Ninja Foodi sausage makes for an incredible dinner that’s both simple and satisfying! Whether you’re starting with fresh or frozen brats or various sausage links, your Ninja Foodi transforms them into culinary perfection: irresistibly tender on the inside with that delightful, crispy snap on the outside. This guide will show you how to master this versatile appliance for fuss-free, delicious meals.
Do you own an air fryer or a Ninja Foodi and find yourself constantly searching for quick and easy dinner ideas? Look no further! Cooking sausage in your Ninja Foodi is not only incredibly simple but also remarkably inexpensive and universally loved by families. As one of our favorite Ninja Foodi recipes, these perfectly cooked sausages are sure to become a staple in your meal rotation. (Note: Affiliate links may be present throughout this article, helping us share more great content with you.)
Many of us fall in love with our new Ninja Foodi appliance, eager to explore its full potential, from Ninja Foodi sausage patties to a myriad of other culinary delights. We certainly did! Once we got the hang of its dual functionalities and incorporated it into our daily cooking, we couldn’t wait to share our most beloved creations and essential tips with our community. We hope you enjoy these recipes and we’d love to hear about what you’ve been cooking up in your Ninja Foodi lately!
Mastering Your Ninja Foodi: Essential Resources
If you, like us, are completely obsessed with your Ninja Foodi pressure cooker and air fryer, here are a few invaluable resources to help you get started and expand your culinary horizons:
- Bookmark Our Recipe Page: Make sure to bookmark our dedicated Ninja Air Fryer Recipes page. We consistently update it with fresh, exciting recipes weekly, ensuring you always have new inspiration at your fingertips.
- Handy Cooking Times Chart: For quick reference, print out our comprehensive Air Fryer Cooking Times Chart and keep it on your fridge. This chart is a lifesaver for approximate cooking times for a wide array of foods.
- Instant Pot Compatibility: Don’t forget to save this link to Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners. Many of these recipes are perfectly adaptable for your Ninja Foodi, leveraging its pressure cooking function.
- Protect Your Pot: Invest in a good set of wooden utensils. They are essential for preventing scratches and prolonging the life of your non-stick inner pot.
- Join Our Community: Connect with thousands of other Ninja Foodi enthusiasts by joining our Facebook group. It’s a fantastic place to share your creations, ask questions, and discover even more easy recipe ideas and cooking tips.
Air Fry Brats and Sausage Links in Your Ninja Foodi
Our journey to perfect Ninja Foodi sausage began with frozen sausage, and we quickly discovered that the cook time is remarkably similar whether you’re starting with fresh or frozen links. While we initially enjoyed making Instant Pot brats, we found that the Ninja Foodi offers an even better, more complete cooking experience thanks to its air frying capabilities!
To ensure you have everything you need to get started, here are a few basics:
- If you haven’t yet, this is where you can find and purchase the incredible Ninja Cooking System.
- For additional inspiration, you can often grab a free recipe book when you purchase your Foodi or find many online.
- Complement your Foodi with this free printable cook times sheet to keep handy.
- Don’t forget that many of these techniques can also be adapted for your Ninja Foodi Grill, offering even more versatility.
Choosing the Best Sausage for Your Ninja Foodi
For our initial Ninja Foodi sausage endeavors, we often opted for Johnsonville Italian sweet sausage due to its consistent quality and delicious flavor profile. Their beer brats are another fantastic choice that cooks up wonderfully in the Foodi. When shopping, keep an eye out for sales, especially “buy one get one free” offers. Stocking up and freezing these links is a brilliant strategy. This way, when you’re short on time or simply don’t feel like a trip to the grocery store, you’ll have a convenient, flavorful protein ready to go.
It’s incredibly useful to know how to cook from frozen, not just for sausage but for other proteins too, like how to cook frozen chicken in a pressure cooker. We’ve all had those evenings when dinner plans slip our mind, and defrosting meat just isn’t an option. The Ninja Foodi’s ability to handle frozen ingredients saves dinner plans time and time again.
The Magic of Dual Cooking: Pressure Cook Then Air Fry
Yes, it’s truly that simple! You just place the Ninja Foodi sausage links right into your air fryer basket within the pot. The real magic, however, lies in utilizing both of your Ninja Foodi’s primary functions. To achieve that coveted tender interior, you’ll first pressure cook the sausages for a few minutes. This initial step ensures they are thoroughly cooked through and incredibly juicy.
- Once the pressure cooking cycle is complete, the next step is to switch to the air fryer setting. This is crucial for developing that irresistible crispy casing and beautiful golden-brown exterior. In less than 15 minutes total, from rock-hard frozen to perfectly done, you’ll have delicious sausages ready to enjoy.
This dual-cooking method is an absolute game-changer, transforming dinner preparation into a quick and effortless experience!
