All your questions about Air Fryer Sausage Rolls answered in one place. How to cook, at what temperature and for how long, how to reheat and how to air fry sausage rolls from frozen. Plus a quick and simple recipe for deliciously easy sausage rolls cooked in the air fryer.
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This post is a little different to my usual recipe posts. I want to focus on giving you some useful help about making sausage rolls using an air fryer. The recipe included is an adaptation of my original Puff Pastry Sausage Roll Post.
So if you would like some more helpful information about the best ingredients to use, ways to vary the recipe and all the other usual helpful information I give for recipes, please pop over to that post for a look.
I’ve set out this post in a FAQ format so lets jump straight in. Just let me know in the comments if there are any questions that I’ve missed that I can help answer!
Frequently Asked Questions: Air Fryer Sausage Rolls
- What exactly is an air fryer and what are the benefits?
- What type of air fryer is best to use for sausage rolls?
- Is an air fryer better to use for sausage rolls than an oven?
- Do you need to pre-heat an air fryer before baking?
- How long to cook sausage rolls for in an air fryer?
- What temperature to cook sausage rolls in an air fryer?
- Can you cook frozen sausage rolls in an air fryer?
- Can you reheat sausage rolls in an air fryer?
- Do you need to line an air fryer basket when cooking sausage rolls?
What Exactly Is An Air Fryer and What Are The Benefits?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection oven. Also known as a fan oven. Which is exactly what most of us in the UK have in our kitchens. Fan ovens are less common over in the US so the difference between air frying and standard oven cooking can seem a bit more pronounced.
The benefit of convection or fan cooking is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
The benefit of using an air fryer over a standard convention oven is size, time and energy usage. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
What Type of Air Fryer Is Best to Use for Sausage Rolls?
Almost all air fryers can be used for baking but there is one main exception – rotary air fryers with their moving mixing blade. You will end up with mush rather than rolls!
I’ve discussed each of the options in turn –
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer better to use for sausage rolls than an oven?
I don’t think either method is necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product. There is no down or upside to the sausage rolls as a result of what method is used to cook them.
There are a few other factors to consider before deciding which method suits you most.
The big one for me is quantity. How many sausage rolls are you wanting to cook in one go?
To make 12 medium sized sausage rolls in my air fryer, I have to cook them in two separate batches, 6 at a time. With a 4 minute preheat and 15 minute cook time for each batch, that’s a total of 34 minutes go time.
To cook the same 12 sausage rolls in the oven, with a 10 minute preheat time and 15 minute cook time, that’s a total of 25 minutes go time. So for me, I am more likely to cook a full batch of sausage rolls in the oven.
However. If I had a bigger air fryer or if I had shelves in my air fryer where I could cook all 12 at once, I’d go with the air fryer and a total go time of 19 minutes.
The other consideration is cost which I know is important to many people. Air fryers are generally cheaper to run than ovens. Even with the longer time using an air fryer and cooking in 2 batches, it is still likely going to be cheaper to use the air fryer. So if the cost saving is more important than time saving, the air fryer wins.
For me, the time when an air fryer really comes into its own is when I’m just cooking one or two sausage rolls at a time. I’ll talk more about cooking from frozen below, but being able to grab a couple of sausage rolls (or any other pastry) from the freezer and just cook them fresh in the air fryer is the real joy.
Do you Need to Pre-Heat an Air Fryer before Baking?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
How long to cook sausage rolls for in an air fryer?
For the recipe I have written below, I use 320g ready rolled puff pastry and 450g (1lb) of pork sausage meat.
Out of this you can choose how big to cut your sausage rolls. All of the following sizes require a 15 minute cooking time as the thickness of the sausage roll stays the same, only the length changes:
- 4 extra large sausage rolls – like these vegan sausage rolls
- 6 large sausage rolls
- 12 medium sausage rolls – like these shortcrust pastry sausage rolls
- 16 small sausage rolls – like these cheese & chutney sausage rolls
Once the thickness changes, so does the cooking time. I’ve tested extensively and the thinner kind requires only a 10 minute cooking time.
- 36 mini sausage rolls – like these party size sausage rolls
I haven’t yet published any recipes for thick, overfilled sausage rolls because I’m not always that big a fan of the pastry to meat ratio. This kind will definitely take longer to cook and would quite likely require a slightly lower temperature too.
What temperature to cook sausage rolls in an air fryer?
I tested this extensively and I have ended up recommending a slightly lower and slower approach here. My recommended temperature to set your air fryer at to cook sausage rolls is 180c/350f. This is 20c lower than in a conventional oven.
When cooking at a higher temperature, the cooking time needed to be reduced to prevent the pastry from burning. But this meant that the sausage meat was not cooked all the way through.
The slightly lower temperature also allowed the pastry time to puff up and expand before the outer layers crisped up and stopped this. So overall a couple of minutes more at a lower temp makes a superior sausage roll.
