Air Fryer Italian Sausage is a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table! A sausage and peppers recipe that includes a kicked up spicy ale mustard dipping sauce.
It is a low-carb dish when served as an appetizer and quickly becomes a delicious meal when you add a crusty roll, marinara sauce, and melty provolone cheese. Delish!
Why You Will Love This Air Fryer Italian Sausage
- Simple Ingredients | Nothing fancy here! Real food ingredients!
- Healthier | Make it in the air fryer and skip the extra oil, not the taste! Low carb and Whole30.
- Meal or App | This air fryer sausage and peppers recipe makes a hearty meal served as a sandwich and is a great option for a game day appetizer!
Love your air fryer? Check out my favorite Air Fryer Super Bowl recipes like Air Fryer Ravioli, savory Steak Tips in air fryer, pigs in blankets with three dipping sauces and this crispy air fryer Korean Fried Chicken.
No Air Fryer? No problem, I provide oven instructions also.
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
Tips for Two
This is such an easy meal to make no matter how large or small your group is. For two people, depending on how hungry you are, use 2-3 sausage links and 3 miniature sweet peppers. Add a crisp side salad and you are good to go!
Simple Ingredients for Air Fryer Italian Sausage
- Italian Sausage Links | Mild, sweet, or spicy pork Italian sausage for juicy goodness.
- Miniature Sweet Peppers | A combo of mini yellow, orange and red peppers makes this a colorful choice. Red, orange, yellow or green bell peppers also work.
Spicy Ale Mustard Sauce for Dipping Italian Sausages
- Dark Ale | The rich, malty flavors of Guinness adds a delicious depth to this sauce. Or try Vanilla Porter, it’s so creamy. If you prefer not to use beer, try an alcohol-free beer, the alcohol cooks out if that makes you feel better!
- Molasses | Rich and slightly sweet, I used organic.
- Spices | Cumin, Chili pepper flakes (more for an extra kick)
- Mustard | Use spicy brown mustard or Dijon; tangy and slightly spicy vs. its yellow, milder counterpart.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Healthy Twist for Air Fryer Sausage
- Chicken Sausage | For a lower-fat option, try chicken sausage. You can find fresh chicken sausage at your grocery store meat counter, or my favorite Trader Joe’s.
- Turkey Sausage | A close cousin to chicken, but usually leaner and lower in fat with a mild and savory taste, turkey sausage is a great choice.
How to Cook Italian Sausage Links in Air Fryer
Step 1 | Make the Spicy Mustard Ale Dipping Sauce (optional)
In a small saucepan, stir together the ale, molasses, cumin and red pepper flakes. Whisk until molasses is incorporated and dissolved.
Bring to a boil on high then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until it has reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mustard. Set aside until the sausage is ready.
Step 2 | Prep Italian Sausage + Peppers
Slice the Italian sausages into 1 inch slices, and cut the peppers in half, making sure to discard the seeds. Tip, keep whole if preferred if making for a meal.
Preheat the air fryer to 400° F (205° C).
- For easier clean up use air fryer parchment paper (specially made with holes) or silicone air fryer mats. Be sure to find the ones that fit your air fryer.
Step 3 | Air Fry Italian Sausages and peppers
Working in batches if necessary, arrange the sausage chunks and pepper pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. The peppers will be soft; a meat thermometer will read 165° F when inserted into the sausage. Cook time should not vary much.
Serve warm with a side of the Spicy Ale Mustard or this Italian Marinara sauce recipe or dipping make this yummy dipping sauce.
Cooking Italian sausage in the air fryer is easy and quick, however I show you two other cooking methods below:
Oven Roasted Italian Sausage and Peppers
Preheat oven 400° F (205° C). Place ingredients for sausage and peppers in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet pan (line with aluminum foil or parchment for easy clean-up) and toss with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Roast for 25-35 minutes.
Stovetop Italian Sausage and Peppers
In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook sausage bites 4-5 minutes, remove to a plate. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, then saute the peppers over medium heat (and onions if using) until tender 8-12 minutes. Return sausages to skillet, heat until sausage is cooked through, another few minutes.
Recommended Equipment
- Cosori Air Fryer is the next up, a dedicated air fryer with a larger square basket.
- Ninja Foodi Air Fryer & Indoor Grill — a nice wide and easy to operate air fryer. What I made these French toast sticks in.
- My favorite Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro (it does it all!), love, love this air fryer, countertop oven.
Variations & Substitutions
- Sausage | Experiment with different types of Italian pork sausage; hot Italian sausage is too spicy for me, but sweet Italian sausage is just right. You could certainly also use bratwurst, or your favorite chicken sausage.
- Hoagie rolls | If making a sandwich you’ll want a sturdy roll that doesn’t fall apart.
- Onions | In my opinion, all great meals begin with an onion! I love a good old yellow onion but red onions are often the choice for Italian sausage sandwiches.
- Olive Oil | In a large bowl, toss your sausage and peppers with a tablespoon of olive oil for an extra crispy skin on your sausage. Add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon of garlic salt or garlic powder for extra flavor.
- Veggies | Feel free to add more of your favorite veggies in for an extra hearty meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common sausage used in this recipe is Italian sausage. You can also use smoked sausage, polish sausage, andouille sausage, even stuffed sausage! Did you know there are over 200 types of sausage? Have fun experimenting!
Any combo of bell peppers, red, green, yellow or orange will make a flavorful dish. But if you have a preference, use the one(s) you love. You can also simply slice whole large peppers into slices for this dish.
