Food & Drink

The Italian Way To Make Sausage 10x Better

By Fred Hernandez Parade - Food and Drink Stories

Updated May 9, 2026 3:51 PM

Italian sausage feels like one of those foods that should be easy to cook well. Throw it in a pan, brown it up and dinner's done. Somehow, though, it's also really easy to mess up. Sometimes the casing splits before the inside is fully cooked, while other times the sausage turns dry and tough or never develops that deep browned crust that makes it so satisfying to bite into and eat.

Part of the problem is that everybody seems to have a different opinion on how to cook Italian sausage. Some people swear by the stove, others prefer the oven or air fryer, and there's still plenty of disagreement over whether you should poke holes in the casing before cooking. A lot of home cooks grow up doing things one specific way without ever really knowing if it actually makes the sausage better.

To find out what works best, we spoke with Paul Bertolli, a James Beard Award-winning chef and master salumiere who has spent decades making traditional Italian sausages and cured meats. Bertolli previously led acclaimed California restaurants like Chez Panisse and Oliveto before founding Fra' Mani Handcrafted Foods, a company known for its handcrafted Italian-style salumi and sausages.

According to Bertolli, a few small changes in technique can make Italian sausage taste noticeably better at home.

What Is Italian Sausage?

Italian sausage is a type of pork sausage seasoned with flavors commonly used in Italian cooking, especially fennel, garlic and black pepper. In most grocery stores, it's usually sold as sweet or hot Italian sausage, with the hot version containing red pepper flakes for extra heat.

Italian sausage is commonly sold in links, though ground Italian sausage is popular too, especially for pasta sauces, soups and pizzas.

You'll also usually find two different types at the store: fresh Italian sausage and fully cooked Italian sausage. Fresh sausage needs to be fully cooked before eating, while fully cooked sausage mainly needs to be reheated and browned before serving.

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What Makes It Different Than Regular Sausage?

The main thing that sets Italian sausage apart from regular sausage is the flavor. Italian sausage is usually seasoned with fennel, garlic and black pepper, giving it a more savory, slightly herbaceous taste than something like breakfast sausage.

Breakfast sausage is often seasoned with sage and sweeter spices, while bratwurst tends to be milder and more peppery. Italian sausage generally has a stronger flavor, which is why it works so well in dishes like pasta, pizza, soups and sausage-and-pepper sandwiches.

Even a small amount can add a lot of flavor to a dish, especially compared to plainer sausage varieties.

Is It Better To Cook Italian Sausage in the Oven or on the Stove?

According to Bertolli, both methods work well, but they produce slightly different results.

"For fresh Italian sausage, both the oven and stove work well," Bertolli tells Parade. "The oven is more hands-off and gives you even cooking, especially for a larger batch. The stove gives you more control and better browning, especially if you're using a cast iron pan."

In other words, the oven is great when you just want to get dinner going without standing over the stove the entire time. On the other hand, though the stovetop takes a little more attention, it's usually the better option if you want darker browning and more crust on the outside of the sausage.

Bertolli says fully cooked sausage is a little different because the focus is more on reheating and browning than cooking the sausage through from raw. "If the sausage is the centerpiece, like on a bun with sautéed peppers and onions, I like the grill or a cast-iron pan," he explains.

What Is the Best Method of Cooking Italian Sausage?

According to Bertolli, the best method depends partly on whether you're cooking fresh or fully cooked Italian sausage.

"For fresh sausage, I like to start gently and finish with color," Bertolli says. "You can poach or steam it first to cook it through, then brown it on the grill or in a pan."

Starting the sausage more gently helps keep it juicy while still giving the outside time to brown properly at the end.

For fully cooked sausage, Bertolli approaches things a little differently. "They don't need to be cooked through from raw, so I focus on browning and warming," he explains. "On the grill, I'd use high direct heat for a minute or two on each side for color, then move them to indirect heat for a few minutes to warm through."

Should I Poke Holes in Italian Sausage Before Cooking?

A lot of people poke holes in Italian sausage before cooking because they're worried the casing will burst in the pan, but Bertolli says that usually does more harm than good.

"I generally wouldn't," Bertolli says. "Whether it's fresh or fully cooked, poking holes lets the juices and fat escape. That's where a lot of the flavor and texture are."

With fresh sausage, Bertolli says it's better to control the heat rather than puncture the casing, explaining, "Cook it more gently and let the casing do its job."

He adds that there's even less reason to poke holes in fully cooked sausage because it's really just being reheated.

How To Cook Italian Sausage in the Oven

Cooking Italian sausage in the oven is one of the easier methods because you can mostly leave it alone while it cooks.

For fresh sausage, Bertolli says it's better to start at a moderate temperature so that the inside cooks through before the casing gets too dark.

"You want the inside done without drying out the casing or the meat," Bertolli explains.

If you want more browning, Bertolli recommends finishing the sausage with higher heat or under the broiler for the last few minutes.

Fully cooked sausage doesn't need as much time in the oven. "Since they're already fully cooked, they can go in whole or sliced, and a few minutes in a 400-degree oven is usually enough to warm them through," Bertolli tells Parade.

He says he especially likes using oven-cooked sausage in dishes like polenta, beans, braised vegetables and shakshuka.

How To Cook Italian Sausage in the Air Fryer

The air fryer is one of the quickest ways to cook Italian sausage, especially on busy nights when you don't want to turn on the oven or deal with a bunch of dishes afterward.

For fresh Italian sausage, cook the links at 375°F, flipping halfway through so both sides brown evenly. Exact cooking times may vary depending on the size of the sausage, but most links take about 10 to 15 minutes to fully cook through.

Fully cooked sausage usually takes less time because it mainly just needs to be reheated and browned. A few minutes in the air fryer is often enough to warm it through and slightly crisp the outside.

How To Cook Italian Sausage on the Stove

Cooking Italian sausage on the stove takes a little more attention than the oven, but it's also one of the best ways to get deeper browning on the outside of the sausage.

For fresh sausage, Bertolli likes using a covered pan method.

"Add the sausages to a skillet with a small amount of water, cover and let them gently cook through," he says. "Once the water evaporates, uncover the pan and let the sausages brown in their own fat."

For fully cooked sausage, Bertolli prefers cast iron. "Sear them first for color, then add just enough water to coat the bottom of the pan," he explains. "Cover the pan and let them gently come up to temperature."

No matter which method you use, good Italian sausage usually comes down to the same thing: cooking it gently enough to stay juicy while still getting good browning on the outside. And once you taste the difference, it's hard to go back.

With these tips from Bertolli, your next Italian sausage meal is sure to become a standout.

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Source:

Paul Bertolli, a James Beard Award-winning chef and master salumiere

This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 2:40 PM.