Epic, EASY classic homemade sausage rolls recipe that I dare say rivals the famous Bourke St Bakery, declared by many as the best sausage rolls in Australia!
It takes more than store bought sausage mince to make a truly delicious filling. The little but important thing I do that takes this from “yummy” to “OMG these are incredible!!” is to sauté garlic, onion, celery and BACON to mix into pork mince (not store bought sausage meat!).
Sausage Rolls
Sausage rolls are Australia’s answer to America’s Pigs in a Blanket – but (I’m going to say it!!) SO MUCH BETTER!!!
A juicy homemade sausage mixture wrapped in puff pastry. I mean really – do you need any more information than that to know these are wickedly delicious?
Brits reading this are probably rolling their eyes or getting fired up, thinking “Hey!!! WE invented Sausage Rolls!”
OK, true that. One might say Australia has adopted it as our own. 😉
These sausage rolls are a tried and tested favourite we regularly pull out for gatherings!
Why this is the BEST Homemade Sausage Rolls Recipe ever
It was actually my brother who created this recipe, so I can shout from the rooftops that this is the BEST homemade Sausage Rolls recipe ever and not feel like I’m being big headed!
Here is what makes these sausage rolls so good:
1. REAL PORK – It’s not made with store bought sausage mince which is a mix of questionable ingredients – query how much is actually meat. This starts with pure pork mince. Real meat. Yay! TOP TIP: No beef. Beef mince is not as juicy or tender, it will make the filling more dry.
2. BACON – It’s not just about adding bacon for the sake of it. The plain fact is that bacon is salty and juicy and when you chop it up finely and mix it through the pork, it makes it so much tastier!
3. GARLIC, ONION & CELERY – Fact: when you saute these together slowly, they become sweet and form the flavour base of many of the most epic classic recipes in this big wide world. Like Beef Ragu. And Beef & Guinness Stew. And it does the same for Sausage Rolls. The sweetness and extra flavour it adds to the filling is just incomparable to just mixing in some raw chopped onion into the mince, which is what many standard recipes do. Plus, this adds moisture to the filling without making it watery (which = soggy base); and
4. NO GRATED VEGGIES – I won’t tell you not to sneak any veggies in, but what I will caution is that grated veggies are the main culprit for soggy pastry bases, even if you squeeze excess liquid out…..I think there is a time and place for hidden veggies. In my world, that does not include sausage rolls!
Fennel all the way!
This homemade Sausage Rolls recipe includes fennel, because fennel and pork are great mates. Just like basil and tomato.
And if you’re a sausage roll connoisseur then you would probably know that the really great sausage rolls from patisseries and posh bakeries usually have a hint of fennel. 🙂
But it is all about tastes, so if you know for a fact you don’t like fennel then skip it. Or if you are wary, then just use 1/2 teaspoon and it will be a very subtle barely-there background flavour!
How to make Sausage Rolls
There’s nothing complicated about this recipe, I promise. Cook off onion, garlic, celery and bacon, then just mix the filling (I use my hands!), place on puff pastry, roll and bake.
30 minutes later, your self control is going to be seriously tested as you try to resist taste testing just one more, just one more….
Once cooked, the inside will still look a bit pink because of the bacon. But it’s very easy to tell that it’s cooked because the texture of the meat is completely different to when it’s raw.
Also, there’s no way that that the inside would not be cooked by the time the pastry is a deep golden brown which takes a good 30 minutes.
Sausage rolls are one of the few classic Aussie party foods that really can be made ahead because they can be frozen unbaked then when you’re ready to serve, all you have to do is bake them. No fussing with garnishes or assembling, just make sure there is plenty of tomato sauce (ketchup) to dunk them in! – Nagi x
More Aussie favourites
Scones – and Lemonade Scones 3 ingredient shortcut scones!
Party Pies and Meat Pies
Watch how to make it
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Homemade Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
Filling
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 brown onion , small, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk , finely chopped
- 5 oz / 150g bacon , finely minced (streaky and fatty, not the lean stuff!)
- 2 tsp fennel seeds , toasted (optional) (Note 1)
- 1 lb / 500g pork mince (ground pork) (not lean)
- 3/4 cup / 40g panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Baking & Serving
- 2 1/2 sheets puff pastry , thawed then each cut into half (Note 3)
- 1 egg , lightly whisked
- Ketchup / tomato sauce
Instructions
- Heat oil in a non stick fry pan over medium high heat. Sauté garlic, onion & celery for 2 minutes, then add bacon.
- Cook for a further 2 minutes (don't make bacon golden) then transfer to bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Add remaining Filling ingredients into the bowl. Use your hands to mix well.
- Lay out a rectangle of pastry, long edge closest to you. Brush egg along one long edge.
- Get 1/5 th of the filling and shape into a long log shape down the middle of the pastry. Ensure the meat is tight and compact, without gaps.
- Brush edge of pastry with egg. Then roll up, finishing with the seam side down.Roll up, sealing on the edge with egg wash on it .
- If you have time/patience, refrigerate for 1 hour (makes it easier/neater to cut)
To Cook
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Cut each log into four equal lengths, or just two if you want full size sausage rolls. Brush with egg.
