The easiest way to cook breakfast sausage patties or links is in the oven-fast, hands-off, and no splatter. Bake at 400°F-about 12-15 minutes for breakfast sausage or 25 for thicker sausages like brats or Italian.
Whether you're cooking for breakfast, meal prep, or dinner, you'll get juicy, evenly cooked sausage with minimal cleanup.
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Featured Comment by Kari :
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"Breakfast made easy! Thank you for the instructions; this worked great! "
😊 Why You Should Bake Sausage (Not Fry It)
- Less mess. No splatter, no greasy skillet, no cleanup headache.
- No babysitting. Oven does the work-no flipping or hovering.
- Juicy and evenly cooked. Crispy outside, fully cooked inside.
- One pan, one batch. Cook the whole pack at once, hands-free.
- Works for any sausage. Use this method for patties, links, brats, or kielbasa-just adjust the time.
🐖What You Need
Sausage:
Breakfast sausage patties or links work best, but you can also use Italian sausage, brats, kielbasa, or smoked sausage.
Choose pork, turkey, or chicken-they all cook the same.
Cooking surface:
Use a rimmed baking tray (like a sheet pan) to catch any grease. Line it with PAM cooking spray, parchment paper, or aluminum foil to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook Sausage in the Oven
1. Prep the Tray and Sausage
Preheat the oven to 400°F (convection preferred). Line a rimmed baking tray with cooking spray, parchment paper, or foil for easy cleanup.
✅ Pro Tip: Convection helps with browning, but any oven temp from 350° to 425°F will work-just adjust the cooking time.
If using breakfast sausage patties, press a shallow dimple in the center to help prevent puffing.
Arrange all sausages evenly on the tray-don't crowd them.
2. Bake and Flip
Place the tray on the middle oven rack. Flip patties or rotate larger sausages about halfway through the baking time for even cooking.
3. Check Temp and Finish
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, or 165°F if the sausage contains poultry.
Breakfast sausage: 12-15 minutes
Larger sausages (Italian, brats, etc.): about 25 minutes
✅ Pro Tips: If the sausage is done but not browned, use the broiler for 1-2 minutes to finish.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions-or keep reading for tips
⏱️ How Long to Bake Sausage in the Oven
The exact time depends on the size of the sausage, your oven temperature, and whether you're using convection. But here's a simple guide:
- Breakfast sausage patties or links: 12-15 minutes
- Thicker sausage (Italian, brats, kielbasa, etc.): 25-30 minutes
✅ Always cook to a safe internal temperature-160°F for pork or beef, or 165°F if the sausage contains poultry.
Convection ovens cook faster and brown better, but any oven temperature from 350°F to 425°F will work. Just adjust the cooking time and check early with an instant-read thermometer.
👍Pro Tips to Cook It Right
- Dimple the patties. Press a ¼-inch deep, ¾-inch wide dimple in the center to prevent puffing. This keeps the patties flat and helps them cook evenly.
- All sausage types cook the same way. Pork, turkey, or chicken sausage-just follow the same method and use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temp.
- Use a rimmed baking tray. A sheet pan with sides keeps grease contained.
- For patties, use PAM or parchment paper-foil tears easily when flipping.
- For links, foil is fine and makes cleanup easier. - Convection helps with browning. If you have it, use it. A high oven temp and a low-sided pan will help the sausage brown more evenly.
- Don't bake longer just to brown. If the sausage is cooked through but still pale, finish with 1-2 minutes under the broiler. Easy fix-no dryness.
🤔Special Tips for Larger Sausages
- This same method works for larger sausages. Italian sausage, kielbasa, brats, and smoked sausage all bake well-just increase the time to about 25-30 minutes and flip or rotate halfway through.
- Add veggies for a full meal. Toss in sliced bell peppers and onions when baking Italian or smoked sausage. It turns into a quick sheet pan dinner or a ready-to-go hoagie filling.
