This easy air fryer sausage and peppers meal delivers big flavor in just 30 minutes for an amazingly tasty family dinner! It's so easy, after just a few minutes of slicing, that the rest is practically effortless!
A bright, vibrant, and tasty air fryer dinner to serve in a number of ways!
Air fryer sausage and peppers are not only full of flavor but are full of delicious, colorful bell peppers! It’s like a rainbow on your plate, and it will delight anyone who comes to your house to eat.
It’s a hearty dish without being heavy enough to make you want a nap after you eat! And better yet, you can easily scale it up or down depending on the number of diners you’ll be having at your meal.
Try it out. You’ll bring all the smells of a classic Italian deli into your home, and that’s something everyone can enjoy.
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❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Extremely Versatile! From making sandwiches to topping off some rice, there are lots of ways to bring this to your table!
Loads of Flavor! Between the bell peppers and the spices in the sausage, this dish is definitely not short on flavor!
It's Easy! Throw this together in under 15 minutes with ingredients you’re likely to already have around the house!
🥘 Ingredients
There are no major surprises on the ingredient list. With three different kinds of bell peppers, this is a super colorful dish!
- 5 Italian Sausages - Any kind you like will work, but be sure to choose flavors that will complement the bell peppers!
- 1 each Red, Green, and Orange Bell Pepper - You can also use yellow bell pepper in place of the orange here.
- 1 Red Onion - Red onions are very similar in flavor to yellow onions when cooked but add an extra pop of color to the dish.
- ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Oil will be added to the vegetables to help them roast.
- ¼ teaspoon each, Salt & Pepper
- 5 Hot Dog Buns or Hoagie Rolls (optional) - Grab some bread if you’d like to serve this dish as sandwiches!
🔪 Instructions
The only equipment you’ll need is an air fryer and a pair of silicone kitchen tongs. Cutting the vegetables is the most time-consuming part of the whole process, and it will only take a few minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer. Set your air fryer to 360℉ (182℃).
- Prep your vegetables. Next, wash and chop 1 red, 1 green, and 1 yellow bell pepper into bite-sized cubes. Do the same with 1 red onion. Then, drizzle ½ tablespoons olive oil over the top and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well coated and the spices are distributed.
- Cook. When the air fryer is hot, place 5 Italian sausages in the basket in a single layer. Seal it up and cook for 6 minutes. Then, use a pair of tongs to turn the links.
- Add the veggie and finish cooking. Transfer the peppers and onions to the air fryer basket with the sausages. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until the internal temperature of the sausages hits 160℉ (71℃).
- Remove and serve. Pull everything out of the air fryer and serve hot. No garnish is needed.
I’m a big fan of slicing the sausages on a scoop of instant pot buttered cabbage or serving with a pretzel bun. You could even serve these as pizza toppings or in macaroni and cheese! Enjoy!
To Serve As A Sandwich
If you decide to turn this dish into sandwiches, place each sausage into a hot dog bun or hoagie roll. Put them back in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes to heat and toast the bread. Then add the air fried peppers and onion.
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Any Italian sausage will do. As long as they are under 4 ounces and in link form, all brands will need about the same amount of cooking time.
- Here are my favorite brands: Johnsonville’s sweet, mild, and hot Italian sausages; Premio; Swaggerty; Hillshire Farms; and Isernio’s. I also enjoy chicken and turkey-based sausages. Beyond Meat and Tofurkey have great meat alternatives, too!
- Check internal temperature. Use a digital meat thermometer to verify sausages have reached 160℉ (71℃) and are safe to eat.
- Use the same link when checking for doneness so as not to have to pierce the casing of more than one of your sausages.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you end up with extras, wrap them up in foil and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
To extend the life of your sausages, put the foil-wrapped links in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and store them in the freezer. Your air fried sausage and peppers can freeze for up to 3 months, but are best enjoyed within the first 1 to 2 months.
Leave frozen sausages in the fridge overnight to thaw before reheating.
Reheating Air Fryer Sausage & Peppers
To reheat, you can use the air fryer or the microwave. To air fry, put sausages back in at 360℉ (182℃) for 3 or 4 minutes. Or microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.
😋 More Air Fryer Recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
Air Fryer Sausage & Peppers (with Onions)
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper (or yellow bell pepper)
- 1 red onion
- ½ tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- 5 Italian sausages
- 5 hot dog buns or hoagie rolls (optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (182°C) for 5 minutes or until fully preheated.
- Prep your peppers and onions by washing and slicing or cutting into bite-sized cubes. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Transfer the cut peppers and onions into your air fryer basket with the sausages.
- Once the air fryer if preheated, arrange the Italian sausage links in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Seal and air fry for 6 minutes at 360°F (182°C), then open and turn the sausage carefully using tongs.
- Close your air fryer and finish cooking the sausages, peppers, and onions for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature of the sausages reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Remove the sausages, peppers, and onions to a plate to serve.
- To serve your sausages with a bun or hoagie roll, you can place the sausages into the buns and heat them in your air fryer. Place each sausage into a bun then return to the air fryer for 2-3 minutes until toasted and heated through.
Notes
- Italian sausage brands will all cook at roughly the same amount of time as long as they are links, under about 4 ounces in weight.
- We enjoy Johnsonville sweet, mild, and hot Italian sausages as well as Premio, Swaggerty, Hillshire Farms, and Isernio's. Great chicken and turkey-based Italian sausages work just as well, and the meat alternative sausage brands Beyond Meat and Tofurkey are tasty alternatives.
- Sausages should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) as read by a digital meat thermometer.
- Temp the same sausage while cooking so that only sausage ends up having the casing pierced.
Isabelle C says
J’ai eu un Airfryer il y a quelques semaines à peine et c’est ma recette préférée : elle est pa-re-faite !! Merci ☺️ (Montréal, Québec)
"I got an Airfryer just a few weeks ago and it's my favorite recipe: it's pa-re-made!! Thank you"