Sausage Rolls are classic British fare, that are as versatile as they are easy to make. They can be served hot or cold, in a canapé size as an appetizer, or in a larger roll for lunch, brunch, or a snack.
In addition, the unbaked sausage rolls can be frozen for later use. Also, the cooked sausage rolls can be refrigerated and reheated at a later time.
About British Sausage
The key to a good sausage roll is good sausage. British sausage tends to be different from American sausage in several ways.
First, British sausage often has a bread crumb or rusk filler while its American counterpart doesn’t. Also, British sausage tends to have a finer grind and consistency than American sausage.
Both the Master Taste Tester and I personally prefer British sausage to American sausage.
Experimentation for the Perfect British Sausage
Over time, I’ve experimented with trying to replicate British sausage. I think that I finally have a winner that’s super easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Initially, I made the British sausage by using a combination of bulk American sausage and ground pork. When I first blogged about the British Sausage Rolls in 2017, I used the recipe developed with the combination of American sausage and ground pork.
Over time, however, I continued experimenting and ultimately decided to omit the American sausage and focus on making the sausage with just ground pork and seasonings.
This post is updated to include the British sausage made without adding any American sausage. Also, I’ve added new photographs, enhanced text, and a Web Story showing how I make these tasty sausage rolls.
For anyone interested, however, my original recipe using American sausage and British sausage which was posted in 2017 included the following:
- 1 pound (16 ounces, 454 grams) ground pork
- ½ pound (8 ounces, 227 grams) hot bulk sausage
- ½ cup (2.65 ounces, 75 grams) dry bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup (2.65 ounces, 75 grams) water
- 1 ½ teaspoons (0.35 ounces, 10 grams) Kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons (0.25 ounces, 7 grams) fresh sage, chopped
Here’s What You’ll Need: Ingredients for Sausage Rolls
- For the Sausage: For the sausage, I used ground pork, dry bread crumbs, ground nutmeg, ground mace, Kosher salt, dried sage, black pepper, and water.
- For the Pastry: I used store-bought puff pastry sheets to enclose the sausage.
Here’s How I Made the Sausage
- To make the sausage, I added ground pork, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, dried sage, nutmeg, mace, and water to the bowl of my food processor fitted with a steel blade.
- I processed the sausage mixture for about 20 seconds. Then I took a small piece, microwaved it for about 20 seconds, and tasted it to see if additional seasonings were needed. The Master Taste Tester said that it was perfect!
Next, I continued processing the mixture for another 30 seconds, until it reached the proper consistency. See how finely ground it is – almost like a pâté, which is how we like it.
That’s it – British sausage with the food processor doing all the work!
Here’s How I Made the Sausage Rolls
- With the sausage made, I turned my attention to making the sausage rolls.
I rolled out a thawed puff pastry sheet on a floured surface to approximately 14 x 10-inches. Next, I cut the puff pastry in half, length-wise.
- I placed a roll of sausage down the center of each piece of puff pastry. Then, I brought the sides of the puff pastry together to enclose the sausage. I pinched the puff pastry together to ensure that it was completely sealed.
- I cut each of the puff pastry sausage logs into four pieces. Then, I placed the sausage rolls onto a rimmed baking sheet that I had lined with non-stick aluminum foil.
Finally, to allow the steam to escape during baking, I cut 2 slits in each roll.
I placed the prepared sausage rolls into the refrigerator until I was ready to bake them.
- Before baking the sausage rolls, I brushed them with an egg wash (egg mixed with about a tablespoon of water). I could have also brushed them with milk.
I baked the sausage rolls in a preheated 425°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. The puff pastry rose nicely and was a golden brown. More importantly, the sausage was fully cooked!
- Once the sausage rolls were done, I removed them from the oven. I allowed the sausage rolls to cool for about 10 minutes before serving them.
Even though sausage rolls are most often served as an appetizer, I like to also serve them as an entrée.
Either way, the Easy Peasy British Sausage Rolls are amazingly delicious. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Both puff pastry and phyllo dough utilize layering of dough. Puff pastry is created by incorporating butter into the dough. On the other hand, phyllo dough all by itself is virtually free of any fat. Rather the fat is added right before baking. Phyllo dough doesn’t puff when it bakes—it crisps.
Phyllo dough does not puff when during baking whereas puff pastry, as the name implies does puff during baking.
If you have a food processor, you can make your ground pork for the sausage rolls. I typically use a Boston butt that I cut into 1 to 1 ½-inch pieces. I process the pieces for 10 to 15 seconds before adding the other ingredients.
