Air Fryer Sausages are so easy, you will never use the BBQ again! Use beef, chicken or pork sausages and cook sausages in the Air Fryer including from frozen!
Recipes like my Air Fryer Mini Corn Dogs, Air Fryer Chips and Air Fryer Sausage Rolls take the heat out of the oven and onto the bench!
Serve the Air Fryer Roast Chicken with an easy side like the Air Fryer Onions or Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.
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Recipe highlights
Sausages are one of the quickest, easiest foods to cook!
Learning how to cook them in the Air Fryer will provide you with effortless meal options in a fuss free style.
Using the Air Fryer is a fast alternative to stove or BBQ cooked sausages. Plus you can even cook them from frozen!
And the funny thing is, the smell, the taste, the texture is exactly the same!
This recipe works for beef, chicken or pork sausages. For full disclosure, the snags you see in the pics are Honey Beef Sausages.
Ingredients
The ingredients needed for the recipe are simple and you can grab from the butcher or local shops.
As you can see, the recipe calls for:
- sausages (can use beef, chicken or pork) choose your favourite variety of sausages and ensure you use a fork to prick them before adding them to the Air Fryer to release any excess fat.
- spray oil (optional): I use a quick spray of olive oil on the Air Fryer basket to ensure there is no sticking of the meat to the Air Fryer basket.
I personally do not recommend the use of parchment paper for cooking sausages in the air fryer. This is because it is unnecessary. We want the air to flow around the sausages including up through the holes in the basket.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe.
We start by lightly spraying the Air Fryer basket (if you don't want to use oil, omit this step).
- Spray basket with oil (Photo 1)
- Add sausages (Photo 2)
- Pierce with fork (Photo 3)
- Cook sausages, flip, then cook some more (Photo 4)
Cooking the sausages for 14 mins gets them just as sizzled as if they were done on the BBQ!
I do recommend piercing the sausages with a fork pre cooking. This technique is something I always do regardless of how I cook sausages.
It simply allows any fat in the sausages to drip away.
The spray oil is not essential, so if you are Air Frying as a means to a healthier lifestyle, then omit. You can also use lean meat sausages.
In the photo above left you can see the raw sausages (pierced a few times) and the photo on the right shows you what the sausages will look like when they are fully cooked (and delicious I might add!)
Frequently asked questions
Can you cook sausages from frozen?
Yes, you can use the air fryer to cook sausages from frozen.
They will take an approximate 5-10 minutes longer to cook than if you can cooking sausages from their raw meat state.
You can also freeze the cooked sausages for later consumption.
How long to cook sausages in Air Fryer?
It takes 14 mins to cook sausages in an Air Fryer.
Beef, chicken and pork sausages will all take about the same cook time. To test if they are cooked through, you can insert a skewer and see that the juices run clear or cut close to the centre and see that the meat is browned right through (beef or pork sausages) and not pink or white (chicken sausages).
The other method you can use is a thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the sausage reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit/71 degrees Celsius.
If you find this method too complicated, you can also cut one of the sausages in half, examine the colour of the meat and juices and cook for a further few minutes if they look raw or underdone.
How do Air Fryers Fry food without oil?
Oil is optional for this recipe!
To use the air fryer to cook the sausages without oil is perfectly fine.
The air fryer uses the movement of air within the confined cooking space to 'fry' the food. It is a much different cooking method than traditional deep frying of food in a vat of oil.
Whilst oil can be used to either cook or ensure ingredients do not stick, cooking can occur in the air fryer and foods become crispy or crunchy due to the element heating and moving air around the appliance.
Expert tips
This is what I have learnt that will help you master the recipe from the 1st time and every following time:
- Spray the Air Fryer Basket (or line the tray) to start (just a touch of oil)
- Pierce the sausages before cooking to allow any fat to run free
- You can pull the basket out by the handle to check the sausages are cooking after 2 mins
- I do recommend turning the sausages. Just like we do if cooking them on the BBQ. Use tongs and have a kitchen bench mat under basket to support and reduce heat onto bench
- There are so many sizes and types of Air Fryers that some will cook faster or slower depending on the model, the 1st time you make the sausages, check them along the way to see how they are cooking!
Serving suggestions
A side of Air Fryer Chips or Gravy Fries go down a treat along side these sausages!
For healthier options try the Herb Salad, Caprese Salad or Panzanella Salad.
For a tangy sauce sauce to pair with the sausages, try the Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce! Or the Basil Yogurt Sauce like on the Air Fryer Hamburgers!
The photos throughout the post show the sausages with my Herbed Yogurt Sauce.
Recipe variations
You can use the air fryer to cook a wide variety of sausages.
Some variations are breakfast sausages, vegetarian sausages, Italian sausage, chorizo, smoked sausage and sausage links.
How to store, freeze and reheat
How to store the recipe
Once the sausages are cooked, they can be stored in a sealed air tight container for up to 3 days.
How to freeze the recipe
Once the sausages are cooked, allow to cool completely before wrapping in cling wrap and freezing for up to 3 months.
Once the sausages have been frozen, they cannot be refrozen.
How to reheat the recipe
To reheat the sausages, place back into the basket of the Air Fryer (no oil or parchment paper is necessary).
Reheat the sausages for 5 - 10 mins until warmed through.
Related recipes
If you love Air Frying, then check out the following recipes for inspiration:
- Air Fryer Mini Hot Dogs
- Easy Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
- Fun Air Fryer Sausage Rolls
- Fair style Air Fryer Mini Corn Dogs
- Whole Air Fryer Roast Chicken
- Air Fryer Stuffed Jalapenos
- Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Or check out all of my Air Fryer recipes!
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I would LOVE to hear you feedback in the comments below, please let me know if you make the recipe.
Adrianne xx
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Sausages
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Kitchen Tongs
Ingredients
- 8 sausages Note 1
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Turn the air fryer on to 180°C/350 F (allow 5 mins to preheat if your model requires it)
- Lightly spray the Air Fryer basket with olive oil
- Add sausages and use a fork to pierce
- Cook sausages for 8 mins, then pull basket out, place on hot surface, use tongs to turn the sausages and then push basket back in. Cook for a further 6-7 mins
- Pierce with a fork and see that juices run clear to test they are fully cooked
Notes
- Note 1 You can use beef, chicken or pork sausages
- Note serving size for the nutritional information is per sausage
Nutrition
Recipe published June 2021, updated Jan 2022 with new tips!
Helen says
Great recipe - so easy and the sausages look terrific.
Adrianne says
Thanks Helen, I am happy to read your comment.
Danielle says
Another win for the air fryer! I have been loving my air fryer but this was the first time I cooked sausage in it. It came out perfect!
Adrianne says
Thanks Danielle! I appreciate your feedback.
Genevieve says
I've never thought to do sausages in the air fryer, but these sound delicious and easy to make!