Total 20 minutes
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Make juicy, flavorful air fryer sausage with peppers and onions in minutes for a delicious family dinner, lunch, or game day meal.
Try my Air Fryer Steak Bites or Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin next!
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Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Sausage
- The air fryer cooks sausage fast, which locks in the juices and makes them flavorful and juicy.
- This recipe is quick and easy, ready in under 20 minutes with minimal prep.
- You can serve these juicy sausages on a platter or on a bun, making it versatile for dinner or lunch.
- Sausages are family-friendly and a breeze to prepare in the air fryer.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raw Sausages In Casings – You can air fry sausages of any variety and heat level. I'm using classic Italian sausages.
- Onion – Adds sweetness and texture to the dish.
- Bell Peppers – Use any color or variety of bell peppers for color, flavor, and crunch.
- Olive Oil or Oil Spray – Helps to crisp the veggies and ensures even cooking of the sausage surface.
- Salt and Pepper – These are basic seasonings to enhance the flavors. Feel free to any seasoning blends to your air fryer sausage links. Find out what's in Italian seasoning and make your own in a few minutes!
How to Make Air Fryer Sausage
- Let sausages rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This ensures efficient cooking, which leads to juicier results.
- Slice onions and bell peppers.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F.
- Place veggies in the air fryer basket and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake to coat.
- Place sausages on top of veggies and lightly coat with oil.
- Air fry for 8 minutes, flip sausages, and toss veggies.
- Air fry for another 8 minutes, or until sausages reach 160°F.
- Let sausages rest in a covered dish for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Resting sausage at room temperature (tempering) before air frying promotes efficient cooking, which yields juicier results. I always recommend not skipping this step!
- There's no need to pierce the sausages before air-frying. Doing so allows the juices to escape—we want them juicy!
- Slicing the vegetables too thin can cause them to become overly charred in the time it takes to fully cook sausage in the air fryer.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the sausages reach a minimum internal temperature of 160°F. Carryover cooking will bring them to 165°F.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Sausages: Use spicy or mild Italian sausages for a kick. Or switch up the protein by using chicken or turkey sausage.
- Different Veggies: Swap the peppers and onions with Brussels sprouts in this recipe.
- Cheese Lovers: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the sausages and onions before serving.
Serving options
You can serve air fryer sausages and peppers on a platter or on hot dog or hoagie buns with my homemade condiments like bbq sauce, tomato sauce, or my zesty Greek yogurt ranch. Recommended sides include:
- Mashed Potatoes or Smashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Green Beans or Air Fryer Mushrooms
- Kale Salad, Coleslaw, or Orzo Salad
More air fryer recipes
📖 Recipe
Juicy Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers
Make juicy, flavorful air fryer sausage with peppers and onions in minutes for a delicious family dinner, lunch, or game day meal.
Yield 3 (4-ounce) sausage links
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When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.
Ingredients
- 3 Uncooked Italian Sausages (in casings), or other variety
- ½ large Onion, sliced
- ½ pound Bell Peppers, sliced (2 large or 8 mini peppers)
- Olive Oil or Oil Spray, for coating
- Salt and Pepper, for seasoning
Instructions
- Rest the SAUSAGE at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Prep the ONIONS and BELL PEPPERS by slicing them into ½-inch strips.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F.
- Add BELL PEPPERS and ONIONS to the basket. Spray or drizzle OLIVE OIL and a sprinkle of SALT and PEPPER, shaking the basket to evenly coat.
- Place SAUSAGES directly on top of the vegetable bed. Lightly coat with oil.
- Air fry for 8 minutes, flip the sausages over and toss vegetables as needed.
- Air fry for another 8 minutes, or until sausage reaches 160°F internally.
- Rest sausage in a covered dish for 5 minutes. Carryover cooking will bring the internal temperature to 165°F. Continue air frying the vegetables to your desired texture.
- Transfer everything to a plate and serve warm.
- To store, cool leftovers completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Did you make this? We'd love your feedback!!Please rate and review it here or below ⤵️
Recipe Notes
- Resting sausage at room temperature (tempering) before air frying promotes efficient cooking, which yields juicier results. I always recommend not skipping this step!
- There's no need to pierce the sausages before air-frying. Doing so allows the juices to escape—we want them juicy!
- Slicing the vegetables too thin can cause them to become overly charred in the time it takes to fully cook sausage in the air fryer.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the sausages reach a minimum internal temperature of 160°F. Carryover cooking will bring them to 165°F.
Equipment
- chef knife and cutting board for onions and peppers
- air fryer
Nutrition
Serving: 1(4-ounce) sausage link | Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 823mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2367IU | Vitamin C: 101mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
What if my air fryer doesn’t go to 380°F?
Use the closest setting and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Do I need to pierce the sausages before air frying?
I don't recommend it. Doing so allows the juices to escape during cooking.
Can I air fry frozen sausages?
I recommend thawing them first to ensure they cook evenly in the air fryer and accurately reach the minimum internal temperature.
Cynthia says
I understand air fryers vary. However, your timing for the sausage peppers and onion recipe is not even close to what it took to cook.
Traci says
Hi Cynthia, hmmmm, that's concerning because 1) it's a very standard, thoroughly tested, air fryer sausage recipe and 2) in my experience with multiple air fryers, they don't vary enough to significantly throw off the timing. If you can share some details, we can troubleshoot. I’m here to help!
suja md says
I love how versatile this recipe is! So delicious!
Traci says
Yayy!! I feel the same way! Love how you serve on hot dog buns or on a platter. Either way, those peppers and onions are life! Enjoy!
Mahy says
This sausage makes me hungry. I can't wait to get to the weekend to try it out. Exciting!
Traci says
Lol I feel the same way about it. Hope you enjoy! Thanks!
Paula says
This sausage turned out perfectly in the air fryer! And the sandwiches were simply epic.
Traci says
Yay, I do agree! The air fryer has become my favorite way to prepare sausages! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!
Beth says
This is the best way I've ever cooked sausage. The outside was nicely golden and the inside was so juicy. Fantastic.
Traci says
Yay!! I have to agree – it has become my favorite way to cook Italian sausage. So glad you enjoyed! Thanks!
JB says
10/10! Tried these sausages in the air fryer for the first time and loved them! Juicy, flavorful, and boom, done in 20 minutes. The peppers and onions are a must!
kushi says
This air fryer sausage looks amazingly delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Traci says
You're so welcome. Thank you and enjoy!