I make the sausage rolls with uncooked sausage. The sausage cooks as the sausage rolls are baked in the oven.
Some fat in the sausage is necessary. If my ground pork is too lean, the sausage ends up being very dry. In cases where the sausage is quite lean (90% lean or higher), I often add about a tablespoon of butter to the sausage ingredients.
If I use the food processor to “grind” the Boston butt, I make sure not to include too much fat in the pieces.
You can make the sausage rolls ahead of time. If you’re going to cook them on the same day as you make the sausage rolls, just refrigerate them until you’re ready to pop them in the oven.
You can also freeze the uncooked sausage rolls and bake them frozen. Just add 5 minutes or so to the cooking time.
These sausage rolls make delicious leftovers. I refrigerate the leftover sausage rolls and heat them at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Other British Recipes
If you’re looking for some more authentic British fare, you should try some of my favorites:
- Savory British Beef Olives: Beef Olives have been a part of British cuisine since the 16th century. Given the name, one would think that they contain olives. This is not the case. “Olive” is a British term for wrapping meat around a savory stuffing, browning it, and finishing it in a brown sauce.
- Cornish Style Pasties: Cornish Pasties (rhymes with ”Nasties”) are a meat pie filled with uncooked beef, potatoes, turnip or rutabaga (a.k.a. swede), and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper and made in Cornwall. Typically, the filing is encased in a shortbread-type crust. These Cornish Style Pasties differ in that I use pork tenderloin in place of the beef and add carrots. Also, they’re not made in Cornwall. However, they are amazingly delicious.
- Make-Ahead Cottage Pie: Cottage Pie is one-dish wonder that is the ultimate in comfort food. This traditional British dish can easily be made ahead of time and reheated. I generally have several Cottage Pies in my freezer for those evenings when I just want something easy and delicious.
- Copycat Heinz Beans: Heinz Beans, produced in England, are a staple for many Brits both in the UK and abroad. If you’ve ever been to the UK, you might have been surprised to see the beans included in a full English breakfast. Heinz beans are the ultimate comfort food, no matter how they are served.
- Chocolate Blancmange: Chocolate Blancmange, pronounced “blah-mahnj” is an old English dessert that is light and velvety smooth. Even though it contains no eggs, the texture of Chocolate Blancmange reminds me of a chocolate mousse. A good Blancmange has a slight wobble to it and is amazingly delicious and easy to make.
- Classic English Lemon Posset: Lemon Posset is a Classic English dessert dating back to the Middle Ages. The modern version is chilled, with a velvety smooth texture that magically congeals with only three ingredients – cream, sugar, and lemon. Unlike Lady Macbeth who drugged King Duncan’s guards with poisoned posset, you can WOW your guests with this simple to make and elegant dessert.
- English Piccalilli: English Piccalilli sometimes referred to as English Mustard Pickle is a savory relish made from cauliflower, gherkins, and pearl onions, pickled with malt vinegar, sugar, and salt that is spiced with dry mustard and turmeric. It’s easy to prepare and makes an amazing accompaniment to a variety of cold and hot dishes.
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Easy Peasy British Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 1 pound (16 ounces, 454 grams) ground pork (See Tip 1)
- ½ cup (2.65 ounces, 75 grams) dry bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Dash ground nutmeg
- Dash mace
- ⅓ cup (2.65 ounces, 75 grams) water
- 1 egg for egg wash (optional)
Instructions
Sausage
- Add ground pork, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, sage, nutmeg, mace and water to bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Process 20 seconds. Cook small amount in microwave for 20 seconds; taste for seasonings and consistency. Correct seasonings if necessary. Process for additional 30 seconds, or until desired consistency is reached. Cover and refrigerate. Yield: About 20 ounces sausage. (See Tip 2)
Sausage Rolls
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Roll puff pastry sheet to approximately 14 x 10-inches on a lightly floured surface. Cut in half lengthwise. Place a roll of half of the sausage down the center. Bring sides together, and pinch to seal. Make sure that roll is thoroughly sealed. Repeat with other half of puff pastry and remaining sausage.
- Cut each roll to desired size (I cut each roll into four pieces). Cut 2 to 3 diagonal slits in each piece. Place on rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. (See Tip 3)
- Brush with egg wash. Bake at 425° F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and sausage is completely cooked. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings. (See Tip 4)
Chula’s Expert Tips
- If you can’t find ground pork, you can grind your own with pieces of Boston butt. Cut Boston butt into 1 to 1 ½-inches and process in food processor for 10 to 15 seconds. Add remaining sausage ingredients and proceed as above.
