Grain-free, egg-free, and low-carb, these Air Fryer Breakfast Sausages are made with healing spices for a high-protein breakfast staple that are ready in less than 20 minutes. Serve them on their own or in a breakfast sandwich for a gluten-free meal you’ll love. Stovetop option.
Simple Ingredients for A Better Breakfast
I have a bone to pick, y’all! You see, over the years breakfast sausage has gotten a bad reputation for being difficult to make and unhealthy to consume. However, this couldn’t be any further from the truth! At least, not the way I make it.
Unlike other breakfast sausage patties, this air fryer breakfast sausage recipe is made without the use of eggs, grains, or dairy. So those that suffer from food allergies can rejoice! Instead, it contains nothing but good-for-you ingredients with quality meat and healing herbs and spices that not only taste great but make you feel great, too!
Even better, these patties are gluten-free, low-carb, and include an AIP option for a breakfast staple everyone can enjoy! They contain nothing but good-for-you ingredients with quality meat and healing herbs and spices that not only taste great but make you feel great, too!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Sausage
Unlike other breakfast sausage patties that are full of added ingredients and chemicals, this recipe uses just a handful of natural foods that not only keep you fueled but also promote health and healing!
- Grass fed Ground Meat – I used ground turkey (90-93% lean), but chicken or ground pork can be used in its place, if you prefer.
- Herbs and Spices – For a slightly savory flavor, I included a variety of herbs and spices that combine to provide an amazing taste, anti-inflammatory properties, boosted immunity, and more including minced garlic, chili flakes, fresh thyme leaves, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and sage leaves.
- Maple Syrup or Honey – Maple syrup and honey help provide just a note of sweetness that balances out the savory flavors of the meat and herbs.
AIP Option
These breakfast sausage patties are made without eggs, nuts, seeds, or grains. To make them AIP-friendly, be sure to use honey or maple syrup instead of raw sugar and replace the nightshade spices (red pepper, cayenne, and paprika) with 1 – 2 teaspoons of fresh horseradish or 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.
Why Use an Air Fryer for Breakfast Sausage?
If you’ve been living under a rock (kidding!) and haven’t jumped on the air fryer trend yet, take this as your sign to run to your nearest store and pick one up! I promise, with so many benefits, you’ll never go back.
Less Oil. Unlike other cooking methods, air fryers use little to no oil, making them a healthy cooking option, especially when it comes to oil-heavy recipes and fried foods.
Easy Clean-Up. Most air fryers come with dishwasher-safe accessories to cut down on clean-up time and can easily be wiped down by hand after cooking.
Air Circulation. Thanks to the design of air fryers, they are able to circulate hot air all around the food being cooked. As a result, it is able to heat evenly and becomes crispy on all sides!
How to Make Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
- Combine. To begin, combine the meat, herbs, spices, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, using your hands to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
- Shape. Once mixed, shape the sausage mixture into into patties about 3-3 ½ inches wide and 1-1 ½ inches thick, and place them on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
Note: To shape your sausage patties, use a cookie scoop to create equal-sized balls. Then, gently press the balls between the palms of your hands, and use your fingers to spread the meat from the center.
You want the patties to have a slight dip in the center and to be slightly thinner in the middle to prevent them from shrinking and turning hard.
- Preheat. Next, spray your air fryer with cooking oil, and preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. *NOTE – If you’re air fryer doesn’t have 375 F setting, then cook at a lower temperature, 370 F.
- Air Fry. Once heated, place 4 or 5 sausage patties in your air fryer, making sure they are evenly spaced. Then, air fry them for 12-15 minutes in the manual cook mode. Repeat. Once cooked, place your sausage patties on a plate, and cover them to keep them warm. Then, spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray again, and repeat the cooking process until all of the sausage mixture has been used.
Cooking Tip: For the best results, flip your sausage patties for doneness after 10 minutes of cooking, and flip them over halfway through.
Oven Method
No air fryer? No problem! I tested these breakfast sausage patties in the oven as well. They take slightly longer but taste just as delicious!
- Preheat. To start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix and Shape. Then, as with the air fryer breakfast sausage, use your hands to combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and form the patties.
- Bake. Once formed, place the patties on the baking sheet, and bake them for 20-22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Pro-Tip: For extra crispy breakfast sausage patties, turn the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes at the end of the cooking process.
Pro-Tip: For extra crispy breakfast sausage patties, turn the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes at the end of the cooking process.
Storage and Reheating
I like to make these air fryer breakfast sausage patties ahead of time for an easy breakfast or tasty appetizer in a pinch! Luckily, they can be stored in the fridge and reheated with ease.
Fridge: Place the patties in an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezer: For long-lasting breakfast sausage patties, place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat: For the best results, let frozen patties thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, place them in either the air fryer or oven until the desired temperature is reached.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this air fryer breakfast sausage on its own dipped in sauce or use it to make a complete meal!
Sauces:
Meals:
Common Questions
Oftentimes sausage becomes dry when an extremely lean meat is used. Try using a slightly fattier cut to increase the moisture content and prevent them from drying out. Also, be sure to break up the meat well as it will weave the fat into the other ingredients.
The most common reason these sausage patties fall apart is that they have been overcooked. This causes the fat to dry out, and there is nothing left to hold the patties together. So, be sure to keep a close eye on your patties as they cook!
