Crispy bacon-wrapped kielbasa bites drizzled with hot honey—if that doesn’t convince you to try cooking kielbasa in an air fryer, nothing will. These irresistible two-bite morsels take longer to assemble than they do to cook: about 10–12 minutes in the air fryer yields perfectly crisp bacon and juicy sausage.
Kielbasa in Air Fryer
I’m a big fan of air fryer cooking. After some skepticism, I discovered an air fryer does much more than make excellent fries—it crisps bacon beautifully, roasts garlic, sears salmon, and handles quick sides while main dishes rest. These bacon-wrapped kielbasa bites rank among the best things I’ve made in it: easy to prepare, fast to cook, and ideal for parties, tailgates, or cozy nights in.
Kielbasa Air Fryer
These bites are simple to make. Slice the kielbasa into 2–3 inch pieces—about the width of a bacon strip—wrap each piece with half a bacon slice, secure with a toothpick, and season with your favorite BBQ dry rub. I prefer a garlicky rub, but use whatever you like. Air frying at 400ºF for about 10–12 minutes crisps the bacon and heats the sausage through. Ten minutes yields slightly chewier bacon; 12 minutes gives a crispier result. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the basket.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake or grill these: preheat the oven or grill to 250ºF and place the prepared bites on a rack over a sheet pan for 30 minutes, then increase heat to 400ºF and finish for another 30 minutes to crisp the bacon.
Bacon and Sausage
The bacon is the star here. Use standard-cut bacon—neither too thick nor paper-thin. Cut each slice in half so you can wrap the sausage with a single turn and overlap about 1/2 inch. Push a toothpick through the overlap into the sausage to hold everything together. After cooking, transfer the bites to a serving plate and drizzle generously with hot honey. Regular honey works fine if you prefer less heat.
These kielbasa bites make a great make-ahead appetizer. Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage. Reheat in a 350ºF oven covered with foil for about 10 minutes, in the air fryer at 350ºF for 5–8 minutes, or microwave briefly as needed—oven and air fryer will keep the bacon crispest.
If you enjoy kielbasa, try other easy meals like a sheet pan kielbasa-and-pierogi dinner or a hearty kielbasa, bean, and vegetable soup—both are satisfying and simple to prepare.
Kielbasa in Air Fryer
10 mins
12 mins
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 cooling rack
- 1 half sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound kielbasa (a 14-ounce package also works)
- 6 strips bacon, cut in half to make 12 shorter strips
- 1 tablespoon BBQ rub (use your favorite)
- 1 tablespoon hot honey, or more to taste (regular honey is fine too)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Place a cooling rack on a half sheet pan and set aside.
- Cut the kielbasa into 2–3 inch pieces—about the width of a bacon strip—yielding 10–12 pieces.
- Wrap each piece with a half strip of bacon and secure the overlapping ends with a toothpick. Arrange the bundles on the cooling-rack-lined sheet pan.
- Sprinkle each bacon-wrapped piece with about 1/4 teaspoon of BBQ rub.
- Place the pieces in the preheated air fryer with space between each for air circulation. Air fry at 400ºF for 10–12 minutes until bacon reaches desired crispness. You may need multiple batches.
- Remove from the air fryer, transfer to a serving plate, and drizzle generously with hot honey.
To Reheat
- Warm bites in a 350ºF oven, covered with foil, for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, reheat in the air fryer at 350ºF for 5–8 minutes or microwave covered with a paper towel for about 3 minutes. Oven or air fryer keeps bacon crispest.
Notes
I like a garlicky BBQ rub for these, but any dry rub you enjoy will work well. If you don’t have an air fryer, follow the oven or grill instructions above to achieve a similar result.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate values based on the exact ingredients you use if needed.
