Quick & Easy Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
This Easy Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage recipe is perfect for busy mornings when you need breakfast fast! It's also great for meal prep & works for frozen sausage patties or links, so there's no need to remember to defrost anything ahead of time. It's the easiest way to throw together a simple, hearty breakfast in a flash!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Pan Spray
Ingredients
- 1 package breakfast sausage if using more, make sure to cook in batches
Instructions
- Prep the air fryer. If your air fryer model requires it, pre-heat to 375 degrees F. After pre-heating, grease the air fryer basket with pan spray or line with foil or parchment air fryer liners.
- Add sausage to the air fryer. Arrange the sausage links or patties in a single layer in your air fryer basket, ensuring you're leaving enough room in between each link or patty for the hot air to circulate. If you have a large batch you are cooking, it is best to cook the sausages in batches for best results.
- Cook the sausage. Once the breakfast sausage is arranged in your air fryer basket, place the basket back into the air fryer and cook on 375F.
- If you are cooking frozen breakfast sausages, you'll want to cook them for 10-12 minutes.
- If you are cooking fresh breakfast sausages, they will need a little less time and should cook for 8-10 minutes. I have found 8 minutes to be enough for pork sausages, but you can always test them with a meat thermometer to be extra sure they're done. Pre-cooked chicken breakfast sausages usually need less time, so start by cooking for 6 minutes and check for doneness from there.
- The internal temperature should be around 160F for pork sausage and 165F for chicken or turkey sausage.
Notes
How to Store Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
- Store cooked breakfast sausage links or patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for best freshness.
- This makes them ideal for easy meal prep and quick breakfasts throughout the week.
- If you don’t plan to eat them within 5 days, you can freeze fully cooked sausage instead.
- Place sausage in an airtight container or freezer bag lined with parchment paper so the links or patties don’t freeze together.
- Frozen breakfast sausage will keep well for up to 3 months.
- Reheat from frozen or refrigerated on the stovetop or in the air fryer at 375°F for 5–8 minutes, until warmed through.
Expert Tips & Tricks for Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
- Start lower, then adjust. Air fryers vary in power and heating element strength, so the first time you make this recipe, start at a lower temperature and add extra minutes only if needed to find your air fryer’s sweet spot.
- Pre-cooked chicken sausages need less time. Many grocery store chicken breakfast links are already cooked. Too much air frying can make the casing tough and wrinkly, so heat just until warmed through.
- Frozen vs. raw sausages cook differently. Frozen sausage patties and links need a few extra minutes but do not need to be thawed. Raw sausage patties should be checked early, especially if they are thinner.
- Thickness matters most. Thicker sausages take longer to cook, while thinner sausages cook faster. The type of sausage matters less than the thickness.
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Arrange sausages in a single layer on the air fryer tray so air can circulate evenly for better browning.
- Flip once halfway through. This helps sausages cook evenly and brown without needing a frying pan.
- Avoid starting too hot. High heat can brown the outside too quickly while the inside stays undercooked. Starting lower gives better results.
- Basket-style air fryers cook faster. Expect slightly shorter cook times than oven-style models.
- Use foil only if needed. Aluminum foil can help with cleanup, but do not block airflow.
- Trust how they look. Even browning and a cooked-through center matter more than exact timing, especially when trying a new brand or type of sausage.
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