- Flexible oven temps still work. You can bake sausage at 350°F to 450°F if you're cooking something else alongside it. Just adjust the time and check the internal temp.
🍳 More Easy Breakfast Ideas
Want bacon? Try How to Cook Bacon in a Convection Oven
Here are more reader favorites for breakfast:
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❄️ Storage and Reheating Leftovers
This method is perfect for meal prep since you can cook a full package at once.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze for one to two months.
Reheating: If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge. Use the microwave for convenience, or reheat in a skillet or oven to keep the edges crisp.
❓FAQs
No-don't do it. The casing holds in the juices. It may split naturally while cooking, but poking holes will just dry it out.
Yes, but it will take longer since you're cooking to a safe internal temperature. The thicker the sausage and the colder your freezer, the more time it will need. Use an instant-read thermometer to be sure.
According to the USDA, sausage made from pork or beef is safe at 160°F, while sausage containing poultry should reach 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to be sure.
Most precooked sausage is already safe to eat-check the label. You don't need to fully cook it, just heat it through. That said, I usually bake it anyway for better moisture and texture. Try both and see which you prefer.
📖The Recipe Card
How to Cook Sausage in the Oven (Breakfast & More)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 pound sausage - breakfast, links, or larger sausages like Italian or brats
- PAM cooking spray or parchment Paper - to prevent sticking
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep the Tray and Sausage
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (convection preferred). Any oven temp from 350°F to 425°F will work-just adjust the time.
- Prep a rimmed baking tray with PAM spray, foil, or parchment paper.
- For breakfast patties, make them about ¾ inch thick and dimple the center (¼ inch deep, ¾ inch wide) to prevent puffing.
- Spread sausage on the prepared baking pan, so they don't touch.
Bake and Flip
- Bake on the middle rack. Flip patties or rotate larger sausages about halfway through for even cooking.
Check Temp and Finish
- Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, or 165°F if the sausage contains poultry.Breakfast sausage: 12–15 minutesLarger sausages (Italian, brats, etc.): about 25-39 minutesFor extra browning, finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You can use the sausage you want, breakfast links or patties, or larger sausages like Italian sausage, kielbasa, brats, or smoked sausage. You can also use pork, turkey, or chicken sausage-cooked or uncooked.
- It cooks well with other dishes since you can use different oven temperatures
- You need a pan with some sides, like a sheet pan.
- Foil is great for cleanup but if doing patties that need flipped, use cooking spray or parchment.
- The most important thing is a safe internal temperature of 160° or 165° if the sausage contains poultry.
- Don't overbake to get color-use the broiler to finish browning instead.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published February 14, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Kp says
Found your recipe tonight when needing to cook 2 lbs of sausage patties for my 93 year old Dad. I’m not a sausage fan and hardly ever cook it. This saved me and they came out great. Thanks for your detailed instructions.
Ann Smith says
Which level should I place the rack? I didn't know if there would be a better way to deal with any grease that may splatter.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Ann,
Welcome to the blog.
Oven recipes, including on this blog, should be assumed to have the rack placed to have the cooking food approximately in the middle of the oven. I have done this recipe hundreds of times never had splattering. I use a sheet pan (like a jelly roll pan) that has a rim of a bit under one inch. But we also use lean sausage (Bob Evens) but there is still a fair amount of fat.
The point where it might splatter is near the end of you use the broiler to brown it up but the rim seems to prevent it.
I don't generally use foil for this and the pan cleans well as long as I don't let it get cold. Wipe out with a few paper towels and use hot water with soap and scrub a bit. Done. But if you wait, it is not so easy.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Vanessa Loftis says
Excellent! I'd been buying the large box of Sams Club sausage, baking all the patties, laying each flat on baking sheet & quick freezing. Removed them in an hr & returned loosely to the freezer in a gallon zip lock bag. I just take out precooked patties I need & microwave for 45 to 60 sec depending on how many. Tastes just made!!! Breakfast in minutes!
