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We handpicked the products linked in this sausage rolls post.  If you buy from one of these affiliate links, we may earn a small commission.  Thanks for supporting Savor the Flavour!

This post was originally published on May 25, 2018.

Sausage rolls are one of the best meaty appetizers you can make!  These tasty morsels have a flavorful meat filling and flaky, buttery pastry.  Better yet, they can be made ahead of time and enjoyed whenever you’re having company!

What are sausage rolls?

British sausage rolls are similar to the U.S. version of pigs-in-a-blanket, but more customizeable.  These delicious morsels are traditionally made in the U.K. from puff pastry and ground pork mixed with spices instead of crescent rolls and pre-cooked sausages like in the U.S.

Sausage rolls can be made in small pieces as an appetizer, or in larger rolls for a main course.  With one taste, you’ll understand why one bakery chain in England sells about 140 million sausage rolls per year!

Are sausage rolls healthy?

Although sausage rolls aren’t the healthiest snack, they’re actually not extremely unhealthy.  Each sausage roll made from this recipe is 175 calories and contains 12.9g of fat and 165.6mg of sodium.  Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe card to read the full nutrition facts.

Are sausage rolls British?

Yes, sausage rolls are British.  Early forms of sausage rolls were around in Greek and Roman times, but precursors of the modern sausage roll came from France.  It was recognized as a British food in the 1800s, and has been popular ever since.

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Can sausage rolls be made in advance?

• Yes, you can make sausage rolls in advance.
• Make the sausage rolls and freeze them before baking them.  They definitely taste better the same day they are baked.
• See the directions below for freezing and baking frozen sausage rolls.

Can sausage rolls be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze sausage rolls.  Here’s how to do it!

• Place the unbaked sausage rolls on a baking tray and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Don’t brush with egg wash yet.
• Flash freeze for a couple hours until fully frozen.
• Seal the sausage rolls inside of a zip-top freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• There’s no need to defrost before reheating.

How do you bake frozen sausage rolls?

• Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
• Place the frozen sausage rolls on a parchment-lined baking tray and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake at 400 F for 50-60 minutes, until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the meat is cooked.
• Immediately place the baked sausage rolls on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Can sausage rolls be left out overnight?

• No, sausage rolls cannot be left out of the refrigerator overnight.
• Once cooked and cooled, the meat must be kept in the fridge to prevent foodborne illnesses.
• Cover the plate of sausage rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Reheat in the oven at 375 F or in the microwave until hot.

Can sausage rolls be reheated?

• Reheat leftover sausage rolls in a 375 F oven for 10-20 minutes or until they are the desired temperature.
• If you just want to reheat a few sausage rolls, microwave them for 30-40 seconds, or until they are the desired temperature.

How long will sausage rolls keep?

• Baked sausage rolls will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.
• Unbaked sausage rolls will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.

Which pastry do you use for sausage rolls?

Puff pastry is definitely the pastry of choice for making sausage rolls.  Shortcrust pastry doesn’t puff up in flaky, buttery layers like puff pastry does.  You can use store-bought puff pastry, or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own rough puff pastry.

What to Eat with Sausage Rolls

Sausage rolls are an appetizer, so they’re typically served on their own.  Here are some sauces and dips you can serve them with to add additional flavor.

• HP sauce (my personal favorite)
• English mustard, such as Colman’s
• Chutney, such as Branston pickle
• Piccalilli
• Applesauce

Sausage Roll Variations

• Brush mustard, jam, or chutney on the pastry before placing the sausage meat on top.
• Mix some sautéed onions, mushrooms, or other veggies into the meat to add additional flavor.
• Always serve sausage rolls with HP sauce or spicy English mustard for dipping.

How to Make British Sausage Rolls

Gather the ingredients for the sausage rolls: ground pork, fennel seeds, ground sage, dried thyme leaves, ground nutmeg, salt, pepper, puff pastry, and a beaten egg.

Mix the meat and spices together with a fork until well blended.

Divide the meat between two large pieces of plastic wrap and use the wrap to shape the meat into two logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Twist the ends of the wrap and chill the meat in the fridge until the pastry is ready.

Roll out the puff pastry on a large cutting board to make a rectangle that’s just a bit longer than the sausage logs (approximately 10×18 inches).  Split it down the middle.

Unwrap the sausage logs and lay each one on a pastry rectangle.   Brush one edge of the pastry with beaten egg.

