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Air Fryer Bubba Burgers cook up impossibly juicy in about 15 minutes straight from frozen, no grill and no flipping a hot skillet required. I make these on *busy weeknights* when the kids want burgers fast, and they go perfectly with a side of our chili cheese fries.
Frozen Bubba burgers, a little seasoning, and a hot air fryer make the juiciest hands off burgers in about 15 minutes.
Air Fryer Bubba Burgers Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 2 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 308kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Juicy, beefy, and savory with a seasoned, lightly crisp exterior
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our air fryer buffalo chicken tenders
Quick Answer
Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees. Spray the frozen Bubba burgers on both sides with olive oil and season with seasoned salt and pepper. Place them in a single layer in the basket, not touching, and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Add a slice of cheese and let it melt for 2 minutes, then build your burger with your favorite toppings.
Jump to:
- Air Fryer Bubba Burgers Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Air Fryer Bubba Burgers
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Air Fryer Bubba Burgers FAQs
- Other Recommended Cookout Recipes
- The Best Air Fryer Bubba Burgers
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Cook straight from frozen. Bubba burgers are designed to be cooked frozen, and the air fryer circulating heat cooks them evenly from the outside in without thawing first.
- The air fryer renders fat fast. The hot circulating air crisps the outside while the fat renders and bastes the inside, giving a juicy burger with a seared looking crust.
- A quick spray of oil helps browning. A light olive oil spray helps the seasoning stick and encourages that golden, grill-like exterior in the dry air fryer environment.
- Single layer, not touching, is key. Spacing the patties lets the air circulate all the way around each one so they cook evenly and brown on all sides.
- Carryover melts the cheese perfectly. Turning off the air fryer and adding cheese for 2 minutes uses the residual heat to melt it without overcooking the burger.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Frozen to plate in 20 minutes. No thawing, no grill, no babysitting a skillet. The same hands off magic as our air fryer buffalo chicken tenders.
- Juicy every time. The air fryer keeps Bubba burgers plump and juicy without flare ups or flipping headaches.
- Perfect for one or two. Make just a couple burgers without firing up the whole grill, ideal for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.
Key Ingredients
- Frozen Bubba burgers: The star. These all beef patties are made to cook from frozen, so no thawing needed. Use Original or any flavor you like.
- Olive oil spray: A light spray on both sides helps the seasoning stick and browns the exterior in the dry air fryer.
- Seasoned salt and black pepper: A simple seasoning that brings out the beefy flavor. Seasoned salt adds a little extra savory depth.
- American cheese: Optional, but a slice melted on at the end makes a classic cheeseburger. Use any melting cheese you love.
- Your favorite buns and toppings: Toasted buns, lettuce, tomato, onion, and condiments to build it your way.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Change the seasoning. Use burger seasoning, steak seasoning, garlic powder, or a steakhouse blend in place of seasoned salt.
- Switch the cheese. Cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss, or provolone all melt beautifully in the last 2 minutes.
- Make them sliders. Use smaller frozen patties and slider buns for a party platter, like our ham and Swiss sliders.
- Go low carb. Skip the bun and serve the patty over a salad or in a lettuce wrap.
- Add bacon. Air fry a few strips of bacon alongside for a quick bacon cheeseburger.
How to Make Air Fryer Bubba Burgers
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees for 5 minutes. Place the frozen Bubba burgers on a tray, spray both sides with olive oil, and season with seasoned salt and black pepper.
- Place the frozen burgers in the basket in a single layer, not touching, so the air can circulate around each one.
- Cook for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.
- If using cheese, turn off the air fryer, add a slice to each burger, and let sit 2 minutes until melted. Assemble on buns with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook from frozen. Do not thaw the Bubba burgers. They are made to go straight from the freezer to the air fryer.
- Preheat the air fryer. A hot basket gives the best browning and a more even cook.
- Do not crowd the basket. Leave space between patties so the air circulates and they brown on all sides.
- Use a meat thermometer. Pull the burgers at 160 degrees for a safe, juicy result. Cooking times vary by air fryer.
- Flip halfway. A single flip gives an even crust on both sides.
- Melt cheese off the heat. Add the cheese after turning off the air fryer so the residual heat melts it gently.
- Toast the buns. Pop the buns in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes at the end for a toasted finish.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Air fryer bubba burgers are a complete cookout in a basket. Pile them on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and all your favorite condiments, then serve with a side of our chili cheese fries or a scoop of our baked beans.
For a full backyard spread without the grill, serve these burgers alongside our slow cooker beer brats so everyone gets a choice. Top a burger with a spoonful of our hot dog chili for a chili cheeseburger twist.
They are also great for a quick lunch. Make one or two, add a handful of chips and a pickle spear, and you have an easy meal in 20 minutes. Leftover patties reheat well in the air fryer for a couple minutes.
Air Fryer Bubba Burgers FAQs
Cook frozen Bubba burgers in the air fryer at 370 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cooking times vary by air fryer, so always check that the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees with a meat thermometer.
No, you do not need to thaw Bubba burgers for the air fryer. They are designed to be cooked from frozen, which makes them perfect for the air fryer. Cooking from frozen keeps them juicy and is the most convenient way to make them.
Yes, you can air fry more than two Bubba burgers as long as they fit in a single layer without touching. Do not stack or crowd them, or they will steam instead of brown. Cook in batches if your air fryer basket is small.
Do I have to season Bubba burgers? You do not have to, since the patties are already seasoned, but a little seasoned salt, pepper, and a spray of oil add extra flavor and help the outside brown in the air fryer.
American cheese melts beautifully on air fryer bubba burgers for a classic cheeseburger, but cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss, and provolone all work great. Add the cheese in the last 2 minutes after turning off the air fryer.
Store leftover air fryer bubba burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through. Store the patties separately from the buns and toppings.
Other Recommended Cookout Recipes
If these Air Fryer Bubba Burgers made weeknight burgers easy, drop a star rating and let us know how they turned out. Photos of your loaded burgers on Pinterest always make our day.
Skip the grill for the whole cookout. Our perfect smash burgers give you crispy edged, juicy burgers when you do want that griddle crust.
For more hands off cookout food, our slow cooker beer brats braise low and slow in beer and onions while you relax.
Round out the plate with our baked beans, sweet, smoky, and the perfect burger side.
Once you trust the basket with burgers, graduate to our air fryer meatloaf with BBQ glaze.
The Best Air Fryer Bubba Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 frozen bubba burger patties
- olive oil spray
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 slices American cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for 5 minutes.
- While the air fryer is heating up, place the frozen bubba burgers on a sheet tray.
- Spray both sides with the olive oil spray and season with the seasoned salt and black pepper.
- Once the air fryer is heated, place the frozen burgers, not touching, into the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Close the air fryer and cook for 13-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Check for an internal temperature of 160 degrees f with a meat thermometer. If using cheese, turn off the air fryer and add a slice of cheese to each burger. Close the basket and let it sit for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Assemble, add your favorite burger toppings, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Use the seasonings in the recipe, use your own, or none at all! If you aren’t using seasonings you don’t need to use the olive oil spray.
- Custom options available; see my tips above on that.
- Use olive oil spray so you don’t damage the air fryer.
- Remember to add salt if your seasoning blend does not contain salt.
- Nutrition is not calculated with olive oil spray. Refer to the back of your bubba burger package for nutrition.
Nutrition
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