Air Fryer Italian Sausage

Easy to make and perfect with so many side dishes, these Air Fryer Italian Sausages will be your new favorite dinner! One of the best things about cooking sausage in the air fryer is the minimal cleanup with no stovetop splattering or mess. There are tips below for all sorts of ways to serve these sausages, as well as how to choose a gluten-free and dairy-free sausage if needed. Mild and spicy Italian sausages are super tasty and great for any weeknight family dinner.

Four Italian sausages browned and partially sliced on a pottery plate with a wood handled knife on the side. - 2

Different flavors of sausage are one of my favorite things to make in the Air Fryer. It’s super easy and makes perfectly browned sausages with no stovetop mess!

Watch How To Make Air Fryer Italian Sausage

It started with my Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage Links, and from there, we’ve been making protein in the air fryer almost every day of the week. And if you work from home, it’s the perfect way to have a quick and easy lunch if you don’t have leftovers in the fridge.

Today we’re making Italian Sausage Links in the air fryer, and it’s so good! Try it with my One Pot Mac and Cheese or Garlic Parmesan Pasta .

Four sliced browned Italian sausages on a pottery plate with a brown linen on the side of the plate. - 3

Ingredients & Substitutions

Four raw Italian sausages on a white plate on a wood cutting board. - 4

Italian sausage – you can use either mild Italian sausage or hot Italian sausage, depending on what you’re in the mood for. Ingredients vary a lot in Italian sausage, so be sure to check the labels if you need the sausages to be gluten-free and/or dairy-free.
I use sausages that are 4 ounces each for reference. If your sausages are smaller, larger, or vary in diameter, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time.

How to make this recipe step by step

Placing the Italian sausages into an air fryer with a pair of tongs. - 5

Step 1: Preheat the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 400ºF.

Then add the sausages in a single layer to the air fryer basket, leaving space between each.

Turning the Italian sausages over halfway through the cooking time with a pair of tongs. - 6

Step 2: Cook for about 5 minutes, and then turn the sausages.

Finished browned Italian sausages being removed from the air fryer with a pair of tongs. - 7

Step 3 : Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the sausages are browned and reach an internal temperature of 160°F with a meat thermometer.

Finished Italian sausage on a pottery plate with two sausages partially sliced. - 8

Ways to serve this

Serve these air-fried sausages with Creamy Mashed Cauliflower and Sautéed Green Beans . Or with my Best Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli .
These sausages are great with pasta, Creamy Tomato Pasta , Pasta with Simple Marinara Sauce , Mac & Cheese , Garlic Parmesan Pasta , or One Pot Caprese Pasta .
Serve these sausages with Apple Spinach Salad or Strawberry Spinach Salad for a light dinner, or pair them with my mashed potatoes , sweet potatoes , or mashed cauliflower for a complete meal.
You can also slice these up and add them to my Easy Green Salad and drizzle it all with Homemade Italian Dressing .
Add some veggies with sautéed onions and bell peppers, or cook the veggies in the air fryer too, if yours is large enough, and serve it all with buns or mashed potatoes.

Italian sausages cook on average for 8-10 minutes in the air fryer, depending on the temperature used and the size of the sausages.

Certain brands of Italian sausages is gluten-free and dairy-free, but you want to check carefully. There are a lot of brands that do add cheese to their Italian sausage. Mulay’s makes a great gluten-free & dairy-free Italian sausage.

Storing leftovers

To store – place any leftovers into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make ahead – these are best made fresh, but the leftovers do reheat fairly well if you want to make them ahead.
Reheating – place leftover sausage links into a fry pan, add a bit of water, cover and cook over medium heat until the water evaporates. This keeps the sausages the juiciest, but I also like to slice them up and add them to scrambled eggs or a quick salad for lunch.
To freeze – freeze any leftovers whole or sliced for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. I like to freeze them sliced so they defrost quickly and can be thrown into a quick pasta dish.

Four browned Italian sausages on a pottery plate with a wood handled knife near the plate. - 9

Tips & Tricks

If your air fryer is clean, it usually won’t smoke unless a sausage springs a leak while cooking. If it begins to smoke, you can add some water to the bottom of the air fryer to help. You can also use air fryer liners for easier cleanup.
All air fryers are different, so use this recipe as a starting point to observe how yours works. You want the sausages to be 160ºF to be food safe.
This recipe is for pork sausage, if you use a turkey or chicken sausage, be very careful not to overcook them because they will dry out more.

Dietary Options & Substitutions

Dairy-free & Gluten-Free – not all Italian sausage is dairy-free; some brands add cheese to their sausages. Be sure to check the labels to make sure it’s gluten-free as well!
Paleo & Whole30 – Mulay’s makes Italian sausage that is both paleo and Whole30 compliant without any additives, and it tastes amazing too.

Four browned Italian sausages on a pottery plate with two sausages partially sliced and a wood handled knife on the side of the plate. - 10

More Air Fryer Recipe Inspiration

Air Fryer Sausage Links
Ribeye in the Air Fryer
Air Fryer Asparagus

INGREDIENTS1x2x3x

1 pound Italian sausage links - 4

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 400ºF, then add the sausages in a single layer, leaving space between each.
Air fry for about 5 minutes, and then turn the sausages.
Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the sausages are browned and reach 160ºF.

NOTES

nutrition facts