No mess and no fuss, these Air Fryer Sausage Links are the perfect addition to your breakfast table. Making sausage links in the air fryer is my favorite way to cook up sausages fresh for breakfast with minimal cleanup. This is also a great way to meal prep them ahead for grab-and-go breakfasts. And the best part of all is no grease splatter mess on your stovetop!
Why cook breakfast sausage in the air fryer? The answer is no splattering mess all over your stovetop! This air fryer sausage link recipe is also perfect if you’re cooking for just a few people.
Watch how to make Air Fryer Sausage Links
If you need larger quantities you’ll want to work in batches or roast them in the oven for big batches. But for your average day, cooking breakfast sausage in the air fryer is my preferred method.
It’s just so easy and I love not having a mess to clean up on my stove from frying. They also come out of the air fryer perfectly browned, juicy, with a slightly crispy skin. It’s really just a winner all the way around!
Note: this air fryer sausage links recipe is really more of a method since it’s only 1 ingredient with no prep time required. But we love making these air fryer breakfast sausage links every week, and I wanted to share exactly how we make them!
Also, you can make this with different kinds of sausage links as long as they’re about 1/2″ across. You don’t want to cook larger sausages like Italian sausage at this high temperature because it will brown too much before it’s cooked through.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Breakfast Sausage Links – you can use fresh or pre-cooked sausage links here in this recipe. There are times listed in the recipe for both. But mainly what you’re looking for is a breakfast link sausage size, the cook times and temperatures aren’t for full-sized sausages. I’ve used both pork sausages and chicken sausages, and they’re been great. Choose your favorite brand of sausage links that you love the flavor of.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by placing the sausage links into your air fryer basket in a single layer leaving a bit of space between each sausage. Place the air fryer basket into the air fryer and air fry sausage links at 400ºF for half of the cooking time.
Step 2: Turn the sausages halfway through the cooking time to make sure they brown evenly. Finish the cooking time by making sure they’re done in the center if you started with raw sausages.
For pre-cooked sausages, you’re looking for browning and the sausages to be heated through.
Ways to serve this
- Serve these sausage links with your favorite breakfast or brunch recipes. They’re perfect served with my Veggie Breakfast Casserole and Paleo Blueberry Muffins.
- Or serve them with my Veggie Scrambled Eggs and Almond Flour Banana Muffins or Paleo Pumpkin Muffins. They’re also great with a drizzle of maple syrup alongside my Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes or hash browns and over easy eggs.
- I like to meal prep these to have them for the week ahead. They make a great protein-packed snack. But I also like to pack them for Tyler for his breakfast at work alongside hardboiled eggs and fresh fruit.
FAQ’s
Around 10-12 minutes at 400ºF is the sweet spot for sausage links in the air fryer. The high temperature is very important to properly brown the sausages before drying them out. You’ll find more details in the recipe card as well for how to cook pre-cooked sausage links in the air fryer.
I’ve found a high temperature of 400ºF to be key for the perfect browning without overcooking. But you will find more tips in the recipe for perfect sausage links every time. In addition, each air fryer is slightly different and it doesn’t hurt to use this recipe as a starting point for finding out what’s best for your air fryer.
The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 160ºF. If you cut a sausage link in half there won’t be any pink remaining but the sausages should still be juicy.
Storing leftovers
- To store – store leftover cooked sausage links in an airtight container in the fridge. These sausage links will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Make ahead – these are great for meal prep to have on hand for grab-and-go breakfasts or quick protein-packed snacks.
- Reheating – gently reheat these sausage links in a small covered skillet with a touch of water until heated through. Or you can microwave them. You can also pop them back into the air fryer at 350ºF for 3-5 minutes.
- To freeze – these freeze well and are perfect to prep ahead. Place the cooked sausage links into an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t be afraid of cooking at high temperatures for sausage links. The high temperature helps to brown sausage links perfectly. As noted in the recipe, cooking times and temperatures can vary. I use sausage without any added sugar which will brown slightly differently. Any sausage links with sugar will brown more easily and you can adjust your air fryer time and temperature accordingly.
- Sausage links cook best and most evenly when they’re not frozen, so I do recommend defrosting first. However, you can cook frozen sausage links in an air fryer by separating them and cooking them at 370ºF for 12-15 minutes turning them halfway through.
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Dairy-free – be sure to check the ingredient label to be sure the breakfast sausage links you buy are dairy free. Sometimes there are dairy products or cheese are added.
- Paleo & Whole30 – check the ingredient label to make sure there is no added dairy and for Whole30 check additionally to make sure everything is compliant and there’s no added sugar.
More Sausage Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy these Air Fryer Sausage Links! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. For more air fryer recipes, try my Air Fryer Ribeye and Air Fryer Asparagus.
Air Fryer Sausage Links
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound breakfast sausage links - raw and defrosted see notes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the breakfast sausage links to the air fryer basket leaving a bit of space in between each sausage link for even cooking. My air fryer fits 1/2 a pound, so I cook 2 batches.
- Place the air fryer basket into your air fryer and cook at 400ºF (you don't need to preheat with this temperature) for 10-12 minutes, turning/shaking the sausages halfway through for even browning.
- The sausages are done when they reach an internal temperature of 160ºF and no pink remains in the center. Serve immediately.
when I make this sausage in the air fryer, I am lucky to have any left to use for breakfast, they are great as a quick snack with peppers and sausage during the day
So glad you’re enjoying them, and I love them for a quick protein snack as well!
I made these this morning because I didn’t want to dirty a skillet. I had to cook them a bit longer than the recipe called for (17 minutes) but they came out great with no mess. Definitely saving this one.
So glad you enjoyed these! The cooking time difference could be your air fryer or the size of your sausage links but I’m glad to hear it came out well and I love that there’s no mess too.
What brand of sausage did you use for this recipe (pictures)?
The brand of sausages is called Beeler’s Pure Pork and it’s their Breakfast Sausage Links. I sure hope you enjoy these, we just made them again over the weekend and they’re so tasty!