Roll up the logs in the pastry and pinch the seam to seal.  Trim off the ends to neaten the edges.  (Save the offcuts; you can bake them on the same tray as the sausage rolls.)

Place the logs on a small baking tray and freeze for 10 minutes to harden the pastry.  This step is very important; if you cut the pastry while it’s soft, it won’t get as flaky in the oven.

Slice each log into about 12 pieces and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 F for 40-50 minutes, until well browned.  It’s important that the pastry is completely cooked, or the sausage rolls won’t taste as good.

Let the sausage rolls cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving.  Serve warm with HP sauce, English mustard, chutney, or piccalilli.

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Pro Tips for Making Sausage Rolls

• Short on time?  Squeeze the meat out of your favorite sausages instead of using ground pork.
• Don’t over-handle the meat, or it will be tough.
• Freeze the sausage rolls for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing them and baking.  Otherwise, the pastry won’t puff up as much or be as flaky.
• Prevent soggy pastry by removing the sausage rolls from the cookie sheet as soon as they’re done baking.
• Bake frozen sausage rolls without thawing.  Just remember to increase the baking time.

Our Go-To Kitchen Tools for Sausage Rolls

• Large Cutting Board: this board is the perfect size for rolling out pastry.
• Wilton 11×17-Inch Baking Tray: these warp-resistant baking trays bake evenly and clean up easily.
• Parchment Paper: cleanup is so easy with a sheet of parchment on the tray!
• Pastry Brushes: these sturdy brushes work very well and don’t lose their bristles easily.

You could be enjoying these other hearty meat-filled appetizers too.  Check out the recipes!

• Cheesy Sloppy Joe Sliders: these tasty sliders are packed with ground beef and cheese.
• Easy Sausage Balls: these addictive, bite-sized morsels can be made ahead of time.
• Ham and Cheese Sliders: you’ll love the layers of ham and cheese, Dijon glaze, and buttery rolls.

The pleasure of a 5-star review for these sausage rolls would be greatly appreciated.

British Sage and Fennel Sausage Rolls

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 24 sausage rolls 1x

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Description

British sage and fennel sausage rolls are made from buttery rough puff pastry and a simple pork sausage filling.  Serve this traditional British appetizer warm or cold at a party with HP sauce or mustard—they’ll disappear quickly!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Sausage Filling

• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork (85% meat, 15% fat) (680g)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Pastry

• 1.3 lb rough puff pastry or puff pastry (600g)
• 1 large egg, beaten

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Instructions

Preparing the Sausage Filling (10 minutes)

1. Place the ground pork in a large mixing bowl and add the spices.  Mix with a fork until well combined.  Don’t mix any longer than necessary, or the meat mixture will get tough.
2. Cut two large pieces of plastic wrap and lay them flat on the counter.  Divide the meat mixture between the two pieces, then shape them into logs.  Make sure each log is well wrapped in the plastic wrap.
3. Chill the logs in the fridge while you get the pastry ready.

Making the Sausage Rolls (30 minutes + 35 minutes baking)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line an 11 by 17-inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat a fork until well blended.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it’s just a bit longer than the meat logs (roughly 10×18 inches).  Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise.
3. Unwrap the meat logs, then lay them on top of the pastry rectangles.
4. Brush one long side of the pastry rectangle with beaten egg, then roll the pastry tightly over the sausage so the pastry overlaps.  Pinch the seam closed, then place the roll seam side down.
5. Place both logs on a small parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush them all over with beaten egg.  Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden the pastry.  This is an important step; don’t skip it.
6. Slice the roll into about 12 pieces and place the sausage rolls about an inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 400 F for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is well browned and the meat is cooked.  Test the meat’s temperature by stacking two or three sausage rolls and sticking a meat thermometer through the center of the rolls.  The temperature should be 160 F.
8. Immediately transfer the sausage rolls to a wire rack to cool a little.  Serve warm with HP sauce or English mustard.

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Notes

• To freeze unbaked sausage rolls, flash freeze them on a cookie sheet, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag.  They can be baked from frozen; just remember to increase the baking time.
• The pleasure of a 5-star review for these sausage rolls would be greatly appreciated.
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Want to see our latest recipes?  Subscribe to our email newsletter to get our latest recipes, fun food facts, food puns, and behind the scenes news about our blog.

• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: British

Keywords: sausage rolls, sausage, recipe

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