Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (2024)

HomeCooking MethodAir Fryer

Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (1)

Cheryl MalikPosted: 03/05/21Updated: 12/07/21

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GFGluten FreeDFDairy FreePPaleoKKetoLCLow Carb30Whole30

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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.

Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (2)

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.
Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (3)

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Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (4)

5 from 31 votes

Sausage in the Air Fryer

Prep:5 minutes minutes

Cook:14 minutes minutes

Total:19 minutes minutes

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.

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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.

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (5)

  • 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.

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (6)

Notes

Recipe yields 5 cooked sausages. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving, or 1 cooked sausage. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brand and type of sausages used.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1sausage | Calories: 388kcal | Protein: 16g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Total Carbs: 1g | Net Carbs: 1g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 819mg | Potassium: 283mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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,notincluding 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.

Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (7)

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  1. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (8)Eleanor Lecker says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (9)
    Perfect sausages.

    Reply

  2. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (11)Kathleen says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (12)
    A great way to cook sausage. Juicy & crispy skin.

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (13)Jessica | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      So glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen!

      Reply

  3. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (14)Beth says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (15)
    Juicyest sausages ever! Cooked evenly slightly crispy on the out side and so juicy on the inside. My new favourite way to cook sausages

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (16)Jessica | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing, Beth.

      Reply

  4. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (17)Lisa Biggs says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (18)
    Wonderful sausages !

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (19)Megan | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      So glad you enjoyed them, Lisa! Thanks for the review!

      Reply

  5. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (20)James Schwartz says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (21)
    What is the temperature and length of time for Brats or Italian Sausages

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (22)Jessica | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      Hi James! We actually have another recipe specifically for brats in the air fryer!

      https://easyhealthyrecipes.com/air-fryer-brats/

      Reply

  6. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (23)Blackavar says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (24)
    You deserve recognition for this great, simple recipe. My leek and feta sausages turned out perfectly. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (25)Jessica | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      So glad they turned out perfectly!

      Reply

  7. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (26)Anita Dunkin says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (27)
    It sounds scrumptious cooking it now

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (28)Jessica | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      Hope you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  8. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (29)Tim says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (30)
    I’ve done this cooking process with country garlic sausage about 4 times now. Doing it again tonight. Airfryer sausage is absolutely amazing. Recomend a little water in your tray if it starts smoking. So GOOD.

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (31)Jessica Jarratt says

      Country garlic sausage sounds delish! Thanks for sharing, Tim!

      Reply

  9. Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (32)StephG2017 says

    Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (33)
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing, easy recipe!!

    Reply

    • Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (34)Megan | Easy Healthy Recipes Team says

      So happy you enjoyed it, Steph!

      Reply

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Perfectly Cooked Sausage in the Air Fryer - Easy Healthy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are sausages healthier cooked in an air fryer? ›

If you're cooking a food that you wouldn't normally add fat to when you cook it, whether that's ready-made oven chips, bacon, sausages or breaded chicken, being cooked in an air fryer is unlikely to make it healthier.

What is the healthiest way to cook sausages? ›

In summary, it is important to cook raw — or even pre-cooked — sausages completely before you eat them. This can be done in many ways. The healthiest way to cook them is by boiling or baking. Also, make sure you don't eat overly charred or burnt sausages, which can have high amounts of harmful compounds.

How long do you cook sausages in the air fryer? ›

Pierce the sausages a few times all over using a sharp knife (this is optional, but will help release more fat). Arrange the sausages in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 180C and cook for 10-15 mins, turning every 5 mins, until the sausages are cooked through.

How long to heat fully cooked sausage in air fryer? ›

Heating Fully-Cooked Sausages In The Air Fryer

Cook them for 4-5 minutes at 400°F, just until lightly browned in places. For a kielbassa ring, or unsliced kielbassa link, I cook it about 7 minutes at 400F, just to get some crispy skin. You can get other kinds of fully-cooked sausage links at the grocery store.

Why are people getting rid of air fryers? ›

People getting rid of air fryers in favour of kitchen appliance that's cheaper to run. Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy.

What are the negatives of cooking in an air fryer? ›

What are Disadvantages of Using an Air Fryer? Air fryers vary in the amount of foods they can hold, but usually do not have a large capacity. Air fryers may not be convenient when cooking for large groups. Foods that are air fried have different sensory characteristics than foods that are deep fried.

Can I fry an egg in the air fryer? ›

Frying an egg in an air fryer is much easier than you might imagine with this simple air fryer fried egg recipe. Simply crack your eggs into a small skillet, or metal heatproof dish, season and air fry! Try it served with smashed avocado, buttery toast and chopped chives. Looking for more Air Fryer recipes?

Can you put tin foil in an air fryer? ›

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

How do you keep sausages from bursting in an air fryer? ›

Prick before you cook.

Using a knife to prick an Italian sausage before you air-fry it helps the steam escape. As a result, the air fryer sausage stays in one piece, and you avoid bursting or splitting it.

Can you eat fully cooked sausage without heating? ›

A: It depends on the type of sausage. While cured or smoked sausages like salami can be eaten without additional cooking, fresh sausages must be cooked to the appropriate internal temperature for safety.

How to cook perfect sausage? ›

Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then add the sausages. A little of the fat from the sausages will start to come out as they warm up; turn the sausages in the hot fat to coat them. Keep cooking for 15-20 mins, moving them around in the pan and turning them over regularly so they all cook evenly.

Is food cooked in an air fryer healthier? ›

By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.

Is it healthier to cook in an air fryer or oven? ›

The evidence so far suggests that air frying is healthier than deep-frying, but it's not necessarily healthier than pan frying or baking in an oven. What really matters is your overall dietary pattern and the quality of the food you're eating.

Is air frying healthier than grilling? ›

Air fryers vs.

Manufacturers designed air fryers to create a more healthful way to cook deep-fried foods, not to replace traditional, healthful methods of preparing foods, such as roasting and grilling. Deep-fried foods tend to contain a lot more fat than foods cooked in other ways.

How many calories are in 2 air fried sausages? ›

Nutritional information & Macros
Amount Per Serving
Calories150
Fat13g
Protein8g
Total Carbs0g
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