- If your ground pork is very lean (90% lean or above), you might want to add a tablespoon of butter to the sausage mixture. The finished sausage should have the consistency of a pâté and be very finely ground.
- You can make the sausage rolls ahead of time up to this point. Refrigerate if you’re going to cook them later in the day or freeze for up to one month. You can cook the sausage rolls frozen. Just add 5 minutes or so to the cooking time.
- Cooked sausage rolls can be refrigerated and reheated at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Can you let the sausage mixture sit overnight in the fridge?
Absolutely! Generally, I make a batch of the sausage mixture, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator until I’m ready to use it.
You have no idea how much I miss British sausage rolls. This recipe was spot on and delicious. The instructions were easy. I will be trying other Pudgefactor recipes. Thank you.
I’m so glad that you liked the sausage rolls. They are one of my favorites!
A real British sausage rolls recipe – thank you! I tried it without the hot sausage, added pepper; should have added more salt too. I went a bit too heavy on the meat, which wasn’t lean. Flattening the rolls cooked them through easier, they still puffed fine and the more balanced meat/pastry ratio tasted better. My aunt used to use milk “glaze” to restore flakiness on rolls out of the tin. Will be cooking these again!
What a good idea to use milk as the glaze! I use milk for cheese and onion pie. I’ll have to try it on the sausage rolls. So glad that you liked them!
Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe. I made these for our family’s lunch today and they all LOVED them. My husband is British and I’m always looking for recipes to create some of his favorites that can’t be bought here. I am so thankful to have found this on Pinterest. My husband and kids all said they tasted just like they came from a British bakery. That’s some pretty high praise.
Wow – Thanks for letting me know. My husband is British as well and loves these sausage rolls!
good morning
may i know what hot bulk sausage is please ?
Renato, bulk sausage is a prepared breakfast type sausage sold in the US. Since I posted the sausage rolls, I’ve started making my own sausage from just ground pork. To do this, I process the following in my food processor: 1 pound of ground pork, 1/2 cup of dry breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of dry sage, 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, dash of nutmeg, dash of mace, 1/3 cup of water. Process for 30 seconds. Cook a small amount in the microwave and correct the seasonings. Process for an additional 15 seconds. This makes incredible sausage rolls. I keep thinking that I need to update the post with this! Chula
I made these shortly after returning from Scotland and craving the sausage rolls we’d pick up in the pastry shops. These turned out great and have been a big hit with the family. I tried the bulk sausage mix the first go round, and the only thing I’d like to improve is the texture/consistency. The rolls we had in Scotland had sausage that was much softer, almost mushy. Any tips for achieving a softer sausage?
Adrienne, I totally get your craving for sausage rolls! Personally, I like the finer, “mushy” texture of the British sausage more than the granular texture of US sausages. I would suggest trying the other approach where I use 100% ground pork rather than the 50-50 blend. If I can’t find ground pork, I make my own by adding 1 to 2 inch pieces of pork butt that I’ve cut up to my food processor fitted with a steel blade and process away. In about a minute, I have ground pork that I add the rest of ingredients to. Once I have all of the ingredients in the food processor, I find that the longer I process the mixture, the finer it becomes. I generally process for around 1 minute. Chula
I’m a little confused…your original recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs. sausage, and your “new revised” calls for only 1 lb, yet uses the same amount of the rest of the ingredients. Is 1 1/2 lbs too much meat for the rolls or does it matter? We had sausage rolls in England and loved them, so thought I’d give your recipe a try, but didn’t want to use too much meat if you found the 1 lb. was better. Thank you!
Ruth, after a lot of experimentation we actually prefer the revised recipe that uses 1 pound of ground pork. The ratio of the breadcrumbs to the meat in the revised recipe produces the very fine texture that we love about English sausage! I thought about replacing the original recipe with the revised recipe – maybe I should have done that!
Chula
Does it matter , homemade breadcrumbs or packet
Dale, I always use store-bought dry breadcrumbs.
Chula
Can these be made ahead of time and frozen? Then baked to order from frozen?
Cindy,
Yes, they can definitely be made ahead of time and frozen. In fact, that’s what I often do. I add about 10 minutes to the cooking time if they go into the oven frozen.
