If there’s one thing we love about smoked sausages in this house, it’s that caramelization around the outside edges. When you make air fryer kielbasa something truly magical happens. The crispy edges, juicy interior, and delicious flavor are truly hard to beat.
Once you learn how to make kielbasa in the air fryer, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner! It cooks up perfectly in under 10 minutes, making for an amazingly easy dinner.
There’s no tending the stove or standing by the grill, and the air fryer delivers a melt-in-your-mouth texture with perfectly browned, caramelized edges.
Speaking of caramelizing, did you know you can make caramelized onions in the air fryer too? They go great with some pierogies alongside your kielbasa!
Ingredients List
1 Ring or package of kielbasa, thawed if frozen (about 14 ounces)
Ingredient Notes and Tips
This recipe works with smoked, uncured, natural casing, and skinless kielbasa, so use your favorite!
Kielbasa is delicious on its own, but if you’d like a dipping sauce, I recommended: ketchup, dijon mustard, or barbecue sauce
How to Cook Kielbasa in the Air Fryer: Instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 380°F following manufacturer guidelines (or 375°F if your air fryer doesn’t have a setting for 380)
Slice your kielbasa as thick as you like using a chef’s knife (or similar)
Add sliced kielbasa to the preheated air fryer basket, allowing air space between pieces
Cook on the air fryer setting for 8 minutes at 380°F stopping to shake kielbasa halfway through
After 8 minutes, check and add time in additional 1-minute increments if a darker level of browning is desired
Serve with your favorite sides
What to Serve With Kielbasa
Sauerkraut
Pierogies
Peppers
Onions
Potatoes
Brussels sprouts
Polenta
Mac and cheese
Applesauce
Potato salad
Potato pancakes
Braised cabbage
Haluski
Mashed potatoes
There are lots of amazing side dishes to serve with kielbasa and other smoked sausages.
Yes, you can cook kielbasa in the air fryer. In fact, your air fryer is one of the best ways to cook kielbasa. It’s less messy and greasy when compared to pan frying.
You’ll not only warm the meat while retaining moisture, but the exterior will turn a pleasant brown and be seared. If you are using a variety with casing, this gives it that ‘snap’ when you bite into it!
Air Fryer Kielbasa Temperature
The ideal temperature for air fryer kielbasa is around 380°F. This is the perfect spot to warm the interior and brown the exterior, but not burn your sausages.
However, the temperature can be lowered to 350°F and cooked longer, which is useful if you’re trying to cook potatoes, peppers, or onions with it for example.
Raise the temperature to 400°F if you’d like a more “charred” exterior.
No matter which way you go, the air fryer will deliver delicious and perfectly cooked Polish kielbasa.
How Long Do You Cook Kielbasa in an Air Fryer?
On average, you cook kielbasa for 8-10 minutes in an air fryer.
This is assuming you’re using the recommended temperature of 380°F. At 400°F, it should take around 7 minutes, whereas 350°F may take upwards of 15 minutes in total.
Another factor is the size of your Polska kielbasa pieces. Medallions, larger chunks, and the whole sausage will vary slightly on cooking times just by their mass.
The longer you cook, the browner your sausages will be.
Can You Air Fry Kielbasa Whole?
You can air fry kielbasa whole if you prefer, and as long as your air fryer basket is large enough to hold the entire sausage.
You cook a whole Polska kielbasa at the same 375-380°F temperature in your air fryer. Typically, it takes about 9-10 minutes with a flip halfway through.
When you cook Polish sausage whole, you’re just getting that nice caramelized exterior along the outside or the casing of the sausage. While the interior will be hot and juicy, it won’t brown since it’s sealed inside.
Is Air Fried Kielbasa Good?
Air fried kielbasa is good, if you enjoy caramelized edges and a nice snap on your sausage.
Cooking in the air fryer requires much less watching and tending than a pan-fried method, and gives fairly even cooking.
However, if you traditionally boil your kielbasa and don’t want any browning at all, then you may not like the air fryer method. It really just comes down to personal preference here.
Is Kielbasa Already Cooked?
Yes, most commercially available kielbasa is already cooked.
Preparing it in the air fryer, or any other method, is simply reheating it and caramelizing the meat.
Recipe Pro Tips
I’m using approximately ½” thick slices of kielbasa, as I prefer extra caramelization on the outside. Smaller pieces give a higher ratio of browned bits to enjoy on your kielbasa. However, it’s very common to use larger (around 1”) chunks as well
Feel free to stick some toothpicks in your slices and serve them up as appetizers!
If you prefer to make a whole polish sausage ring at once, cooking time should be closer to 10 minutes
Kielbasa sausage has a somewhat high fat content (that’s why no additional oil needs to be added for cooking), so it’s somewhat normal if your air fryer is smoking during cooking. You’ll need to pause and tip out some grease before continuing
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover kielbasa in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month
Reheat Polish kielbasa in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through
Now that you know how to make kielbasa in the air fryer, you’ll never go back to the stove! It takes less than 10 minutes, little attention, and comes out mouthwatering.
Pair your Polish sausage with classics like pierogies and sauerkraut, or swap in your favorite sides to create the perfect meal. You can even add a dipping sauce for the meat if you like (but you don’t need it; it’s that good)!
This is one of my favorite dinners to throw together quickly on those busy weeknights because everyone loves it and it’s so easy to make!
Best Air Fryer Kielbasa Polish Sausage
Kielbasa in the air fryer cooks up juicy, browned, and delicious. This method takes less than 10 minutes and is very easy.
1Ring or package of kielbasa, refrigerator or thawed if frozen (about 14 ounces)
Instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (or 375°F depending on your air fryer’s settings) following manufacturer guidelines
Slice your kielbasa as thick as you like using a chef’s knife (or similar) on a cutting board
1 Ring or package of kielbasa, refrigerator or thawed if frozen
Add sliced kielbasa to the preheated air fryer basket, allowing air space between pieces
Cook on the air fryer setting for 8 minutes at 380°F stopping to shake kielbasa halfway through
After 8 minutes, check and add time in additional 1-minute increments if a darker level of browning is desired
Serve with your favorite sides
Notes
No oil needs to be applied, as kielbasa has plenty of natural fat
I cut my kielbasa into about ½” medallions, because we prefer extra caramelization per square inch, but 1” pieces or a the whole ring is fine too
If you make a whole polish sausage ring at once, cooking time should be closer to 10 minutes
This recipe works with smoked, uncured, natural casing, and skinless kielbasa, so use your favorite!
Should your air fryer start smoking during cooking, pause cycle, tip out grease, and resume cooking
Recommended dipping sauces: ketchup, Dijon mustard, or barbecue sauce
Side recommendations for dinner: pierogis (pictured), sauerkraut (pictured), peppers, onions, potatoes, or any combination thereof!
Place toothpicks in each slice for an easy appetizer
Exact nutritional values will vary depending on specific brand used, sides and sauces included, and amount consumed, so please consider this a rough guideline only
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I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