I haven’t tried this recipe in the skillet, but I imagine it should work! Just be sure to keep the temperature on medium heat, and flip the patties over once browned on one side to ensure they cook all the way through. Also, be sure not to press the patties down with your spatula! Doing so will push out the juices from the meat, creating dry patties.
Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage Recipe (Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 patties 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage recipe is ready in less than 20 minutes for an gluten-free breakfast recipe perfect for meal prep. Oven option. See notes for AIP substitutes.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork, chicken, turkey (90-93% lean)
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves, minced.
- ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon or to taste kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoons or to taste black pepper
- Optional: 2 sage leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or raw honey syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat and herbs and spices (garlic, chili flakes, thyme, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper, and sage leaves), and sugar. Using two hands, mix the ingredients together until they are well-blended.
- Shape the sausage mixtures into patties about 3 to 3 ½ inches wide and 1 to 1 ½ inches thick.*
- Place the formed patties on a baking tray lined with parchment paper to keep them from sticking.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once preheated, place 4-5 patties in the air fryer.
- Air fry the sausage patties 12-15 minutes on manual, flipping halfway through cooking. Check for doneness at 10-12 minutes. (*See notes)
- Remove the sausage patties from the air fryer, place them on a clean plate, and cover them to keep warm.
- Repeat the steps above, air frying the remaining patties.
- Serve with sauce of choice.
Notes
Note: Cooking times can vary depending on the type of air fryer and meat you use. If you’re air fryer doesn’t have a 375 degree Fahrenheit setting, use 370 degrees. Adjust the cooking time as needed, checking for doneness after 10 minutes.
Baking Option: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the sausage patties on a lined sheet pan, and bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 -22 minutes, flipping halfway through. The internal temperature should reach somewhere between 155-165 degrees Fahrenheit. (Optional – Remove the parchment paper, and place the sausage patties back on the sheet pan. Turn the oven to broil, and broil the patties for 1 -2 minutes for extra crispy edges.)
AIP Substitute – Replace the red pepper, cayenne, and paprika with 1 -2 teaspoons of fresh horseradish or 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke. Also, be sure to use maple syrup or honey instead of raw sugar.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sausage patty
- Calories: 74
- Sugar: L
- Sodium: 73.7 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 8.6 g
- Cholesterol: 42 mg
What is the serving size?
Hi Hannah! Just updated the nutrition to reflect per single patty. That being said, a regular serving size can range between 2-4 patties depending on who you’re feeding. 😉 Let me know if this helps!
Sorry one more question…. Do you have a sugar free sausage recipe? Hard to find a sugar free sausage ‘innards’ premade. I make meatballs from scratch too so I can’t imagine it’s much different. Thanks!
Interesting. Where are you buying the innards? Curious to see what other ingredients they put in it. The only sausage Ive really ever made was a chorizo. I don’t think it had sugar. Butcher box might have a sugar free version
How are these without the sugar? I can the honey but I am strictly no sugar so try to do as little honey as possible. Have you tried them without the sugar? Thank you!
For sure! I’ve made it without sugar as well. It does help bind the sausage so you might have to chill mixture longer but that’s it. Keep me posted
Is my computer having a problem or this recipe is gone? i am not seeing anything on the page….
That’s so strange! what server are you using? Chrome? I can email it if you can’t see it.
I am so glad Lindsay that I found your blog! I love cooking. I was thinking to buy an Air Fryer for my kitchen and dropped the idea but Now I will definitely buy the Air Fryer very soon and will try this amazing recipe of yours. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe with all of us. Much Love and Regards.
oh wonderful! Let me know when you have an air fryer and what you try out Nehal!
I want an air fryer for Christmas, but I don’t think my boyfriend got the memo. 🙁
Want me to email him? Haha
This is the best brekky ever.
Thank you, friend! You’d so love this one-smells amazing 🙂
This is the best brekky ever.
I could eat this ANY time of day! 🙂
You and me both 😉
Air fryer was totally worth the investment for this recipe!!
Oh absolutely! the crispiness of that sausage was sooo worth it
I mean I don’t really want another appliance, but I DO want to get my hands on an air fryer! 🙂
yep… you must!
I needs me an air fryer!!
That’s it. An air fryer is now officially on my Christmas wish list!
Oh good! YOu need, you will love!
The air fryer is probably the coolest kitchen invention I’ve seen besides the Instant Pot. It’s just so incredible to me how crispy those are without any oil. 🙂 YUMM!
Normally I hear cajun and I automatically think hot / spicy. I like that you’ve left room for less spicy options because these look so delicious! I think my hubby and sons will really appreciate this one!
If Santa doesn’t bring me an airfryer this year, she’s fired. LOL!
I have two. Want me to tell santa to steal one of mine for you? 😉
Yum! Such a good idea for breakfast!
These would make for an awesome breakfast!
These look SO tasty!!
Ok, I’m making my list for Santa right now! 🙂
I keep hearing about air fryers. I need to get my hands on one and try it!
Just come over for the holidays and I’ll show ya and tell santa. Haha!
Homemade sausage is the best! But now I must get an air fryer!!
Greatest breakfast ever!!
I want to dive head first into this!
Love air fryer recipes! Can’t wait to try your breakfast sausage 🙂
Aren’t they the best?
Yes! Air fryers are genius. Great recipe, as always.
thank you friend! Wish I could deliver. 🙂