The best and easiest way to cook crispy and juicy sausage is in the oven. The only way to get perfect sausages every time is to bake them. This works for Italian sausages, breakfast sausage patties or links, and other full-size sausages.
Sausage—breakfast sausage patties or links. Or larger sausages like Italian sausages, kielbasa, brats, or smoked sausages. Use pork, turkey, or chicken sausage. PAM cooking spray or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
The oven is a better way to cook sausage than standing over the stove and making a mess. It takes less work and is cleaner. We havent cooked sausage any other way for years.
It only takes about 15 minutes to bake breakfast sausage patties or links. But it takes about 25 minutes to cook bigger sausages like brats, kielbasa, smoked, or Italian sausages.
Sausage is a versatile staple that can be incorporated into everything from breakfasts to dinners. While pan-frying is the most common sausage cooking method, did you know that your oven can also produce phenomenal results? The oven’s dry, ambient heat gently cooks sausages to perfection without the splattering mess of stovetop frying.
You can easily bake flavorful, juicy sausages in your oven that are cooked evenly throughout. Whether making breakfast patties, brats for a game day party or Italian sausage for pasta night, your oven is up for the task. Follow these tips and guidelines to learn how to cook sausage to perfection in your oven.
Benefits of Oven-Baked Sausages
Cooking sausages in the oven offers several advantages
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Requires minimal preparation – just place sausages on a sheet pan,
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Allows for batch cooking multiple servings at once.
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Avoids stovetop spatters and burns,
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Cooks the sausages evenly all the way through.
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Renders out fat and intensifies sausage flavors.
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Lets you roast veggies or potatoes alongside sausages.
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Frees up stove space for side dishes.
Oven Temperature and Cook Times
The oven temperature and required cook times can vary based on the size and style of sausages:
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350°F oven – Best for larger sausages like brats or kielbasa. Cook 25-45 minutes.
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400°F oven – Ideal for breakfast links and patties. Cook 15-22 minutes.
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450°F oven – Quickly cooks skinny hot dogs or precooked smoked sausages. Cook 8-15 minutes.
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Frozen sausages – Add 10-15 extra minutes to thaw and cook through.
Always rely on an instant-read thermometer to confirm sausages reach safe internal temperatures. Ground sausages should hit 160°F.
Prep Tips for Oven-Baked Sausages
Follow these tips for preparing sausages for the oven:
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Select sausages – fresh, smoked, chicken, turkey, vegetarian.
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Line sheet pans with foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup.
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Arrange sausages in a single layer without crowding or touching.
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Brush or drizzle sausages with oil to enhance browning.
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For patties, indent centers slightly to prevent puffing up.
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Use a baking sheet with sides to catch rendered fats.
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Preheat oven fully before baking.
How to Cook Sausages to Perfection in the Oven
Follow these simple steps:
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Prep baking sheet and arrange sausages.
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Preheat oven to desired temperature – 350°F, 400°F or 450°F.
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Bake sausages, flipping halfway through cook time.
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Rotate pan and shift sausages around for even cooking.
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Cook until browned, firm and 160°F internal temperature.
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Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
Oven-Baked Sausage Pairings and Meals
Beyond eating sausages solo, they pair deliciously with these oven-roasted additions:
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Diced potatoes – Roast small red or yellow potatoes alongside sausages.
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Seasonal vegetables – Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, peppers and more.
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Onions and peppers – For sausage hoagies or sheet pan fajitas.
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Sauerkraut – Tangy topping for kielbasa or brats.
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Baked beans – Sweet, smoky side for any sausage.
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Pasta – Toss cooked pasta with crumbled Italian sausage.
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Pizza – Top baked crusts with sliced sausages and veggies.
Helpful Tips for Baked Sausage Success
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Bake sausages on sheet pans lined with foil for easy cleanup.
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Avoid overcrowding sausages so they brown properly.
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Flip and rotate sausages midway through baking.
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Add sturdier veggies like potatoes during last 20 minutes.
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Brush sausages with oil or cooking spray before baking.
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Allow baked sausages to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Oven-Baked Sausage Recipes to Try
Bake up delicious sausages in the oven with these tasty recipes:
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Maple Breakfast Sausage Patties – With sage, maple syrup and Dijon mustard.
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Beer Brats and Sauerkraut – Simmered in beer with onions and garlic.
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Italian Sausage Calzones – Stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella and marinara sauce.
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Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies – With new potatoes, Brussels sprouts and mustard glaze.
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Cajun Sausage and Shrimp Pasta – Tossed with tomatoes, onion and Cajun seasoning.
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Sausage Balls Appetizer – Made with cream cheese, cheddar and fresh chives.
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Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash – Italian sausage and quinoa baked in halves.
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Smoky Baked Bean and Sausage Casserole – Kidney beans, bacon and maple sausage.
Oven-Baked Sausage FAQs
Get answers to common questions on cooking sausage in the oven:
What is the best oven temperature to bake sausages?
350°F for larger sausages, 400°F for breakfast links and patties, or 450°F for quick-cooking types.
How long should you cook sausages in the oven?
Thinner breakfast links and patties take 15-22 minutes at 400°F. Larger sausages need 25-45 minutes at 350°F.
Should you poke holes in sausages before baking?
Pricking is not necessary and can cause juices to leak out.
How do you know when oven-baked sausages are fully cooked?
They should reach 160°F internally, appear firm and browned, and juices should run clear.
Can you bake frozen sausages in the oven?
Yes, just allow 10-15 extra minutes of cooking time for frozen sausages to thaw and cook through.
Enjoy Juicy, Flavorful Oven-Baked Sausages
Cooking sausage in the oven is an easy route to juicy, browned links with great texture. Adjust oven temperature based on size, flip halfway through and rely on a meat thermometer. In no time, you’ll be serving everything from sizzling breakfast patties to beer-simmered brats straight from your oven.
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✔️Tips to make it right every time
Pork sausage, turkey sausage, or chicken sausage will all cook the same. When cooking sausage patties, make a hole in the middle that is ¼ inch deep and about ¾ inch across. This will keep the patties from puffing up during cooking, which can cause the top to become too brown before it’s safe to eat.
Use a baking tray like a sheet pan with sides. For easy cleanup, line the pan with foil if you’re making link sausage. If you’re making patties, however, spray the tray with PAM or add parchment paper because the spatula will often tear the foil.
The sausages will brown faster in a convection oven and a hot oven, so use convection if you have it and a pan with low sides, like a sheet pan. But a conventional oven will also work.
This recipe quickly cooks smoked sausage, brats, kielbasa, and Italian sausage. Kiełbasa, smoked, or Italian sausages can be made into quick and tasty hoagie sandwiches or a sheet-pan dinner by adding sliced bell pepper and onion to them.
The oven temperature can match the other dishes you are cooking. I have cooked as low as 350° and as high as 450°. The time will vary, so cook by internal temperature.
If the sausage is golden brown but not fully cooked, don’t bake it any longer. Instead, put it under the broiler for a few minutes to get more color.
⏲️How long to cook sausage in the oven
It takes about 15 minutes for breakfast sausage patties or links to cook in a 400°F convection oven, but 25 minutes for bigger sausages. Cook to a final internal temperature of 160° or 165° if the sausage has poultry.
The baking time will depend on how thick the sausage is, the oven temperature, how much it has been heated up, and even the pan itself. So, use an instant-read thermometer and check the temperature early.