- Place on 2 baking trays lined with baking paper (or sprayed with oil). Bake for 30 – 35 minutes in total, swapping tray shelves at 20 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown. (Note: The filling will still look pink because of the bacon, but it's easy to tell from texture that it's cooked)
- Cool slightly on trays. Serve hot or warm with tomato sauce or ketchup!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Sausage Rolls recipe original published September 2016. Updated August 2019 with new photos, brand new video and update on Life of Dozer!
Life of Dozer
As always when I travel, Dozer stays with a Golden Retriever boarder where he thunders through the house with other golden retrievers like he owns the place. It’s a 24/7 party over there!!!
I get daily updates from her, and this is the photo I woke up to this morning – Dozer trying to eat a tree stump. Golden Retrievers really DO eating anything!!! 😂
And Life of Dozer from the first time I published this Sausage Rolls recipe back in 2016:
He has a rather generous sized bottom, doesn’t he? Bit like his Mama. 😉
Yum! After buying so many bland, pastry laden sausage rolls out of convenience, these are packed with flavour, meat and texture. I never know how high or thick to make them, but they all puffed up beautifully.
Highly recommend toasting the fennel seeds, gives it extra depth.
Great recipe and now I have a stockpile in the freezer for upcoming family events.
Third time I’ve made these and they’re just as easy and delicious as the first. 👌💕
Thank you! This recipe was liked by the pickiest of eaters in my family. Fantastic and a pretty fast prep time.
hi Nagi – just got your book! Looks fantastic.
I cooked about 30 sausage rolls for a boys bowls thing but others brought so much food none of them were eaten😥 I’ve put them in sealer bags – they are cooked – can I freeze?
thanks and carry on entertaining and educating us all!
Bertie
Hi Bertie,
yes, you can freeze them then thaw in the fridge. They’ll need to be warmed up in the oven (not microwave) so that the pastry becomes crispy.
I’ve used this recipe many times for my Aussie expat husband while we’re living in America. It always reminds him of home.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it’s filled our home with joy on many occasions.
Fabulous Nagi, you did it again! This recipe is absolutely yummy, just as I’ve come to expect from you always.
First time I’ve been successful in making sausage rolls! These are simple and delicious. Already made them twice!
Great recipe. Because I didn’t have/couldn’t get it, I substituted pork and veal mice for the pork and beef for the bacon and added 1/4 cup chicken stock to it.
I also added 1tbsp barbecue sauce, 1tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1/2tbsp of worcestershire sauce and extra breadcrumbs. Awesome.
I doubled the batch. While the second lot went into rhe oven, the first lot didn’t even last a couple of minutes on the table. Hubby and youngest son devoured them in a jiffy! So scrumptious. Thanks Nagi.
Nagi, your recipes never disappoint! 😊. Thank you for sharing them freely.
These were amazing! I didn’t have celery so used an extra onion. My toddler’s allergic to egg so I used a chia egg (1tbsp chia + 2.5tbsp water) and used milk as the egg wash. It was delish!!!! Ate way more than needed for my waistline but worth every calorie!
Made these today to freeze. So delicious and easy. Thank goodness i did a double batch. Thank you for another great recipe Nagi.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Even though I left out the bacon, they still turned out amazing. I think the fennel is the ingredient that really takes this over the top, so if you’re sitting on the fence about adding it in, just do it!
Tried these for the first time and they were a hit. Loved the fennel seeds in the sausage mix. And loved that leftovers were easy to reheat and tasted fantastic. I was curious about the ketchup and didn’t think I would want it but I have a rule that I always make and taste a new recipe exactly as written and now I totally get the ketchup. The tartness of the ketchup cuts through the rich sausage and puff pastry and is a perfect compliment. I’ll be making these on repeat. Thank you Nagi!
Hi Nagi
I’ve made these pork sausage rolls a few times, & although they are absolutely delicious, would you have an alternative recipe without using pork?
Thanks,
Leslie
Leslie i have used beef mince instead of pork and still as equally yummy
We’ll Nagi, you did it again! This recipe is absolutely delicious, just as I’ve come to expect from your amazing culinary creations. Loved the fennel, it was the perfect amount. I made a triple batch so I have loads stashed in my freezer now for when I don’t have time to cook or if I want a naughty treat. Can’t thank you enough for all the work you’ve put into producing such reliable recipes. I’ve never been disappointed once and I’ve cooked dozens (many) of your recipes and I get rave reviews every single time. I had some pork mince I had to use today so I searched “pork mince” on your site and settled on sausage rolls because they’re a crowd pleaser. It’s good to know that I usually have the ingredients for many of your recipes on hand because your recipes are real world recipes, barely ever super fancy stuff that has to be sourced anywhere other than the supermarket. Although I do go out of my way to buy Greek bucatini (in QLD there’s only one coles with 20km that stocks it!) because it’s definitely worth it! Pastitsio is a family here, always met with sheer delight from my big eating husband and 80yo father. I get two meals from your recipe, cooked Pastitsio freezes and reheats well! There is ALWAYS some in the freezer. That recipe needs be enshrined in the culinary hall of fame! xx
The yummiest sausage rolls ever. Super quick and easy. 10/10
These are undoubtedly the best sausage rolls I’ve ever tasted !! You’ve kicked another goal Nagi 😍
Hi Nagi, your recipes have never once disappointed me. This brought back childhood memories for me! Thank you!
A pain in the butt chopping everything finely but man, the end result is so worth it!
Absolutely delicious and juicy and crispy!