One-Basket Air-Fryer Sausage and Peppers
Pin itSausage and peppers is the dinner I make when I want something that feels like a real meal but I have zero patience for it. You toss the peppers and onions in the basket, lay the sausages right on top, and let the whole thing cook together while the peppers soak up all those drippings. No pan to scrub, no grease on the stovetop. Pile it on a toasted roll or over pasta, and nobody has to know it took about five minutes of actual effort.
Why this one is so easy
Everything cooks in one basket, no pan of grease spitting on the stove.
The peppers cook in the sausage drippings, so they soak up all that flavor for free.
It is basically dump, cook, slice. A real dinner with almost no work.
Della's tips
Use a thermometer, not the clock. Air fryers vary, so pull the sausage at 160F for pork or 165F for poultry.
Slice the onions thicker than the peppers so they do not scorch before the sausage is done.
Rotate the links every 5 minutes for even browning and juicy centers.
Do not crowd the basket. The links want a single layer, so cook in two batches if yours is small.
Make it your own
+ Spicy: use hot Italian sausage and toss a little red pepper flakes in with the veggies.
+ Mediterranean: add zucchini and cherry tomatoes, a pinch of oregano, and a splash of balsamic.
+ Low-carb bowl: skip the roll and serve it over cauliflower rice or a pile of greens.
If you are out of something
Chicken or turkey Italian sausage to keep it lighter. Just cook it to 165F.
Smoked sausage or kielbasa, which is already cooked, so you just heat it through.
Any color peppers and any onion you have. It is forgiving.
Cooked sausage and peppers keep three to four days in the fridge and freeze really well. Reheat at 350F in the air fryer for the best texture, or microwave in a pinch. You can also slice the peppers and onions and mix the seasoning a day ahead, then cook it fresh when you are ready.
Ingredients
Steps
Toss the peppers and onion in the basket with the oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread them out and lay the whole raw sausage links right on top.
Air fry at 400F for about 15 minutes, rotating the sausages every 5 minutes. The peppers soften underneath in the sausage drippings, which is where all the flavor is.
Check the sausage with a thermometer: 160F for pork, 165F for chicken or turkey. Add 2 to 3 minutes if it needs it.
Slice the links and toss them with the peppers and onions. Pile it onto toasted hoagie rolls, or serve it over pasta, rice, or polenta.
You might also like
Questions, answered
Yes. Peppers and onions go on the bottom, whole raw links on top, 400F for about 15 minutes. The peppers cook in the drippings.