Air Fryer Sausage Links
What I like about this air fryer method is how quickly sausage links brown, but I still rely on the visual cue more than the clock because air fryers vary. The part I pay attention to most is spacing and turning the links halfway, since crowded sausages brown unevenly and stay softer on one side.
This method keeps things simple whether you are cooking raw, pre-cooked, or frozen breakfast sausage links. You get a browned exterior, a lightly crisped casing, and very little hands-on work, with a clear 160°F (71°C) target for raw sausage.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Sausage Links
- 1 lb breakfast sausage links (about 450g), preferably links around 1/2 inch thick
- Light oil spray, as needed
- Salt, optional, to taste
- Black pepper, optional, to taste
Use breakfast-sized sausage links here, not full-sized Italian sausages. Pork or chicken breakfast links both work well.
Most packaged sausage is already well seasoned, so I’d rather keep the seasoning simple and add salt or pepper only if the sausage is plain or homemade.
How to Make Sausage Links in the Air Fryer
- Choose evenly sized links: Use breakfast sausage links that are fairly even in thickness so they cook at the same pace. If the links are frozen together, separate them as much as you can before cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer: Preheat to 400°F (200°C) for raw or pre-cooked links, or 370°F (188°C) for frozen links. Preheating helps the casing start browning right away.
- Arrange in a single layer: Place the sausage links in the basket with a little space between them. Do not stack or crowd them. If the sausage is very lean or the casing looks dry, give it a very light spray of oil.
- Cook: Air fry raw links at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, pre-cooked links at 400°F (200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes, or frozen links at 370°F (188°C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Flip halfway through: Turn the links over midway through cooking so both sides brown evenly. If your air fryer has hot spots, rotate their positions at the same time.
- Check for doneness: Raw sausage should be browned on the outside and reach 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part. For pre-cooked sausage, cook until the links are browned and piping hot throughout. If thicker links are browning too fast, lower the heat slightly and give them a little more time.
- Rest briefly: Let the sausage rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving so the juices settle.
Air Fryer Time and Temperature for Sausage Links
- Raw sausage links: 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes
- Pre-cooked sausage links: 400°F (200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes
- Frozen sausage links: 370°F (188°C) for 12 to 15 minutes
Start checking a couple of minutes early if your air fryer runs hot or if your sausage links are on the thinner side. For raw sausage, I usually look for browned skin first, then confirm doneness with the internal temperature.
How to Get Even Browning Without Drying Out the Sausage
Single-layer cooking matters most here. If the links are packed too closely, they steam instead of browning well.
This is where the texture can go wrong with pre-cooked sausage in particular: the casing can turn leathery if the links stay in too long. Flip them halfway, and pull them once they are browned and heated through rather than chasing extra color.
What Kind of Sausage Links Work Best
Breakfast-sized sausage links are the best fit for this method. Smaller links cook through more evenly and brown faster in the air fryer than larger sausage shapes.
Pork and chicken breakfast sausage both work. If you need a dairy-free, Paleo, or Whole30-style option, choose a compliant sausage brand and check the label before cooking. The air fryer method stays the same.
Frozen and Diet-Friendly Options
Frozen Sausage Links
Cook frozen links at 370°F (188°C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn them halfway through, and separate them as soon as they loosen if they went into the basket stuck together.
Frozen links can brown a little less evenly, so start checking near the end of the cook time.
Diet-Friendly Breakfast Sausage Links
If you want to keep the meal dairy-free, Paleo, or Whole30-style, use a pork or chicken sausage that fits those ingredient rules on the package. Leaner links may benefit from a very light spray of oil for better browning.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Sausage Links
Serve the links with scrambled eggs, fried eggs, fruit, breakfast potatoes, hash browns, muffins, or a breakfast casserole. Maple syrup and hot sauce both work well at the table.
For a quick breakfast plate, pair them with Air Fryer Blueberry Cottage Cheese Toast. For a savory brunch plate, add Air Fryer Cottage Cheese Toast. For a sweeter side, serve them with Air Fryer Chocolate Protein Muffins.
How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer Sausage Links
Let the sausage cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze cooked sausage links for up to 3 months. If you are freezing a larger batch, separate layers with parchment so the links do not stick together.
To reheat, warm the links in the air fryer at a lower temperature until heated through. That helps keep them from drying out or turning too dark before the middle is hot. Reheated sausage can still be very good, but the casing may be a little less crisp than when freshly cooked.
Nutrition
Nutrition is approximate and will vary by brand, meat type, and fat level.
- Serving size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: about 220
- Protein: about 10g
- Fat: about 18g
- Carbohydrates: about 1g
- Per 100g: about 195 calories, 9g protein, 16g fat, 1g carbohydrates
Air Fryer Sausage Links
Equipment
- air fryer
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Main
- 1 lb breakfast sausage links (about 450g), preferably links around 1/2 inch thick
- Light oil spray, as needed
- Salt, optional, to taste
- Black pepper, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Choose evenly sized breakfast sausage links so they cook at the same pace; separate any links that are frozen together before cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer: use 400°F (200°C) for raw or pre-cooked links, or 370°F (188°C) for frozen links.
- Arrange the links in a single layer in the basket with a little space between them; do not stack or crowd.
- If the links are very lean or the casing looks dry, give them a very light spray of oil.
- Cook according to the sausage state: raw links at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, pre-cooked links at 400°F (200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes, or frozen links at 370°F (188°C) for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Flip the links halfway through cooking and rotate positions if your air fryer has hot spots.
- For raw sausage, check doneness by ensuring the outside is browned and the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part; for pre-cooked, cook until browned and piping hot throughout.
- Let the sausage rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Cook in a single layer to encourage browning instead of steaming.
- Flip links halfway to brown both sides evenly and prevent leathery casing.
- Start checking a couple minutes early if your air fryer runs hot or links are thin.
- Separate frozen links as soon as they loosen if they went into the basket stuck together.
- Use a light spray of oil on very lean links for better browning.
Variations
- Frozen Sausage Links: Cook frozen links at 370°F (188°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway and checking near the end.
- Pre-cooked Sausage Links: Heat pre-cooked links at 400°F (200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and hot.
- Diet-Friendly Links: Use pork or chicken sausages labeled dairy-free, Paleo, or Whole30; lean links may benefit from a light oil spray.