Sausage rolls are a classic Aussie favourite, from kids parties to footy games and all-round fast comfort food. You can also make them at home with this easy sausage roll recipe, which uses ready-made puff pastry and a mix of beef and sausage mince for a rich, delicious taste. They’re also ready in about 45 minutes, so you can enjoy them straight away or save them for later (if there are any left).
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C. Oil and line oven trays with baking (parchment) paper.
Combine minces, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, paste and sauce in large bowl; season.
Cut pastry sheets in half lengthways. Spoon or pipe mince mixture lengthways along centre of each pastry piece; roll pastry over to enclose filling. Cut each roll into two pieces; place rolls, seam-side down, on trays. Brush with extra egg; cut slits into tops of rolls. Bake about 30 minutes.
You’ll need these…
Use a large piping (pastry) bag without a tube, to pipe the mixture onto the pastry: it’s easier than spooning. For small party sausage rolls, cut each roll into six pieces and bake about 25 minutes. If you can’t find sausage mince, buy the same weight in sausages and simply squeeze the mince from the sausage skins.
Note
Homemade sausage roll recipe tips
- Pre-heating the oven is an important step that helps ensure even cooking and reduces the chance of sogginess.
- Make sure there is even space between each sausage roll when you place them on the baking tray to help the filling cook all the way through and to get crispy, flaky pastry on the outside (brushing with extra egg also helps with crispiness).
- Remember to put slits in the top of your sausage rolls before cooking them. This helps with cooking and releases moisture and pressure, which helps them keep their shape during cooking.
- To avoid sogginess after cooking, transfer your sausage rolls to cooling racks or wire trays after taking them out of the oven.
What are Australian sausage rolls made of?
The humble sausage roll is so popular in Australia that you could get a different answer from this question depending on who you ask or where you get one. But in general, all sausage rolls are made of flaky, puff pastry and some form of savoury mince – usually beef, pork or a mix of meats. There are also vegetarian versions.
Some sausage roll recipes also add different herbs and spices, such as fennel, cumin, bacon and even cheese. Considering how multicultural Australia is, there are plenty of flavour variations that put a spin on homemade sausage rolls (and some bakery versions too). For example, our lamb, eggplant and haloumi sausage rolls have a Middle Eastern twist, while our Test Kitchen sausage rolls draw on Moroccan cooking and flavours for inspiration.
What is ‘sausage mince’?
Sausage mince is a type of meat you can buy at most major supermarkets and butchers. Most sausage mince in Australia contains beef, and some also include pork or chicken, as well as seasoning.
How do you eat sausage rolls?
A sausage roll would traditionally be eaten by hand, as they have a history dating back to 19th century France and England, where they were originally a popular street food for the working class. But some people prefer to use a knife and fork to eat them.
You could also add side salads, vegetables or other dishes to make it a bigger meal. Regardless of those details, sausage rolls are best served with tomato sauce for a classic Aussie experience (but you could try other sauces or skip it if you want).
