How Long To Cook Sausage In A Skillet

An image of five links of Italian sausage served on a white plate set on a light blue table with a beige kitchen towel and tongs on the right side. Under the picture is a blue graphic with the title in yellow and aqua letters.

Hearty and flavorful, this skillet Italian sausage is great on its own or a wonderful addition to other recipes. Use them to make an Italian sausage sandwich, slice one up and add it to your favorite pasta dish or simply serve them sliced with a dipping sauce like spicy mustard or homemade chimichurri sauce.

An image of five links of Italian sausage served on a white plate set on a light blue table with a beige kitchen towel and tongs on the right side.

In this recipe the Italian sausage is made in a skillet on the stove, but that is not the only way to cook it. When you want to mix it up try baked Italian sausage and potatoes. Baking the sausage is just as easy as pan frying.

Italian sausage is a versatile ingredient that I use all the time. Getting dinner on the table on busy weeknights can be a challenge and this one ingredient makes it happen. Italian sausage brings so much flavor to the party that we can use less ingredients saving time and money. Check out these 14 Italian sausage recipes.

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Ingredients

Italian sausage – is seasoned ground meat (usually pork but you can find turkey and chicken if you need to) that is stuffed into a casing. Italian sausage is commonly available and comes fresh, so it will be in the supermarket meat section.
Oil – we only need a little to get the sausage going. Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point – we use canola oil.
Water – is used to keep the sausage from burning on the outside without cooking on the inside. We start by browning the outside then add water and boil/steam them until fully cooked.

Five Italian sausage links on a light blue pan.

Recipe tips

It is best to use a non-stick skillet to pan fry the sausage. If the skillet you are using is not, then wait for the sausage to "release" before turning it so it does not tear.
Use a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
Try not to pierce the sausage during cooking because liquid will be released, and the sausage could dry out. Also, be careful if the sausage is pierced because the hot liquid could squirt quite a distance.
Use tongs to turn the sausage when browning to avoid piercing.
The cooking time for this recipe is a range because actual cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the sausage, adjust accordingly.
Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the pan-fried Italian sausage is cooked to 160°F. Take the temperature of the largest thickest piece. If it's not up to temperature continue cooking for a few minutes and check again.

An image of five links of Italian sausage served on a white plate set on a light blue table with a beige kitchen towel and tongs on the right side. Under the picture is a blue graphic with the title in yellow and aqua letters.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Cook them for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

Two images of Italian sausage cooking in a large, black skillet. The top image they are just put in and the bottom image they are browned.

Carefully add the water to the skillet and cover.

Cook the sausages for 10 – 20 minutes until some (or most) of the liquid has cooked out and the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.

The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the sausage. Check the temperature after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking. If they are not up temperature, then continue cooking and check again.

Remove the sausage from the skillet and serve as desired.

A close up image of the sausage served on a white plate. Part of one of the sausages is sliced into bite sized pieces.

You may also like these recipes featuring Italian sausage:

Italian Sausage Spaghetti
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio and Italian Sausage
Italian Sausage Parmigiana
Baked Ziti with Sausage
Ravioli Bake

Skillet Italian Sausage

Hearty and flavorful, this skillet Italian sausage is great on its own or a wonderful addition to other recipes. Use them to make a sandwich, slice it up and add to your favorite pasta dish or simply serve them sliced with a dipping sauce.

Prep Time 0 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Italian sausage

Servings: 4

Calories: 521 kcal

1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point – we use canola oil
16-20 ounces Mild or Hot Italian Sausage Links 4-5 links
1 cup Water

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Cook them for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.
Carefully add the water to the skillet and cover. Make sure the liquid is boiling. If it is not, then raise the heat a bit.
Cook the sausages for 10-20 minutes until some (or most) of the liquid has cooked out and the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
The cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the sausage. Check the temperature after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking. If they are not up temperature, then continue cooking and check again.
Remove the sausage from the skillet and use them to make a sandwich, slice it up and add to your favorite pasta dish or simply serve them sliced with a dipping sauce.

Be careful when piercing the sausage with the thermometer because the hot liquid can squirt and travel quite a bit.

The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

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