Air-Fryer Italian Sausage Links: Quick, Crispy, Juicy

Cooking Italian sausage links in an air fryer is a quick, easy, and versatile method. It is also a great way to save time and money on your energy bill. The air fryer cooks the sausages evenly, resulting in a juicy interior and a crisp, brown exterior. The cooking time and temperature depend on the thickness of the sausages, but generally, it takes around 10-12 minutes at 360-400°F (180-200°C). You can serve the sausages with peppers and onions, pasta, or in a sandwich.

Characteristics and Values Table for Cooking Italian Sausage Links in an Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 360-400°F

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures your sausages cook evenly and efficiently. The ideal temperature range for cooking Italian sausage links in an air fryer is 360-400°F.

Different recipes recommend different temperatures within this range. Some suggest preheating your air fryer to 360°F for 3-5 minutes. This temperature is perfect for cooking your sausages for 10-12 minutes, flipping them halfway through. This will give you a nice, even cook.

Other recipes suggest a higher temperature of 400°F. This higher temperature is great for getting a crispy, brown crust on the outside of your sausages. It also means your sausages will cook faster, reducing the risk of drying out. At 400°F, your sausages will only need 8-12 minutes, depending on their thickness.

You can also cook your sausages at 370°F for 8-10 minutes. This is a good option if you're cooking frozen Italian sausage links.

Remember, the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your sausages and the model of your air fryer, so keep an eye on them to ensure they don't overcook or burn.

Cook for 10-12 minutes

Once your sausages are in the air fryer, you'll want to cook them for 10-12 minutes. It's important to remember that the cooking time will depend on the thickness of your sausages. Thinner sausages will take less time, while thicker sausages will take longer. For example, breakfast sausages are thinner and will take around 8-10 minutes, whereas Italian sausages are thicker and will take 9-13 minutes.

You should also ensure that you flip your sausages halfway through the cooking process to ensure they cook evenly. This will help to keep them juicy on the inside, while getting a nice, crispy exterior. You can also rotate the sausages every 5 minutes for even cooking.

If you're cooking frozen sausages, you can cook them straight from frozen, but they will take a little longer—around 8-12 minutes.

The ideal internal temperature for cooked sausages is 160-165°F, so you can use a meat thermometer to check that your sausages are done.

Flip halfway through

Flipping your Italian sausage links halfway through the cooking process is an important step in ensuring they cook evenly. This is because air fryers cook food by circulating hot air around it, and flipping your sausages allows all sides to be exposed to the hot air. This results in a sausage with a crisp and brown exterior that is juicy on the inside.

To flip your sausages, you should use tongs. This will help you to avoid burning yourself on the hot air fryer basket. When flipping, be sure to flip the sausages over so that the side that was facing up is now facing down. This will ensure that all sides of the sausages are cooked evenly.

It is important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your sausages. Thinner sausages will take less time to cook, while thicker sausages will take longer. For example, breakfast sausages, which are thinner, will take about 8-10 minutes to cook, while thicker sausages like Italian sausage or bratwurst will take 9-12 minutes.

Additionally, it is recommended to rotate the sausages every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. This will help to prevent the sausages from drying out and ensure that they are juicy and cooked through.

Serve with peppers and onions

To serve your air-fried Italian sausages with peppers and onions, you can cook the vegetables in the air fryer alongside the sausages. First, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Then, in a large bowl, toss the peppers and onions with olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Place the vegetables in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes.

If you want to cook the peppers and onions separately, you can sauté them in a skillet on the stovetop. Simply heat some olive oil in a pan, add the sliced peppers and onions, and cook until softened and slightly browned. You can also add other ingredients to the skillet, such as diced potatoes, to make a heartier dish.

Another option is to hollow out bell peppers and stuff them with a mixture of cooked Italian sausage, rice, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. Place the stuffed peppers in the air fryer and cook until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted.

You can also get creative with your peppers and onions by adding them to a sausage sandwich. Slice a sausage roll 3/4 of the way down, stuff it with air-fried sausages and peppers, and place it back in the air fryer at 380°F for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

When choosing your Italian sausages, opt for standard-size uncooked sausages. Avoid deli counter sausages, as they tend to be larger and take longer to cook. You can use pork, chicken, or turkey sausage, and choose from mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage varieties.

Reheat in the air fryer

If you have leftover Italian sausage links, you can easily reheat them in the air fryer. There is no need to defrost them first; simply place them in the air fryer straight from frozen. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Lay the leftover sausage links in a single layer in the air fryer. Reheat for 4-5 minutes until the sausages are heated all the way through. You can also add peppers and onions to the air fryer, but this will increase the cooking time.

If you are reheating from fresh, it is still a good idea to preheat your air fryer to ensure even cooking. Place the sausages in the air fryer basket and reheat for 3-5 minutes. Check that the sausages are hot all the way through before serving.

If your sausages are frozen in a clump, you can defrost them first, or you can cook them straight from frozen. If you are cooking from fresh or with defrosted sausages, use a paring knife or a fork to poke holes in the casings before reheating.

Frequently asked questions