Sausage in the Air Fryer
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Cooking sausage in the air fryer is our favorite way to get Italian sausage or bratwurst on the table! Hands off and super quick, the air fryer cooks sausage beautifully, with a perfect crisp skin.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- This air fryer method is SO easy. No standing over the stovetop while grease splashes everywhere, turning the sausages constantly to make sure they’re browned (not burnt) outside but still perfectly cooked inside. Here the air fryer does all the work, and it’s virtually hands-free! You just need to flip the sausages once, halfway through the cook time.
- Air fryer sausages come out perfectly cooked, every single time. Stovetop sausages can vary every time you make them if the heat is even slightly off, or if you flip them too many times, or not enough, or any number of little factors. Air fryer sausages are always beautifully crisp outside and outrageously juicy inside.
- It takes less than 20 minutes to go from fridge to table! Sausages make a great pairing with all sorts of things, too – roasted peppers and onions, potatoes, pasta with a cream sauce… you could even eat the sausages in buns or just on their own!
Key Ingredients
Sausage – Link sausages are literally the only ingredient you need for air fryer sausages! This method will work for any link sausage, so just pick your favorite (or try something new, it’s entirely up to you!). Smaller links, like breakfast sausages, will cook a little faster than thicker sausages like bratwursts. If you’re Whole30, make sure the sausages you use are Whole30-compliant!
Chef’s Tips
- For larger sausages or smaller air fryers, you may not be able to fit 5 link sausages in the basket at once. That’s okay! You can work in batches if you need to. The key is to make sure they’re laying in one even layer, not touching or overlapping, so the air can circulate completely. Any spot the air can’t reach is a spot the sausage won’t cook completely.
- Don’t pierce the skin of the sausages before you put them in the air fryer! The skin is there to hold in all the juices, and poking holes in it would just let all those juices run out during cooking.
- Air fryer smoking? No worries! Sausages are high in fat, and sometimes the dripping fat causes a little smoke. If you run into this, you can try putting a parchment paper made specifically for air fryers in the bottom of the basket, under the sausages. A little water in the bottom of the basket could help, too.
- Air fryers are phenomenal, but like with any appliance, one can be a little different from another. Keep an eye on your sausages in the air fryer the first time or two you make them, so you know exactly what cook time works best for your air fryer! Remember, with pork sausage, you want an internal temperature of at least 160° Fahrenheit.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
- Air Fryer Popcorn
- Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Air Fryer Cauliflower with Lemon-Garlic Aioli
- How to Reheat Pizza in an Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Fish Sticks
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
- Frozen Biscuits in Air Fryer
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Sausage in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 5 sausage links like Italian sausage or bratwurst, about 18 ounces
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Tongs
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 370° Fahrenheit. Place sausages in single layer in basket.
- Return basket to air fryer. Cook 13 minutes for a softer skin or 14 minutes for a nice browned exterior. Using tongs, flip sausages once midway through cooking.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Bronwyn says
Can you cook your chips with your sausages at the same time?
Megan | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says
You can, but they may need a different cook time and temperature. Also you want to be careful not to overcrowd the air fryer basket or the food won’t cook properly. The air has to be able to circulate fully around the food.
Our sister site has a great post about cooking fries (chips) in the air fryer if you want to do them separately! You can find it here: https://40aprons.com/air-fryer-frozen-french-fries/
Cathy Herbert says
Do you use frozen or thawed sausages??
Megan | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says
This is for defrosted/refrigerated sausages!
Kkm says
Love when the sausage is crispy.
Jessica Jarratt says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Terry says
Very difficult! (Pls understand sarcasm).
Jessica Jarratt says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Terry!
Vern says
Hey very interesting blog!
shelley says
so easy and better than b.b.q.
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Glad you enjoyed, Shelley! Thanks for your review!
Neil Chitel says
Use good quality sausage, so perfect
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Glad you enjoyed, Neil! Thanks for your review!
BiBi says
Super good . Easy and Fast!
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Yay, so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for the review!
Rose says
They were very good this way, if your grill is put away for the winter.
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Definitely the best way to prepare them in the winter! Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the review, Rose!
Lu says
So easy Italian sausage , peppers and onions sandwich so fast and crispy mmm
Molly | 40 Aprons Team says
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the review!