Can I cook frozen sausage rolls in an air fryer?
Absolutely! I think this is actually one of the best ways to use the air fryer for sausage rolls. Make a full batch of 12 or 16 then cook a few for now and freeze the rest. Then when you want more, simply grab a few rolls out the freezer and whack them in the air fryer. This way you have fresh and crispy sausage rolls every time.
To cook from frozen you need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time. I’ve tested this for all but my mini sausage rolls and you need to cook them for 20 minutes at 160c/320f. The mini rolls will need 15 minutes at the same temperature.
If you don’t want to cook from frozen, allow them to thaw thenthe sausage rolls can be cooked as usual.
Can I reheat sausage rolls in an air fryer?
Definitely. This is a really great way to reheat one or two for a snack while making sure they’re nice and crispy again.
To reheat the sausage rolls in this recipe, you will need to cook for 7 minutes at 180c/350f. I do not use my preheat function for this.
Do you need to line an air fryer basket when cooking sausage rolls?
I don’t. I have experimented with using baking parchment and I am not adverse to this at all. But you need to make sure that your sausage rolls are covering almost all the paper and there is none sticking up the sides. The excess paper blows around and can catch and burn on the heating element. I learnt this the hard way.
The next best thing to use is foil. I just make sure to leave a gap around the outside so the heat and air can flow properly. But I still prefer to just simply use a little spray oil and cook directly on the basket grill. It is important to use pure oil and not frylight which will strip the non-stick from your basket.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your bakes. Once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
More Sausage Roll Recipes
You can now find all of my sausage roll recipes in one place. Plus I’ve included a few extra bonus sausage based recipes too!
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Sausage Rolls Recipe with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 320 g Puff Pastry
- 450 g Pork Sausage Meat
- 1 Egg
- Oil Spray
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires it, set it to preheat.
- Roll 320g Puff Pastry out on a floured surface to about 0.25 inch thickness. Or unroll a sheet of ready rolled pastry.
- Cut the sheet into half lengthways with a sharp knife.
- Skin enough sausages to get 450g Sausage Meat. Or if using ready prepared sausage meat, split it into two and form each half into a long sausage.
- Place the sausage meat around ⅔ of the way along each pastry strip. Make sure it reaches from end to end. You can mold the sausage meat into the right shape. Make sure to press the end of one sausage into the next if you are using skinned sausage.
- Beat 1 Egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to cover the large side of exposed pastry.
- Start to roll the pastry around the sausage meat starting with the unwashed smaller top section. Keep the pastry nice and tight to the sausage meat.
- Continue to roll until the meat is totally sealed. Wet your finger a little and gently press along with pastry seam – this will allow the pastry to meld together and reduce the likelihood of the pastry coming apart as it cooks.
- Using a sharp knife make gentle diagonal slashes down the whole of each roll.
- Use the same sharp knife to cut the end off of each roll to neaten it up if needed. Cut each roll into two and place the 4 rolls next to each other on the board. Use the knife to saw rather than press down or you will squash the rolls.
- Wipe the knife and cut all 4 rolls into 3 equal pieces. Wipe the knife again in between each cut. Don't forget not to press to hard.
- Move the rolls apart and generously egg wash the top and sides of each.. Make sure to not wash the exposed ends or sausage meat.
- Oil the bottom of the basket – Spray Oil is my preferred way of doing this. Carefully move the sausage rolls into your air fryer basket. You will likely need to bake them in batches. Remember that they will expand while cooking so leave a gap between each. Note – Be careful not to touch the basket if you have preheated the machine. I use silicone tongs to void potential accidents.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 180c/350f until light golden brown. Please see my notes about timings and temperatures.
- Once baked, carefully move the cooked sausage rolls to a cooling rack and repeat with the next batch until they are all cooked.
Notes
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can fit 6 sausage rolls in the basket at a time. The fit is quite snug. For the recipe as written, this means that I need to cook the sausage rolls in 2 batches.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Dusty says
Thanks for explaining why those time n temps, very helpful, I cooked at 185 for 15 mins in my Lakeland basket and they were excellent .
Rebecca - Glutarama says
I could literally eat my own body weight in those sausage rolls right now – God I’m hungry!
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says
I confess we have yet to enter the world of air fryers… But feel it really is about time we did. So thank you for all the helpful information on what they do.
Lush sausage rolls too!! xxx
Chloe says
Ha! I don’t think they are actually for everyone, especially if you’re a larger family. I’m a crunchy rather than soft food person and live on my own so I’m team air fryer rather than team slow cooker!
Sisley White - Sew White says
This is dangerous as I will be making air fryer sausages rolls all the time! They are so easy. Brilliant recipe. What dipping sauce would you recommend for them?
Janice says
So much brilliant information, thank you. The sausage rolls are so delicious and it’s such a great way to cook a few for a snack.