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Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers recipe made with sweet Italian sausages, bell peppers and onions is a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love! This delicious meal takes about 30 minutes in your air fryer, plus it’s low carb and keto friendly!
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Did you grow up eating Italian sausage and pepper sandwiches? Good times! If so, you’re going to love making sausage and peppers in your air fryer!
Air fryer Italian sausages are perfect when you need a quick and easy dinner or weekend lunch. But the best thing is, you don’t have a messy stove to clean up! I also love making breakfast sausage in the air fryer for the same reason!
This is seriously one of my favorite air fryer recipes! Even though I have an awesome recipe for Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers, the air fryer version is hands-down the best way to make this delicious meal even better!
Ingredient List
You only need a few simple ingredients from the grocery store for this easy recipe:
- Mild Italian sausages — use hot Italian sausage if you want, or chicken sausage instead of pork sausage
- Bell peppers — I like red, yellow and orange, but use green peppers if you like
- Onion — white, yellow or Vidalia
- Avocado oil — has a lower smoke point, but a little olive oil is fine
- Salt and pepper — to taste (optional)
- Hoagie rolls — for sandwiches (optional)
- Slices of provolone cheese — for sandwiches (optional)
Originally, I used both my Instant Pot Omni Plus and the Vortex Plus air fryer oven for this air fryer sausage peppers and onions recipe. I now love making Italian sausages in my Ninja Foodi Grill XL using the air crisp setting. You can make the sausages in a basket style air fryer, as well.
How to Make Sausage and Peppers in the Air Fryer
First, toss the sliced bells pepper strips and onions with a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil. Then add the salt and black pepper. This adds flavor and keeps them from getting too dry.
Since the Omni Plus has a metal basket, I sprayed it with non stick spray. Don’t do this if you’re using an air fryer with a non-stick coating.
Next, add your sliced bell peppers and onions to the air fryer basket. Then, place the sausages on top of the peppers in a single layer. The juices will flavor the peppers and onions as they cook.
Cook Time
This recipe calls for raw Italian sausage, not precooked. So the cook time is 20 minutes in the air fryer at 390 degrees fahrenheit. Flip the sausages about half way through the cooking process to make sure they brown evenly.
If you’re using precooked sausage, it takes about 8 to 10 minutes to cook. Of course, the total cooking time may vary between different air fryer brands, models and size of your air fryer.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. You can also slice the sausages into smaller pieces for a shorter cooking time.
The Ninja air fryer sausage and peppers came out beautifully browned and slightly caramelized. But, all are equally delicious!
Make Italian Sausage Sandwiches
To make awesome Italian sausage hoagies in the air fryer, place a sausage in a crusty roll. Top with some of the onions and peppers, and place a slice or two of provolone cheese on top.
Place the rolls in the air fryer tray, and broil until the cheese melts. Total yum!
You can skip the cheese and serve marinara sauce or ketchup on the side if you want. There really is no wrong way to enjoy Italian sausage peppers and onions sandwiches!
Easy Side Dishes
We usually stick to simple side dishes with this air fryer sausage recipe. Italian Pasta Salad, Potato Salad or antipasto salad are excellent choices.
A simple tossed green side salad works, too. If you want to keep it super easy, serve with your favorite potato chips!
Storage
Store any leftover sausage, peppers and onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can make an amazing sausage and peppers pasta recipe the next day!
Reheat the sausages in the air fryer, on the stove or in your microwave oven.
The sausages should keep for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, you can place the sausages in a freezer safe container.
Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers
Equipment
- Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer
- Ninja Foodi Grill XL
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers red and yellow, washed, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch sea salt and pepper
- 6 Italian sausages
Instructions
- Toss the sliced peppers and onion strips with the olive oil and sea salt
- Place peppers and onions in air fryer basket
- Place sausages over peppers and onions
- Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees, and place tray inside when temperature reaches 390
- Cook for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160, turning about halfway through or as needed to brown sausages on both sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sheet Pan Method
No air fryer? No problem! Just cook the Italian sausage and peppers on a sheet pan, instead.
Follow the above instructions, but place sausage, peppers and onions on a foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes or until sausages are 160 degrees, according to a meat thermometer.
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Toss peppers and onions with a little olive oil, oregano, and a touch of red wine vinegar. Proceed with above directions.
Making these for the games today! The guys just love them! Easy for me!
Had to buy the Ninja. These looked so good! Tried the recipe tonight and it was awesome. A new family favorite!
I love learning new recipes for sausage because it’s my husband’s favorite food. I made this and served it as a sandwich like you suggested and he LOVED it! He even ate the peppers which he usually avoids. This will be a new staple for me I know it!!!
Thanks, Kendra! So glad you both liked it!
This Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers recipe is easy to make. Will definitely make it again!