Air Fryer Italian Sausage and Peppers
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Super flavorful and so easy to make Italian Sausage cooks in 10 minutes in the air fryer with peppers and onions.
Air Fryer Italian Sausage and Peppers is one of the best meals for two we make.
Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers Recipe
Crispy peppers, tender onions and Italian sausage perfectly cooked on all sides make an easy and delicious air fryer meal!
We traditionally make Italian sausage and peppers recipe on the grill, or an Instant Pot Sausage, Peppers and Onions. It’s great to have other options when cold or rainy weather blows in.
I love the air fryer because there is virtually no warm up time. As long as the vegetables are cut up then all you have to do is open the sausage package and vegetable containers. Then arrange on the air fryer tray and the meal is ready in 10 minutes!
My husband is a farmer that works close to home and I work from home, so this is the perfect type of meal to make for the two of us for lunch at home. The veggies can be prepped ahead of time when meal prepping for Saucy Chicken or Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes.
We typically enjoy Italian sausages on a brat and sausage bun, but this makes a great low carb meal served without a bun and a side of Low-Carb Cauliflower Casserole or Cold Sauerkraut Salad.
Italian Sausage Safe Internal Temperature
Italian sausage is typically a raw ground meat inside a casing. Raw, ground pork sausage should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.
I love my Javelin digital meat thermometer which give a fast and accurate reading. Insert the probe side ways in the sausage for maximum contact with the meat to get the most accurate reading.
Raw Italian sausage takes about 10 minutes to cook in a 350°F air fryer.
Always read the label on the package of sausage to be sure, but Italian sausage is typically raw and needs full cooked where smoked sausage is typically fully cooked and just needs warmed up.
Why This Recipe Works
- Can be made in less than 15 minutes any time of the year in any weather.
- The meat comes with wonderful seasonings and you can choose mild, sweet or hot at the grocery store.
- Easy way to feed one or two people with very little effort, hassle and dishes.
- It’s so easy to check on the sausage and make sure it’s cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160F.
Ingredients Needed:
- Italian Sausage – choose your favorite flavor profile from sweet to mild or hot – they all cook in the same amount of time.
- Bell Peppers – Red is our favorite and yellow or orange are a second choice for a hint of sweet while still adding healthy veggies.
- Onions – Sweet onion is our favorite, but chunks of white or yellow work fine too. This is an optional addition to the sausage and peppers.
- Olive Oil – We like a bottle that can spritz olive, avocado or coconut oil gently over the veggies.
- Salt & Pepper – Grinders create maximum fresh flavor with sea salt and black pepper.
Easy Meals for 2 People
Our Cuisinart Air Fryer & Toaster Oven or Ninja Foodi Air Fryer (we have both!) are my favorite kitchen tool to use for a quick lunch. I love that I can listen to a webinar or podcast while doing my lunch prep and be up and moving for a few minutes. Here are meals that I do make or could make or heat up in the air fryer for a quick and easy lunch:
- Air Fryer Pizza Sliders
- Open-Faced Italian BLT
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub
- Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Crescents
- Easy Taco Crescents
- Chicken Crescent Swirls
- Buffalo Chicken Roll-ups
Tips for Making Italian Sausage in the Air Fryer:
- Mix and match peppers
- Our family likes the look of colorful peppers
- Slice peppers to desired thickness to put on sandwich. If sliced thinly add to air fryer tray halfway into the cooking time
- Onions should be sliced thicker so that they don’t burn
- The thickness of slices affect cooking time
- Can add a few mushrooms to the tray or other vegetables of your choice
- I have not tested cooking frozen sausage in the air fryer and do not think it would work well. Ensure that sausages have been defrosted for best results.
- Cooked meat and veggies freeze well in an airtight bag or container
- Sausage and vegetables reheat well in the air fryer toaster oven or microwave
- We enjoy Braut or Sausage rolls better than a Hoagie roll or hot dog bun for this recipe
How to Make Sausage, Peppers & Onions in the Air Fryer
Prepare vegetables. Use a spray bottle to lightly coat with olive oil, avocado oil or another similar oil. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Veggies also taste great without oil or seasoning when cooked in the air fryer.
Arrange sausages on one third of the air fryer tray with space for air to circulate on all sides of every piece of sausage.
Place vegetables in a single layer on the remaining space on air fryer tray or basket.
Air fry for 5 minutes at 350°F, use tongs to turn sausages over for more even cooking. Shake basket for veggies to loosen.
Air fry for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. When a meat thermometer shows that sausages have been cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F they are done.
Serve warm with favorite condiments on a brat or sausage roll.
Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Italian Sausage and Peppers
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 3 Italian sausages
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 sweet onion sliced thickly
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- dash salt
- dash pepper
Instructions
- Spray vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange sausage, peppers and onions in three rows in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 350°F for 5 minutes.
- If sausages aren't browning evenly turn and rotate them. Shake vegetables loose. If vegetables have reached desired doneness remove from air fryer.
- Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until sausages reach an internal temperature of 160°F and until vegetables reach desired doneness.
Notes
- Mix and match peppers
- Our family likes the look of colorful peppers
- Slice to peppers to desired thickness to put on sandwich, if sliced thinly add to air fryer tray halfway into the cooking time
- Onions should be sliced thicker so that they don’t burn
- The thickness of slices affect cooking time
- Can add a few mushrooms to the tray or other vegetables of your choice
- I have not tested cooking frozen sausage in the air fryer and do not think it would work well, so ensure that sausages have been defrosted
- Cooked meat and veggies freeze well in an airtight bag or container
- Sausage and vegetables reheat well in the air fryer toaster oven or microwave
- We enjoy Braut or Sausage rolls better than a Hoagie roll or hot dog bun for this recipe
Originally shared June 3, 2020 with pictures updated on June 16, 2023.
I tried this recipe last night, and it was a hit! The air fryer made the sausages perfectly crispy, and the peppers added such a nice flavor. I love how quick and easy it was to put together. Definitely a new favorite in our household—thanks for sharing!
So simple and delicious. I cook frozen sausages all the time. I freeze them in groups of 3, already poked. After about 5 minutes in the air fryer, I separate them and will turn them 1 or 2 times more during cooking. The cooking time does not change.