Chula
These are really delicious! Due to my obsession with the British Baking Show, I had seen them on there several times and had been wanting to try to make them. I like your suggestion of buying the premade puff pastry! I followed your “revised” recipe exactly (except I did not have any mace on hand) and the seasoning was perfect just like it was. These were so easy to make and very tasty! Thank you!
Hi Cathy!
I love to watch the British Baking Show as well! I’m so pleased that the sausage rolls turned out for you.
Chula
I found the recipe really easy to follow and the results delicious! I just thought that the ratio of pastry to sausage was a bit off (too much sausage). I measured properly and made sure to only use 20oz. of filling, but even my carnivore-all-the-way husband thought that the ratio was a bit skewed to the sausage side. I will definitely make this again, but will put a bit less sausage mixture in the next time….
Oh my. Sooooooooo good. Easy and delicious. You had me at easy. Thanks for a great, new recipe that I’ll be serving in a variety of ways. Had it tonight for dinner with a side of fresh green beans and salad wasn’t sure how the “pate-like” consistency was going to go over with the fam but actually, I think the consistency makes the dish.
. I can easily see making this as an appetizer too for charcuterie trays. Thanks again! You have another fan.
I’m so glad that you liked the sausage rolls Gretchen! You’re totally right – they make awesome appetizers.
Chula
Perfect. I lived in England for eight years and have missed sausage rolls the most. We have a local British market close by and can purchase them frozen there, but this recipe is perfect, simple, and soo much better. And as a bonus your home smells fantastic when you’re done.
So glad you liked them! My husband is from the UK and these have his stamp of approval.
My parents are from England and growing up mum made a few things I really miss as an adult. Chutney, lamb and mint sauce, British sausage, Piccalilli, pickled onions, etc. As a grown adult with Celiacs many of my favorites have been ruined (no puff pastry/philo/shortbread). When I read your post I was inspired to just follow your recipe for the sausage.
JOYOUS DAY!! You have brought back a taste (and texture) of childhood that was greatly missed. Her sausage was a Thanksgiving Day specialty and now thanks to you, I can make it this Thanksgiving. The seasonings and texture are exactly as I remember them. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Angel,
I’m so glad the the sausage recipe worked out for you. Although I’m not from England, I think that the taste and texture of English sausage is far superior to that in the US. Since you mentioned Piccalilli, I thought you might be interested in my English Piccalilli recipe (even though you can purchase it in the US). I make it all the time for my English husband!
Chula
Plan o make these today. I have one question. Onepart of the recipe indicates 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped, then further down, it indicate 1 teaspoon dried sage.
Which is correct?
Thank you
Annie in Montana
Annie,
You can use either fresh sage (if you happen to have it) or dried sage. The reason for the differences in measurements is that the dried sage has a more concentrated flavor than fresh sage. Generally, I use 1 teaspoon of dried sage.
Chula
Loved by my English-raised SIL and ALL who celebrated with us this Christmas. Thank you!
So glad they liked the sausage rolls!
My food processor died and am not going to replace it but I would like to make these sausages. Any idea on how to do so without a food processor? Thanks!!!
Helen,
I’ve tried to think of a way to make the sausage without a food processor, but am unfortunately drawing a blank. However, if you’re all right with a more coarse texture in the sausage, then you could just add the sausage ingredients to a bowl and mix everything together with your hands – like you would a meatloaf.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
Chula
Thank you for responding Chula. We’ll try it by hand. That’s all i could think to do…I don’t think my stick blender would be effective. 🙂
Hello Chula
When you mention a ‘dash’ of ground nutmeg and a ‘dash’ of mace – are you referring to half a teaspoon, or just a pinch? I’m worried that I may put way too much spice into the mixture and then it’s quite overpowering. I was so happy to come across your recipe since I’m South African and love my sausage rolls. I’ve never made them – ever. But will absolutely try your recipe.
Hi Bernadette,
I actually have a little set of measuring spoons that includes a little spoon for dash! It’s way less than a half a teaspoon. I would say that it’s more like a generous pinch. When I make the sausage, I take a little piece that’s maybe about the size of a half tablespoon, cover it with paper towels and cook it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. That way I can taste the sausage to see if it needs any more of anything and/or if it’s the proper consistency.
Hope this helps!
Chula
Thank you so much for responding Chula. I’m going to see if I can purchase a little spoon “for dash” 🙂 but appreciate all your info!
As an Australian living in the US I have sorely missed sausage rolls. I tried these today and loved them! We added some onion powder to the sausage mix to give it a little extra flavour but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. They taste just like home!
