These air fryer sausage patties are made from scratch with simple seasonings and come out perfectly cooked every single time.
If you have ever bought frozen sausage patties from the store, you already know they can be hit or miss. Some are too salty, some taste bland, and you never really know what is in them.
Making your own at home is so much easier than you might think. You just mix everything together, shape the patties, and let the air fryer do the rest.
They come out golden brown on the outside with a juicy, flavorful center. The touch of maple syrup gives them that classic breakfast sausage sweetness without being too much.
Serve them with eggs, toast, or stuff them inside a breakfast sandwich. Either way, they are delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Homemade Taste That Beats Store-Bought – These patties have a savory and slightly sweet flavor from real maple syrup and spices that no frozen brand can match.
Perfectly Crispy on the Outside – The air fryer gives each patty a gorgeous golden-brown crust while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
No Greasy Mess – Unlike pan-frying there is no oil splatter and no pool of grease because the air fryer lets the extra fat drip right off.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
How To Make
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, maple syrup, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and thyme. Use your hands to mix everything together until the seasonings are evenly distributed, but be careful not to overwork the meat.
Step 2
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each one into a patty about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Press a slight indent into the center of each patty with your thumb to help them cook flat and evenly.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Step 4
Place the sausage patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one for air circulation. Work in batches if your basket is small.
Step 5
Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip each patty carefully with a spatula. Cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the patties are golden brown on the outside and cooked through with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Step 6
Remove the patties from the air fryer and let them rest on a plate for 2 minutes before serving. These pair perfectly with eggs, toast, or inside a breakfast sandwich.
Tips
Don’t Overwork the Meat
When you’re mixing the pork with the seasonings, use your hands and gently fold everything together just until you can see the spices are spread throughout. Think of it like loosely tossing a salad – you want contact, not compression.
If you squeeze and knead the meat too much, the proteins bind together too tightly and the patties come out dense and rubbery instead of tender and juicy.
You’ll know you’re done mixing when you can break off a piece and see bits of seasoning distributed evenly without the meat looking pasty or sticky.
The Thumb Indent Really Matters
Sausage patties puff up in the center as they cook, especially in an air fryer where hot air hits them from all sides. That’s why pressing a shallow indent into the middle of each patty is so important.
Make the indent about the size of your thumbprint and only press down maybe a quarter inch. You’re not trying to poke a hole – just create a slight dip.
When the patty swells during cooking, that dip fills in and you end up with a flat, evenly cooked patty instead of one that looks like a little dome.
Keep the Patties the Same Size
Try to make all 8 patties as close to the same thickness and width as possible. If some are thicker than others, the thin ones will overcook and dry out before the thick ones are done.
A kitchen scale helps a lot here. The mixture is 1 pound, so each patty should be about 2 ounces. If you don’t have a scale, divide the meat in half first, then each half into quarters – that gets you 8 even portions quickly.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage Patties
- Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Air Fryer Sausage & Pepper Breakfast Hash
- Air Fryer Breakfast Egg Rolls
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of pork?
You can, but keep in mind that turkey and chicken are leaner than pork, so the patties may turn out a bit drier. To help with that, you could add a small splash of olive oil or a tablespoon of melted butter to the mixture to keep things juicy.
The flavor will also be milder since pork has a natural richness that pairs really well with the maple and sage. You might want to bump up the seasonings just slightly if you go with a lighter protein.
Air Fryer Sausage Patties
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, maple syrup, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and thyme. Use your hands to mix everything together until the seasonings are evenly distributed, but be careful not to overwork the meat.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each one into a patty about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Press a slight indent into the center of each patty with your thumb to help them cook flat and evenly.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Place the sausage patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one for air circulation. Work in batches if your basket is small.
- Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip each patty carefully with a spatula. Cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the patties are golden brown on the outside and cooked through with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Remove the patties from the air fryer and let them rest on a plate for 2 minutes before serving. These pair perfectly with eggs, toast, or inside a breakfast sandwich.