These air fryer breakfast sausage links are an easy way to get breakfast prepared for busy mornings. And they are kid-friendly too!
This super easy air fryer sausage recipe is super easy to make and is ready in about 10 minutes. I love to make these for my kids while I run around preparing them for school in the mornings.
Making sausages in the air fryer does not need any monitoring, so I don't have to be afraid it will burn, unlike using a frying pan. This is by far the best way and easiest way to prepare sausages.
This easy recipe is also low carb, keto-friendly and gluten-free!
quick links
Equipment used
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For this easy air fryer sausage links recipe, you will need an air fryer to fry the sausage links in, olive oil spray, and a pair of tongs to flip the sausages with. You will also need a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
An air fryer is one of the best investments in your kitchen to cook food in less time with less monitoring.
Check out this list of the best affordable air fryers that will get the job done!
Ingredients Used
- Raw sausage links: Get your uncooked sausage links from your nearby grocery store. I use pork sausage for this recipe, but you can use chicken sausage or even turkey. You can also use any brand of sausage you like, but I like to go for minimally processed with little or no preservatives.
- Olive oil spray: A little olive oil will prevent the sausage links from sticking to the air fryer basket and make them turn out deliciously crispy.
How To Air Fry Breakfast Sausage
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F. If your air fryer doesn't come with a 'Preheat' function, just set it to 400F and let it heat up for four to five minutes.
- Next, arrange your raw breakfast sausage links on a single layer in the air fryer basket (if you're using a basket-style air fryer) or in the air fryer tray.
- Spray the sausages with olive oil spray or any cooking spray.
- Air fry sausages for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway with a pair of tongs. You can also give the basket or tray a good shake to move the sausages around.
- The sausages should now be a nice golden brown color, but to be sure, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. It would be ready to eat once the internal temperature reaches 160F.
- After the sausage is ready, place the delicious breakfast sausage links on a few paper towels to catch excess grease that drips off.
Storing and Reheating
You can store your leftover air fryer breakfast sausage links in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container first, and they will remain fresh for up to four or five days.
You can also freeze the sausage links. They come in really handy when used for meal prep for future breakfast purposes or whatever you choose. Just put them in an airtight container or even sealable freezer bags first.
To reheat, defrost them in the microwave or in the refrigerator overnight. After they have thawed, you can reheat them in your air fryer. Preheat it to 350 degrees F, place sausages inside, and then cook for three to five minutes, or until heated through.
What can I eat this recipe with?
Enjoy the delectable air fryer breakfast sausages with your favorite breakfast meals. You can pair it with some spicy omelet or bacon.
Breakfast sausage links are quite versatile. You can freeze them to preserve them and then use them for meal prep whenever you wish. They're delicious and could be used in so many dishes like this sausage cauliflower rice skillet or sausage and spinach frittata.
Tips on making this recipe
- Depending on the thickness of the sausage, you might have to air fry it slightly longer than the given time. The extra minutes would depend on the thickness of the sausages or the size of the sausages.
- If you have a smaller air fryer and you need to prepare a lot of sausages, do it in batches.
- If you're using Italian sausage links, you might have to poke holes in them before air frying. This will allow the fat to escape easily while you air fry them. You don't need to do this if you're frying regular breakfast sausages.
- You can air fry frozen sausage links without defrosting them, but you will need to fry them five minutes longer. Just stop the air fryer after five minutes and separate the sausages from each other, then continue air frying.
- For even easier cleanup, you can place a piece of parchment paper underneath to catch falling grease.
- You can also use aluminum foil to catch grease as it drips. However, you should note that sausages are a high-fat food, so dripping oil might circulate and hit the heating element, which might cause smoke.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between sausage and breakfast sausage?
Regular sausages are made up of ground meat, preservatives, and fats. They are usually not as tasty as breakfast sausages because they hardly have any additional seasonings added to them. Breakfast sausage is an American type of sausage that is made from pork and mild seasonings like black pepper, thyme, and sage. It is also known as Fresh Country sausage and is served mostly for breakfast.
Are sausage links already cooked?
Sausages either come cooked or uncooked. Cooked sausages are ready-to-eat and come either dry, partially dry, or cooked. Semi-dry sausages are usually cooked fully and partially dried to preserve them. The label will say if the sausage is cooked or needs to be cooked before being eaten.
Why are sausages called links?
Sausages are called links because of the way they are packaged during production. Typically, sausages are packed in one long casing or skin. Then, each end of the sausage is twisted or tied up to separate one sausage from the next, this way, the sausages are linked together. The sausage casing is usually made from animal intestines or synthetic materials made out of collagen.
Related Recipes
Check out these other tasty air fryer recipes!
- This Air Fryer Cornish Hen packs a lot of flavors when made using the air fryer.
- I like to make this Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings because it saves me a lot of time, and my family loves it!
- Make Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer and say goodbye to bland turkey forever.
- Air Fryer Bone In Chicken Thighs is a great way to prepare this chicken part, and it turns out so juicy.
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings is perfect for game days or potlucks.
- If you forgot to defrost your chicken, this Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer will save the day.
- I love the crunchy goodness of this Air Fryer Broccoli.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer BreakFast Sausage Links
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 breakfast sausage links
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Arrange breakfast sausage links on a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Spray with olive oil spray.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.
Notes
- Depending on the thickness of the sausage, you might have to air fry slightly longer than the given time.
- If you have a smaller air fryer and you need to prepare a lot of sausages, do it in batches.
- If you're using Italian sausage links, you might have to poke holes in them before air frying. This will allow the fat to escape easily while you air fry them. You don't need to do this if you're frying regular breakfast sausages.
- You can air fry frozen sausage links without defrosting them, but you will need to fry them five minutes longer. Just stop the air fryer after five minutes and separate the sausages from each other, then continue air frying.
- For even easier cleanup, you can place a piece of parchment paper underneath to catch falling grease.
Nutrition
Tayo Oredola is the founder of Low Carb Africa, where she shares healthy, low carb dishes with global flavors. She is passionate about teaching people how to cook drool-worthy dishes while losing weight and living their best lives. Tayo’s recipes have been featured on MSN, Women’s Health, Parade, Yahoo News, Pure Wow, Essence, and other online publications.
Are brown and serve breakfast sausage good for keto breakfast?
If it's low in carbs, it will work for this recipe.