Aloha Trotter says
THANK YOU SEVERAL TIMES OVER! I have been looking for something easy and good for 2 weeks, then I found this!!!! I am signing up for your your recipe to come to me!!! Not very much on line for 2!
Ni says
Thanks you for this post. I’ve always had trouble making ground sausage patties to my liking. The oven is the perfect hack. Not overdone. Just perfect!
JE Reading says
The sausage turned out beautifully. Clean up was a snap. Looking forward to the oven baked, blueberry pancakes. Just have to clean and reseason our old, weather-worn, cast iron griddle. Thanks for the oven baked directions.
Aly says
Many thanks! Worked wonders with parchment paper. :)
Susan says
I'm an avid bacon in the oven gal and looked to try sausage too. Thanks for your blog, I've got 2 pounds of sausage patties in the oven now. And, I'm actually a health inspector for food safety and greatly appreciate you throwing in the repeated reminders to use a thermometer!
Mary says
Hello, Dan!
Thank you very much for your detailed answer. Indeed, a deep-fryer is not the best choice, I wanted to consider a more budget option. Plus, my kitchen is not very spacious and it is difficult to fit large-sized appliances there. I think I better wait a little, save more money and choose an oven.
Many thanks for your advice and helpful articles. Inspiration to you!
Mary
Mary says
Tell me, please, if a deep-fryer is suitable for such cooking technique? The manufacturer claims that it can cook not only French fries, but also battered chicken strips. So, I’m wondering if I will be able to cook sausages like in your recipe using this deep-fryer. I don't have an oven.
DrDan says
Hi Mary,
Welcome to the blog.
I don't see that deep frying sausage is related to baking it but it will definitely work. Stovetop works well but is a mess for me. I can not give you an estimate on the time needed for deep frying sausage.
I don't see a deep flyer as a good substitute for an oven. If give a choice between an oven and deep fryer, the oven wins hands down for usefulness. Maybe look at a countertop convection oven.
I have lots of stories, here's one. A local restaurant was getting well know in the "health crowd" for their excellent turkey sausage. Of course they were looking for low fat. Turned out that they were deep frying it. Not really healthy or low fat.
Dan
Chris J says
It would definitely give a great flavor to anything you deep fry after the sausage though.
Erik says
What is the cook time/flip time if you are coking frozen sausage patties?
DrDan says
Hi Erik,
Welcome to the blog.
I have never used frozen. Having said that, I believe it would work well. I will "guess" how I would do this. But my guesses are usually fairly good.
I would think you would need about 20% more time. Flip at about 11-12 minutes. Cook to 165 internal temperature and hit it with a little broiler if needed at the end to get more browning.
If you try it, please report back. Somebody else may benefit.
Dan
Pam says
Have you ever baked the the sausage roll as one whole piece?
DrDan says
Hi Pam,
Welcome to the blog.
Baking a whole roll of sausage intact is just not going to work. You need to get the temperature of the thickest part to 165 degrees to be safe. That will be tough without the outside being overcooked and dry.
Dan
diane senft says
How do you cook link sausages in the oven?
DrDan says
Hi Diane,
Welcome to the blog.
While I have never done it, I would say a definite yes but the time might be a bit less to get to the required 165 internal temperature and I think they won't brown very well so you will probably want a little broiler time at the end.
Dan
S says
Thanks for the recipe. During the summer, I use my gas grill instead of the oven to help keep the house cool. I preheat the grill to 400F, place the sausage on heavy duty aluminum foil and follow your instructions.
Jim says
How much mess is made I'm the oven from the splatter??
DrDan says
I have never had any significant issues. But I use very lean sausage. If you are having some, switch to a pan with a higher side like a cake pan.
Dan
Alyssa R says
I am so happy I checked this out. I been doing bacon in the oven and called myself being lazy today so without a thought I put the sausage in the oven then searched to see if i could do this lol. Thanks for these tips!!!