This air fryer meatloaf is a spot on copycat of Cracker Barrel’s classic meatloaf recipe. Made right in the air fryer, you can make this in under an hour for your entire family for less than the cost of one meal out!

This Southern girl loves Cracker Barrel.

Biscuits, cornbread, cheesy hashbrown casserole, and their meatloaf of course.

It’s juicy, perfectly seasoned and slathered in the best sauce.

And my air fryer meatloaf is a pretty close homemade version of their classic recipe so you can enjoy it anytime!

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Ground beef– Lean ground beef. Don’t use a fattier beef or it will cook down and get very greasy.
Ritz crackers– Crushed
Milk
Onion– Diced yellow onion
Eggs
Cheese– Shredded cheddar cheese
Spices– Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Sauce ingredients– Ketchup, brown sugar, and yellow mustard

How to Make

To make this copycat Cracker Barrel meatloaf in the air fryer, start by adding all of the meatloaf ingredients except for the sauce ingredients to a large mixing bowl.

Stir it together until it’s evenly combined.

Then, shape the meatloaf and put the loaf shape on a piece of parchment paper.

Set it in the basket of your air fryer.

Once you’ve got the meatloaf assembled, make the sauce.

Just whisk together the sauce ingredients together in a smaller bowl until evenly combined.

Then, spread half of the sauce mixture evenly out over the top of the meatloaf.

Air fry the meatloaf at 360° for 35-40 minutes.

Open the basket and spread the remaining sauce evenly out overtop of the meatloaf, then cook it for an additional 5 minutes to let the sauce thicken.

Carefully transfer the hot meatloaf to a cutting board.

Let it rest for 5 full minutes.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat it in the air fryer or in the oven or microwave until warmed through.

What to Serve with Meatloaf

You can never go wrong when you pair meatloaf with:

Tips and Tricks

Make sure you use lean ground beef. Fattier beef will make the meatloaf incredibly greasy and it will also shrink it quite a bit.
Don’t skip letting the meatloaf rest. If you cut into it right away all the juices will run out and it could dry out the loaf.
Leftovers make fantastic meatloaf sandwiches!

Other Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipes

Air fryer meatloaf is one of my very favorite ways to make a version of the classic Cracker Barrel dish.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other copycat Cracker Barrel recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this AIR FRYER MEATLOAF, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

air fryer meatloaf on a small white platter

Air Fryer Meatloaf (Copycat Cracker Barrel Recipe)

This air fryer meatloaf is a spot on copycat of Cracker Barrel's classic meatloaf recipe. Made right in the air fryer, you can make this in under an hour for your entire family for less than the cost of one meal out!

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Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55

Servings:

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Meaghan - The Quicker Kitchen

Ingredients

For The Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
30 Ritz crackers crushed
2/3 cup milk
1/2 yellow onion diced
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
pinch garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

For The Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp yellow mustard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add all of the meatloaf ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Stir together (or mash with clean hands) until evenly combined.
Shape the meatloaf into a loaf-ish shape on a piece of parchment paper. Set it in the basket of your air fryer.
In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients- until evenly combined.
Spread half of the sauce mixture evenly out over the top of the meatloaf.
Air fry the meatloaf at 360° for 35-40 minutes.
Open the basket and spread the remaining sauce evenly out overtop of the meatloaf, then bake an additional 5 minutes.
Carefully transfer the hot meatloaf to a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 full minutes.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Make sure you use lean ground beef. Fattier beef will make the meatloaf incredibly greasy and it will also shrink it quite a bit.
Don't skip letting the meatloaf rest. If you cut into it right away all the juices will run out and it could dry out the loaf.
Leftovers make fantastic meatloaf sandwiches!