If you really want to add some heat to this dish, try changing out your sausages – Italian Hot Sausages, Bratwursts or even Chorizo. You can also do a blend of the mild and hot Italian sausages to please everyone
Storage Tips
Refrigerate | Store leftover air fryer Italian sausage in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Freeze Leftovers | Freeze cooled sausage and peppers in a tightly sealed container or storage container for up to 3 months.
Reheat | Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat in the Italian Sausages in an air fryer for 12-15 minutes at 290° F (143° C), tossing every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
What to Serve with Italian Sausages in Air Fryer
- Go for a grand Italian meal; make a large pot of my homemade Italian spaghetti sauce and your favorite pasta, and don’t forget the garlic bread.
- Fantastic with a crisp green salad, like this Romain wedge salad , or make this Italian chopped salad.
- Smoked gruyere mac and cheese…need I say more?
- Add more veggies with this Crudite dip.
- Try my burrata appetizer with pesto in keeping with the Italian theme!
- Why not add another dip? Try this skillet beer cheese dip with this fast pretzel recipe!
More Easy Recipes You’ll Love
- Air Fryer Halibut
- Breakfast sausage links in air fryer
- Check out my list of Air Fryer Super Bowl Recipes
- Healthy Mongolian Beef recipe
- Crockpot London Broil
- One Pan Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Make Italian Sausage in Air Fryer a Meal
- If you are making the sausage and peppers for a meal, I recommend leaving the sausages uncut. First, air fry the peppers (and onions) at 400° F for 10- 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until the onions and peppers have softened a little.
- Next, open the air fryer basket and lay sausage links on top of onions and peppers and cook for 20 minutes more, flipping the links halfway
I hope you loved this Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
Ingredients
Spicy Ale Mustard Sauce
- ½ cup ale I like Guinness or Vanilla Porter, but any dark ale will work, also try non-alcoholic beer if desired
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup spicy brown mustard or Dijon mustard
Sausage and Peppers
- 5 large Italian Sausages mild, sweet, or hot or try Chicken Sausage, or use your favorite
- 6-12 mini bell peppers washed, sliced in half and seeded, or use two large bell peppers (color of choice), sliced into 8 slices.
Instructions
Spicy Ale Mustard
- In a small saucepan, stir together the ale, molasses, cumin and red pepper flakes. Be sure to still this together or whisk until molasses is incorporated and dissolved.Bring to a boil on high then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until it has reduced by half, about 8 minutes.Remove from heat and stir in the dijon mustard. Set aside until the sausage is ready.
Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° F. (205° C).
- Slice the Italian sausage into 1 inch slices and cut mini peppers in half, seeding and removing stems.
- Working in batches if necessary, arrange the sausage and pepper pieces in a single layer in the fryer basket. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. The peppers will be soft and a meat thermometer will read 165 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the sausage.
- Serve warm with a side of the Spicy Ale Mustard or your favorite Marinara sauce or dipping sauce.
Notes
- Stir the molasses well into the ale, until dissolved. It is quite heavy and can rest (and burn) at the bottom of the saucepan.
- Use hot Italian Sausage if you are looking for more of a kick.
- Store cooled leftovers in the fridge, up to 5 days in airtight container. The sauce will keep for a week. Freeze up to 3 months.
- REHEAT | Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the air fryer for 12-15 minutes at 290 degrees Fahrenheit (143 C), tossing every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Oven Sausage and Peppers | Preheat oven 400 degrees F (204 C). Place ingredients for sausage and peppers in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet pan (line with aluminum foil or parchment for easy clean-up) and toss with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Roast for 25-35 minutes.
- Stovetop Sausage and Peppers | In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook sausage bites 4-5 minutes, remove to a plate. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, then saute the peppers over medium heat (and onions if using) until tender 8-12 minutes. Return sausages to skillet, heat until sausage is cooked through, another few minutes
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- Sausage | Use your favorite sausage; chicken sausage, turkey sausage, bratwurst, and even chorizo.
- Hoagie rolls | Use a sturdy roll if making sandwiches.
- Onions | Add sliced onions to the peppers, red or yellow onions.
- Extra Crispy | In a large bowl, toss sausage and peppers with a tablespoon of olive oil for an extra crispy skin on your sausage. Add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon of garlic salt or garlic powder for extra flavor.
- Veggies | Feel free to add more of your favorite veggies in for an extra hearty meal.
Nutrition
Martha Banks
Thank you for sharing this recipe , will try making it
Thanks Martha, let me know!
Sara Welch
Adding this recipe to my game day line up! Such a fun and creative way to prepare appetizers; looks too good to pass up, indeed!
Thanks Sara!
Kushigalu
What a delicious air fryer recipe to try. Thanks for sharing
You are welcome!
Janie
These sausage and peppers were a great turn out for game day this past weekend! My best friend who’s into low carb meals loved it and took the rest home!
Perfect!!
Sonal
I love my air fryer and use it often. I tried this recipe tonight for dinner and everyone loved it!!
So glad to hear that!
Anjali
This looks so delicious and satisfying! Perfect for feeding a crowd!
Thanks!!
Nikki
Delicious game day food! But I see us making this for dinner too! Delish!
Great for an easy dinner!
Liza
Delicious flavors, and so easy to make in the air fryer. The spicy mustard sauce is the perfect accompaniment!
So glad you loved it Liza!