Why the Ninja Foodi is the Ultimate Sausage Maker
If you’re specifically searching for pressure cooker dinner recipes, this method for sausage is a top contender. If you don’t own a Ninja Foodi but still want a crispy exterior, you can certainly finish your pressure-cooked sausages under a broiler for a few minutes. However, the true convenience and superior results come from the Ninja Foodi’s integrated design. Having an all-in-one kitchen appliance that handles both pressure cooking and air frying seamlessly is incredibly valuable, saving you time, counter space, and washing up.
What Goes Well with Sausage? Delicious Pairings!
The beauty of perfectly cooked sausage is its versatility. It pairs wonderfully with a wide array of side dishes. Here are some of our top recommendations:
- Classic Comfort: Baked Beans are a timeless choice that complements the savory richness of sausage perfectly.
- Crispy Sides: For a delightful texture contrast, whip up some Ninja Foodi French Fries or even air fryer sausage links alongside your brats.
- Fresh & Tangy: A refreshing batch of Coleslaw provides a crisp, cool counterpoint to the warm, hearty sausage.
- Traditional Style: Serve them in buns with a generous dollop of spicy mustard for that authentic experience.
- Healthy Additions: Don’t forget your vegetables! Air fryer brussel sprouts are a fantastic option, offering a slightly bitter, caramelized flavor that balances the sausage well.
- Creamy & Satisfying: A side of Potato Salad is always a crowd-pleaser and hearty accompaniment.
- Garlicky Goodness: Warm, savory Garlic Pull Apart Bread is perfect for soaking up any delicious juices.
Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor
To make these delicious Ninja Foodi sausages, you’ll need minimal ingredients:
- A package of your favorite sausage or bratwurst links (fresh or frozen)
- Olive oil spray (for achieving that crispy exterior)
- Water (for the pressure cooking step)
Versatility and Beyond: More Ninja Foodi Sausage Ideas
We find ourselves cooking these simple sausage links quite often because of their affordability, speed, and sheer deliciousness. You certainly don’t need to wait for Oktoberfest to indulge in them! Beyond serving them traditionally, consider incorporating them into creative dishes like Hawaiian lettuce wraps for a lighter, flavor-packed meal.
While this Ninja Foodi sausage recipe is a standout, there are many other fantastic Ninja Foodi air fryer recipes worth exploring next:
- For a delightful appetizer or quick main, try our Bacon-Wrapped Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
- Game Day favorite? Our Air Fryer Wings Recipe yields perfectly crispy wings every time.
- For a hearty pasta dish, explore our Ninja Foodi Taco Pasta.
- If you’re in the mood for a comforting classic, our Ninja Foodi Stew is exceptional.
- Need a quick kid-friendly meal? Learn How to Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer.
- And for a more sophisticated main, consider a Pork Loin cooked to perfection.
If you’re a fan of a traditional “bangers and mash” but want to use your pressure cooker, we’ve got you covered! You can follow similar instructions to our Instant Pot bangers and mash recipe, simply adding an air crisp step at the end for that desirable crispy skin.
For a flavorful one-pot meal, consider making sausage and peppers, which is similar to this method but incorporates a rich tomato sauce and an abundance of colorful bell peppers. Our pressure cooker sausage soup is also a fantastic option for a warm, comforting meal. Most recently, we experimented with cooking air fryer sausage and potatoes together in the Foodi, and the results were a game-changer for weeknight dinners!
Ninja Foodi Sausage Recipe
★★★★☆
Ninja Foodi Sausage
Justine
5 minutes
13 minutes
6
Comment
Print Recipe
Equipment
-
1 Ninja Foodi (Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer)
Ingredients
-
6
sausage or bratwurst links (fresh or frozen) - olive oil spray
-
1.5
cups
water
Instructions
-
Pour 1.5 cups of water into your Ninja Foodi’s inner pot. Place the air fryer basket inside the pot, then lightly spray the inside of the basket with non-stick olive oil spray. Carefully arrange the sausage links inside the basket in a single layer. Close the pressure cooker lid and ensure the steam release valve is sealed. Set the Ninja Foodi to high pressure for 5 minutes.
-
Once the pressure cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure. Carefully remove the pressure cooker lid. Lightly spray the sausage links with olive oil again (this helps with crisping). Close the air crisp lid. Set the Ninja Foodi to the air crisp function at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes, making sure to flip the sausages halfway through cooking to ensure even browning on all sides.
-
Remove the perfectly cooked and crisped sausages from the Foodi and serve them immediately with your favorite accompaniments.
Nutrition
Serving:
3
oz
,
Calories:
258
kcal
,
Protein:
13
g
,
Fat:
23
g
,
Saturated Fat:
7
g
,
Cholesterol:
61
mg
,
Sodium:
541
mg
,
Potassium:
211
mg
,
Vitamin A:
65
IU
,
Vitamin C:
0.6
mg
,
Calcium:
8
mg
,
Iron:
0.9
mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Entree, Main Course
American, German
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