If you haven’t made Italian sausage in the air fryer you should do it. They are juicy and the skin gets crispy on the outside. The air fryer Italian sausage comes out perfect every time. I like to also make some peppers and onions with the sausages and pile it all into a hoagie roll.
I love my air fryer. I am using the Cosori 5.8 quart model and it produces some of the most consistent air fry cooking results. Sausage cooked in the air fryer is so much easier than cooking them in a skillet.
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Full Ingredients and Instructions in Recipe Card
I am going to show you exactly step by step how to cook Italian sausage in the air fryer. Follow my foolproof step by step method and soon you will love Italian sausages in the air fryer too.
The Italian sausages that I used in this recipe were Italian sausages that I got at Trader Joes. This time I got the HOT Italian sausage because I was being adventurous but they also have Mild Italian sausage which is also fine for this recipe if you do not like spicy.
How to Cook Italian Sausage in Air Fryer
Before we even get into how to cook the sausage links in the air fryer I want to give you a tip. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper like the picture above. Not only will it cut down on the smoking of the air fryer but it will also make cleanup easier.
The parchment paper trick in the air fryer is a great trick for chicken wings too. Put that tip in the vault. Do NOT poke holes in the sausages. If you would rather jump to recipe it is at the bottom of the page.
Step 1 – Line the Air Fryer Basket with Parchment Paper
The reason that you want to line the air fryer basket with parchment paper is to absorb the grease which will cut down on the smoke created during cooking. It will also make cleanup easier.
Step 2 – Preheat Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees. I do recommend preheating you air fryer even though it is not required. I feel it make the skin a bit crispier if preheated.
Step 3 – Place Sausages in Air Fryer
Put sausages in the air fryer in a single layer leaving some space in between for good air circulation. Close the air fryer and set your timer for a total cooking time of 20 minutes.
Step 4 – Saute Peppers and Onions
Even though this recipe is just about cooking sausage in the air fryer I threw together some peppers and onions with the sausages because I think they’re delicious.
If you would like to also do the peppers and onions all that I did was slice up pepper and onion and saute them in a Tablespoon of olive oil for about 15 minutes over medium heat.
Step 5 – Flip the Sausages and Finish Cooking
After 15 minutes of cooking time open the air fryer and flip the sausage. At this point, they should be looking almost done. Once you flipped fry sausages 5 more minutes and they should be done.
How Long to Cook Italian Sausage in Air Fryer?
Generally, I find that the cooking time for sausages in the air fryer is about 20 minutes. Of course, this depends on the size of the sausages. I like to use a food probe thermometer and cook Italian sausage to an internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kitchen Essentials and Items Used
Cosori Air Fryer 5.8 Quart
Thermopro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer
DALSTRONG Nakiri Asian Vegetable Knife – Gladiator Series
Niman Ranch Pork, Sausage Spicy Italian Links
Italian Air Fryer Sausage Links
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Trader Joes Italian Sausage
- 1 Onion Sliced
- 1 Pepper Red or Green Sliced
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer to 360 Degrees
- Line air fryer basket with parchment paper
- Place sausages in single layer in air fryer basket
- Set timer for 20 minutes
- Flip sausages after 15 minutes cooking time
- Cook sausages five more minutes till done
Saute Peppers and Onions
- Place sliced peppers and onions in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat
- Saute 15 minutes stirring often until desired doneness
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Thanks for this article, very helpful for me. I was thinking of buying an air fryer or not. Your recipe looks wonderful! Many thanks from Italy. Xristina
Thanks again…wonderful. I was lazy so I simply put the peppers and onions on the parchment paper and laid the sausages on top…all cooked to perfection and one less pan for cleanup.
I did this for our evening meal today, absolutely lovely, quick and tasty ! and was requested for next week too !