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When you’re craving a quick and easy meal, try this scrumptious Air Fryer Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions recipe! It’s packed with flavor from the juicy sausage, sweet onions, sliced bell peppers, and simple seasonings. Plus, the air-fried cooking keeps your kitchen mess minimal for easy clean-up!
Have you ever tried to cook Italian sausage in a frying pan? If so, you know the challenge of getting all sides evenly browned. Well, not anymore! You are going to be as amazed as my hubby was the first time I cooked them in the air fryer. Every bit of the outside gets so beautifully browned and crisp, locking all the juices inside. And I didn’t have to deal with grease splattering all over the stove- YAY!
Like me, you may never cook sausages in the frying pan again!
Any air fryer recipe is a great option for when you need an easy weekend meal or quick weeknight dinner with a contained mess and fewer dishes. Add more air fryer recipes to your weekly menu, like Crispy Salmon Bites, easy Air Fryer Hamburgers, and delicious Honey Garlic Chicken Wings.
Ingredient Notes
Variations and Substitutions
- Hot Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe: Add red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or sriracha sauce to the peppers and onions for a kick of heat.
- Type of Sausage: You can use hot or mild Italian sausage, depending on your taste. Turkey or chicken Italian sausage is also an excellent option when you want something a little lighter.
- Sausage and Peppers Appetizer: Make it an appetizer by cutting it into bite-sized pieces and maybe drizzle with a bit of marinara sauce.
- Add Mustard: Mustard and sausage is a match made in heaven. Add your favorite mustard, from stone-ground mustard to dijon, for a yummy addition.
How to Make Air Fryer Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions Recipe
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Air fry the Italian sausage
Start by preheating the air fryer to 375℉, then arrange the uncooked sausages in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook them for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
Step 2 | Air fry the peppers and onions
While the air fryer is preheating to 375℉, combine the peppers and onions in a small bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and the seasonings. Then, place the veggies in a single layer in the air fryer and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until they are as soft or firm as you’d like, tossing them halfway through cooking.
Step 3 | Plate and serve
Lastly, plate your sausage, peppers, and onions with a couple of yummy sides, or stuff it into a bun and serve with crispy potato chips– Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Start Clean: Always start an air fryer recipe with a clean basket!
- Cook All Together: You can cook them together by placing the onions and peppers in the bottom of the air fryer with the sausage links on top. Just add a couple more minutes to account for the crowding in the air fryer. This is why I like to cook them separately, but sometimes you just want to do it all in one cook.
- Cooked Temperature: Using a digital meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the sausages before removing them from the air fryer. They are done cooking when they reach 160 degrees F at the center of the link.
- Slice the Sausage: If you prefer, slice the sausages into smaller bite-sized pieces for a shorter cooking time.
- Varying Cook Time: Keep in mind that the amount of time will vary depending on the size and type of air fryer you have.
Make Italian Sausage Sandwiches
Stuff the veggies and sausages into hot dog buns or hoagie rolls and top with a melty slice of provolone cheese. Then, finish it up with all your favorite toppings. Here are some tasty ideas:
- Marinara sauce
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Pickled onions
- Sauerkraut
- Bacon pieces
- Mustard
- Red onion
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How To Cook Frozen Sausage In The Air Fryer
If you’re using frozen sausages, you can first thaw them completely or cook them from frozen, if necessary. Here’s how:
Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F, then put the frozen Italian sausage inside in an even layer. Cook for 5 minutes and separate any stuck sausages, cooking for another 10-12 minutes and flipping halfway through. Make sure the sausages reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees before serving. Easy!
Recipe FAQs
No, you can use chicken sausage, Polish sausage, or kielbasa, bratwurst. You can even make breakfast sausages. Just remember to adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the sausage.
Air fryer sausages are super fast and easy to cook, plus they’re healthier since you use less oil.
To prevent sausages from bursting in the air fryer, poke a few small holes in them with a fork before cooking. This lets steam escape while they cook, keeping them intact and juicy.
Storage
Storage: Leftover sausage, peppers, and onions can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Freeze: They can be stored in a freezer-safe container and frozen for up to three months for long-term storage.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers
Versatile Dish: Make it a sweet sausage roll topped with all your favorite toppings, enjoy in a simple red-sauce pasta, or serve it as a tasty bite-size appetizer! It’s also a great low-carb dish on its own.
Serve the sausage, peppers, and onions over Creamy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, or take it to the next level with this Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole– Yum! And don’t forget a side of Air Fryer Texas Toast Garlic Bread to complete this easy dinner.
On the other hand, a soup and side salad combo is perfect when you’re enjoying sausage and pepper sandwiches. I suggest this Pasta Fagioli Soup and Columbia Restaurant’s 1905 Salad, which is especially fitting for a crowd and served family-style!
More Easy Sausage Recipes
- Bangers And Mash (Sausages With Onion Gravy)
- Easy Italian Chicken Sausage Sandwiches With Peppers & Onions
- Creamy Spicy Sausage Spaghetti Pasta
- Ground Beef And Sausage Rice Casserole
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Air Fryer Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked Italian sausage, 4 to 5 sausages – thawed if frozen
- 2 bell peppers, rinsed, cored and sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, pepper, and seasoning, to taste
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions for Italian Sausage
- Preheat the air fryer to 375℉.
- Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160℉If desired, you can place onions and peppers in the bottom of the air fryer and cook with the sausage links on top.
Air Fryer Peppers and Onions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375℉.
- Mix peppers and onions in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt & pepper to taste if desired.
- Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on desired doneness), tossing halfway through cooking.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
This recipe worked like a charm. The sausage was perfect – a little crisp on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside – like it just came off the grill. My husband gave it 2 thumbs up.
Perfect! They looked like they just came off a grill. Nice texture on the outside and juicy on the inside. So quick and easy – I will definitely make this again.
It’s nice to be able to get a nice juicy texture like the grill. It’s a great solution for rainy days or times when you don’t want to fire up the grill.