This Air Fryer Sausage Recipe is easy and makes perfectly cooked breakfast sausage links with no mess!
Pair these super easy breakfast sausage recipe with Fluffy Scrambled Eggs and tomatoes or with a stack of Classic Pancakes and warm maple syrup.
Breakfast sausage disappears quickly in our house, we usually have to make a lot so everyone has plenty to eat!
Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
Breakfast Sausage Links are fresh sausages made from ground pork, and usually a mix of spices like salt, black pepper, and sometimes seasoned with herbs like sage or even maple syrup!
Ingredients
Only one ingredient is needed in this recipe! It’s more of a method of cooking, rather than a recipe. But once you start cooking sausage in the air fryer, you’ll be hooked!
- Breakfast Sausage Links – raw, pre-made. Can be a flavored or plain variety.
How To Make Sausage in the Air Fryer
This method couldn’t be easier. The key is to make sure the meat is cooked to a safe temperature, which in this case is 160℉. You can use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature quickly.
Place Sausage in Air Fryer
Place the raw, uncooked breakfast sausage in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer, and try to space them out so they aren’t touching.
Cook Sausage
Cook the sausage links at 375℉ for 10 minutes, shaking the basket about halfway through to rotate the sausages.
It’s that easy! You’ll have freshly cooked, sausage links that are perfectly golden brown and very little mess to clean up.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- To ensure even cooking, use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the sausage reaches 160℉.
- You can use any variety of sausage you want! Spicy, blueberry-flavored, maple-flavored, or just plain.
- No need to spray or grease the tray of the air fryer.
Make Ahead and Storage
These are super easy to make ahead the night or a day or two before and then warm up briefly when ready to serve.
To Refrigerate: When cooked and cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: After cooling, transfer to an airtight freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Common Questions
Usually 10-15 minutes to reach 160℉ as long as they are raw or thawed if they have been frozen.
The trick is to cook them at a low enough temperature for the correct amount of time. Cooking at a high temperature for too long cooking them too quickly can cause them to burst open.
Air frying is a healthier alternative to pan frying since less/no oil is needed to cook them in an air fryer.
Yes! As long it is cooked to a safe temperature it is perfectly safe to cook beef, pork, turkey, chicken, etc. sausage in the air fryer.
Yes! No need to defrost those frozen sausages before adding them to your air fryer. Simply add them to the basket, cook for about 2 minutes, give them a quick shake to separate any frozen sausages and then continue cooking. Add a few extra minutes to total cook time, and cook until they’re golden brown and reach 160 degrees F.
Quick Breakfast Recipes
Utilizing the air fryer for a quick breakfast is a great way to get a nutritious and delicious meal on the table in a hurry. Here are a few more quick recipes you can whip up in no time.
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Crispy Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Freezer Friendly Breakfast Burritos
- Bacon Egg and Cheese Quesadillas
I hope you enjoy this super delicious and easy sausage in the air fryer as much as we do! Make sure you let me know how you like it in the air fryer versus a pan in the comments below.
Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
Ingredients
- 12 oz breakfast sausage
Instructions
- Place the uncooked breakfast sausage in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer, try to space them out so they aren't touching.
- Cook the sausage at 375 degrees F. for 10 minutes, shaking the basket about halfway through to rotate the sausages. Enjoy!
what brands sausage links did you use?
How much time need for frozen links? Must I defrost the links first?
No need to defrost the frozen sausage links! You can add them to the air fryer frozen and just add a few extra minutes to cook time. If they’re stuck together when frozen, just shake the air fryer basket after the first 2 minutes to help separate them, then continue cooking.
I feel this is important. In the question/answers and in the text of your instructions you give three different internal temps for the sausages. Which one do we go by? Thank you.
I’m so sorry! That could be very confusing. The appropriate temperature for cooked sausage should be 160 degrees F. Hope you enjoy!