich of cold turkey and cranberry sauce for Boxing Day.
Storing and reheating
Cooked stuffing balls keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge, and they freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat them in the air fryer at 160 °C for 4–5 minutes, until crisp and steaming hot all the way through (75 °C). Reheat leftovers only once.
Variations
- Vegetarian sage and onion: Replace the sausage meat with 150 g more breadcrumbs, 50 g vegetable suet, 1 extra egg and 2 tbsp of milk. Cook for 12 minutes at 180 °C. This version needs no core temperature check.
- Apple and cranberry: Add 1 grated eating apple and 2 tbsp dried cranberries to the sausage mixture for a sweeter ball that goes well with pork.
- Bacon wrapped: Wrap each ball in half a rasher of streaky bacon and cook for 16–18 minutes at 180 °C, until the bacon is crisp and the centre reaches 75 °C.
Troubleshooting
- The stuffing balls fall apart
- The mixture was too dry or too loosely rolled. Add the egg, press the mixture firmly together and chill the balls for 15 minutes before cooking so they hold their shape.
- The outside is dark but the middle is not hot
- The balls were too large or the heat too fierce. Keep them to 40 g each, check the centre with a thermometer and lower the temperature to 170 °C for another 3–4 minutes if needed.
- The stuffing balls are dry
- Too many breadcrumbs or too long in the basket. Use the amounts given, soften the onion in oil first and take the balls out as soon as they reach 75 °C.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cook stuffing in an air fryer?
Yes. Shaped into balls, stuffing browns evenly in a basket-style air fryer. A whole tray of stuffing is better in the oven, as it needs a deeper dish.
How long do stuffing balls take in an air fryer?
Fresh sausage stuffing balls take 14–16 minutes at 180 °C. Vegetarian stuffing balls need about 12 minutes, and frozen ones 15–18 minutes.
How do you cook frozen stuffing balls in the air fryer?
Cook them straight from frozen at 180 °C for 15–18 minutes, turning once. Meat versions must reach 75 °C in the centre and be steaming hot.
Can you reheat leftover stuffing balls in the air fryer?
Yes. Heat them at 160 °C for 4–5 minutes until crisp and steaming hot all the way through (75 °C).
Do stuffing balls need oil?
A light brush of oil helps them brown. Sausage meat contains a lot of fat, so the balls will not stick if you skip it.
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