Air Fryer Kielbasa [+VIDEO]

Enjoy juicy Polska kielbasa in minutes with this Air Fryer Kielbasa recipe. These are perfect for busy weeknights when you want a quick main dish for the whole family without taking out your pots and pans. This recipe is great for turkey, beef, or pork kielbasa that has been previously cooked. To make these a low carb easy meal, pair it with side dishes like my air fryer green beans, pressure cooker cabbage, or air fryer roasted broccoli. You can also have this as a zero carb snack option.

Why Make Kielbasa in an Air Fryer

• Quick & easy prep: simply cut your kielbasa to size and cook in the air fryer in less than 10 minutes.
• Crispy skin with a juicy center: one of the benefits of making sausages in the air fryer is that they cook perfectly without drying out. Plus, just like my air fryer brats and Italian sausages, Onions, and Peppers, you get the crispy skin on the outside.
• A great way to make different types of kielbasa

Ingredients Needed

• Whole Kielbasa: these are pre-cooked, u-shaped sausage that I picked up in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. I used the turkey variety, but they come packaged in pork and beef.
• Olive Oil or Avocado Oil Spray: this helps with browning the sausages, but it is optional since the sausage fats will help them to brown generally.

How to Make Air-Fried Kielbasa

1. Cut to size: Since these are packaged whole, you can cut these into smaller pieces or thick slices. I cut mine into about 1-inch pieces. The instructions remain the same and you get similar results either way.
2. Add the kielbasa to your air fryer basket or air fryer tray in a single layer: this helps the hot air circulate
3. Optional: Spray the smoked sausage with olive oil spray to help with browning
4. Cook until browned: I perfer to have a but of a char on the outside. But, you could cook them less if you don’t. In my experience, these are reheated and ready to eat in as little as 5 minutes.

Top Cooking Tips & FAQs

• Increase the cook time for additional browning: I chose to cook these for 10 minutes because that was how long it took to have the outer skin crispy enough for me. But, you could cook these for 8-10 minutes or 10-12 minutes, to make them more or less crisp.
• Check for doneness at 5 minutes: If you’re not sure how browned you’d like yours, simply start checking these for doneness around 5-6 minutes. Then, you can check every two minutes until they suit your tastes
• For best results, don’t add salt: kielbasa can be salty so it doesn’t need any added salt. If you choose to pair this with a side dish or sauce, keep that in mind.
• Frozen Kielbasa: I used refrigerated sausage, but you could try this with frozen kielbasa if you’d like. Since the meat is already cooked, you can simply use a longer cooking time to heat it through.

Storage

Store cooked air fryer kielbasa sausage in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Variations

• BBQ: Add your kielbasa to a large bowl with some of my keto brown sugar bbq seasoning before air frying. Enjoy them with bbq sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
• Sausages & Vegetables: Add green or red bell peppers, zucchini, or even sweet potatoes or baby potatoes (depending on your goals) for a quick meal.

Can you swap hot dogs for kielbasa in the air fryer?

Yes. As mentioned above, simply begin to check for doneness at 5 minutes. Any time above 5 minutes is really just for browning.

Delicious Recipes to Enjoy this with

I find that kielbasa can get salty when it’s browned and cooked. So, when having it, I choose a lighter side dish like a roasted or steamed vegetable. Some options are:

• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Pressure Cooker Cabbage
• Cauliflower Mash
• Keto Green Bean Casserole

Different Types of Sausage to Cook in your Air Fryer

• Chicken Sausage
• Sausage Patties
• Breakfast Sausages (Links)
• Brats
• Italian Sausages

If you try this recipe, please stop back and leave it a star rating and/or a review in the comments. Stay connected & share photos of your creations with me & others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!