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.
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!
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.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- 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
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.
Step 2: Cook for about 5 minutes, and then turn the sausages.
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.
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.
FAQ’s
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.
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.
More Air Fryer Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this Air Fryer Italian Sausage recipe! If you do get a chance to make this, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Air Fryer Italian Sausage
INGREDIENTS
- 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.