So glad you liked the recipe. The addition of the onion powder to the sausage sounds yummy!
I am so happy I came across your blog. I have been looking for the right type of sausage for sausage rolls. Reading through the comments is very reassuring. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Julie,
I hope the sausage works as well for you as it does for me in the sausage rolls!
Chula
I am just trying out the recipe for the first time. I am wondering why you changed the recipe. The previous recipe was fantastic
Lexie,
I’ve changed the recipe over time as I continued to tweak it. However, the original recipe is included in the blog post in the section labeled Experimentation for the Perfect British Sausage.
Chula
I’m so excited to see this recipe. It’s been a while since I’ve had English Sausage Rolls. Oh…have to go, they’re ready!!!
Hello I can buy british style bangers in Connecticut. They’re made with pork and are delicious. I’m being lazy by not making my own mixture. Do you think I could wrap them in my Pepperidge Farm puff pastry without taking the meat out of the casings? I guess I could try both ways and see what happens. Please advise. Thank you. My Mum was English and I used to live there. Miss the Brighton life by the sea.
Hi Gabby,
I actually asked my English husband for advice on this. His view was that the sausage in the sausage rolls that he remembered were not in casings. However, he’s known as the “lazy man” and said that he would try it with the casings first! If that didn’t work, then remove the casings. Either way, the sausage rolls would be delicious!
From my perspective, you have more control over size of the actual sausage rolls if you do remove the casings.
I’d love to know what you actually decided and how the sausage rolls turned out!
Chula
Hi Chula Thank you for your response and input. I actually went ahead and made them or rather put them together. I left one in the casing and the rest I took off. Honestly I couldn’t tell which one had the casing. All I know is they were delightful and all eight of them are gobbled up. I will try your homemade sausage recipe when I run out of the packaged bangers. I took a photo and I will see if I can post.
I want to make the tomato pie with homemade ricotta next. Looks fabulous. Thank you love this website.
Hi Chula thank you for your response. I decided to take the casings off all but one. Wrapped them all up in the pastry and baked. They were so delicious, all 8 are gobbled up. Couldn’t tell which one had the casing. Can’t wait to try making tomatoes tart with homemade ricotta . Thank you again for your input.
Hi Gabby,
How interesting that you couldn’t tell which one had the casing! I’m so glad that the sausage rolls turned out.
The homemade sausage recipe is the result of a lot of experimenting with my husband offering his input. We also use the homemade sausage for Toad in the Hole which we had for dinner last night!
The tomato tart with the homemade ricotta cheese is really good as well, especially using the homemade ricotta cheese. If you’ve never made ricotta cheese before, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make and how delicious it is.
Chula
Chula
I’m just wondering the relevance to adding breadcrumbs to the recipe? How does it help the recipe out and have you ever omitted the breadcrumbs?
Serzy,
Historically, rusk (a hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread) was used as an extender in sausage. Breadcrumbs serve the same purpose, as do oats. I use breadcrumbs because I like the resulting texture of the sausage and have not tried omitting the breadcrumbs.
You could certainly try omitting the breadcrumbs or using commercially produced sausage in the sausage rolls.
Chula
I too have been on an expedition in the US to make and perfect Sausage Rolls over the years. I am so glad you mentioned the bread crumbs, all American recipes omit this, and without the bread crumbs, the rolls can be very very greasy. I have found that if you chuck some Jacobs Cream Crackers in the blender, apparently this is a very close imitation of “Butchers Rusk”, I have also used Stovetop stuffing mix as breadcrumbs which makes for an interesting flavor…! I will definitely be trying your suggestion of putting the sausage meat in the food processor before baking, I never thought of that. Thanks!
Rob,
I hope your sausage is as good as mine! By the way, when I’m really in a hurry, I start with a pound roll of Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage, add 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup of water, and process it in the food processor! It’s not quite as good as when I start with ground pork, but the consistency is spot on!
Chula
Great job…from a british ex-pat 🙂
Thanks!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I will definitely use your version without American Sausage. I am doing to try making it. It has been too many years since I had a decent sausage roll.
Hope the recipe turns out well for you!
Chula
I’ve been using the old recipe for years.I gave you a review back then .want to try your new one and wondered if I doubled the meat would you double the spices and crumbs +water. Or would you just do two separate batches.John
John,
I would do two separate batches unless you have a really large food processor. However, if you did want to double the meat, I would double all of the other ingredients.
Hope you like the new recipe!
Chula