Sausage with Onion Gravy and Mashed Potato – affectionately known as “Bangers and Mash” – is one of the greatest of all comfort foods. A sausage recipe for a quick easy dinner with a side of peas or steamed vegetables to douse in the homemade gravy.
The onion gravy is to-die for but only requires 4 things: onion, garlic, beef broth/stock and flour. That’s it!
Bangers and Mash
I have to hand it to the Brits, they come up with great names for food. Bubble and Squeak – roast leftovers fried up. Spotted Dick (get your mind out of the gutter! It’s a pudding shaped like a log studded with raisins!).
Toad In the Hole – Sausage in a Yorkshire Pudding batter. (PS Don’t Google for photos because you’ll probably get…well, you know. TOADS in a hole. Ick!)
And Bangers and Mash – sausage with gravy!
Why is it called Bangers and Mash?
“Bangers and Mash” is the affectionate British slang for sausages and creamy mashed potato, served with gravy. “Bangers” refers to the sausages – named as such because back then, sausages would burst open “with a bang!” when cooked unless you pricked with a fork. Sometimes, they still do!
This is the first sausage recipe that comes to mind whenever I’m planning sausages for dinner! So obvious, I know…
Onion Gravy
The onion gravy is what really makes this sausage recipe. Onions not only add flavour, they also bulk up the gravy so you can really pile that gravy on and smother the sausages.
It’s very simple to make and no different to making gravy for things like roasts – Roast Lamb, Roast Chicken and Turkey.
What you need to make Bangers and Mash
Here’s all you need to make Bangers and Mash:
Best Sausages for Bangers and Mash
For a really classic Bangers and Mash experience, you can’t go past some big, fat pork sausages. Look for good quality ones that are all meat, no fillers – check the ingredients or ask your butcher.
The only sausages I do not recommend using are lean sausages because they won’t drop enough juices and fat to make a truly tasty gravy.
If you use low fat sausages, I cannot be held accountable for lack of flavour in the gravy!!
What you need to make Bangers and Mash Gravy
Sausages drippings – This refers to the brown bits stuck on the base of the pan and the oil / sausage juices that are left in the skillet after browning them. Sausage drippings are the key to wickedly delicious Onion Gravy!
Garlic and onion – Essential base flavouring ingredients for many, many savoury dishes!
Flour – This is what thickens the gravy.
Beef broth/ stock – The liquid for the gravy that gives it flavour. You’ll be disappointed if you use water, so don’t do it!
How to make Bangers and Mash
Brown sausages in a skillet then remove when cooked. If there’s an excessive amount of oil in the skillet, feel free to discard some. But you’ll want to keep at least 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons of fat to cook the onions and form the flavour base for the gravy.
Saute onion and garlic in the sausage drippings until the onions are translucent.
Cook off flour – Add the flour into the onion mixture and cook it for a couple of minutes. This will cook out the rawness of the flour.
Add beef broth/liquid stock. The flour mixed into the onion mixture will dissolve into the liquid. At first it will be watery abut as it heats up, it will thicken into a gravy consistency.
How to avoid lumpy gravy?
The trick to avoid lumpy gravy is to start by adding just some of the broth into the flour/onion mixture and stir to form a sludgy paste before mixing in the rest. This sludge will dissolve more easily into the remaining broth, making a lovely lump-free gravy without the need of a whisk!
Tip! For a BAKED version of Bangers and Mash, see this Sausage Bake. It comes with a gravy that’s made in the oven at the same time the sausages are cooking!
What to serve with Bangers and Mash
In the UK, I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to serve Bangers and Mash with anything other than creamy mashed potato.😂 Though any rice would also work great (white, brown, jasmine, basmati), as would pasta, polenta, quinoa, barley, even couscous.
In the event of a low-carb emergency, Creamy Mashed Cauliflower is a great alternative and unexpectedly delicious! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Bangers & Mash (Sausage with Onion Gravy)
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 8 sausages of choice (Note 1)
- 1 large onion , halved and finely sliced (yellow, white or brown) (Note 2)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 tbsp flour (plain)
- 2 cups beef stock/broth , low sodium, store bought or homemade (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
To Serve
- Mashed potato
- Peas
Instructions
- Cook sausages: Heat oil in a large skillet / fry pan over medium high heat. Add sausages and cook, turning, until browned as much as possible all over and cooked through. Cook time will differ depending on sausage size – mine take around 8 minutes.
- Remove sausages onto a plate. Turn heat down to medium.
- 2 tbsp oil remaining: You need around 2 tbsp oil left in the skillet. If you have much less, add a bit of butter or oil.
- Saute onion and garlic: Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown – around 4 minutes.
- Cook off flour 2 minutes: Add flour and mix through. Then cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Gradually add beef stock: Add about 3/4 cup of beef broth and mix into the onion so it becomes a sludge. Then add remaining beef broth and mix until combined. If it's lumpy, use a whisk to help make it smooth.
- Thicken gravy: Simmer, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy thickens but is slightly thinner than you want – it will thicken more as you serve it.
- Season: Add salt and pepper. Stir, taste, then add more salt if you want.
- Serve sausages with plenty of gravy, with mashed potato and peas on the side. (Low carb option – Creamy Cauliflower Mash)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2016. Updated in October 2021 with new photos and a new video.
I love a good sausage recipe!
Sausages are a great shortcut way to a quick tasty meal because they’re loaded with extra flavour. Think beyond just cooking them whole – squeeze the meat out and cook it like mince meat!
Life of Dozer
Look who’s in his usual position….and don’t miss Dozer and his cheeky eye balling of the sausages in the cooking video! 😉
I have never made gravy from scratch before trying this recipe and it was so delicious! I used store bought stock so I can only imagine this would have been much tastier with homemade stock. Need to try that too! The overall dish is an obvious Brit classic so I enjoyed my dinner yesterday.
Nagi I love all your recipes. Haven’t had a failure yet.
Just add a drop or two of liquid browning (i use sarsons) to your chicken gravy to give it that thick beef gravy colour and look and a smidge of marmite/vegemite for a bit of non-red meat depth.I have to do this as my other half won’t touch red meat in any form. You can get some really nice chicken sausages,cumberland or lincolnshire style are great but be prepaired to spend just a little extra.
p.s. doing this later with loads of buttery,buttery mash.
I’ve always added HP Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce to mine to oomph the flavour – also makes up for when your sausages aren’t super high quality/flavourful. Just typing this takes me back to winters of my childhood. Unfortunately it’s a warm sunny autumn day here but will add the ingredients to my shopping list and hope for a rainy weekend 🙂
HP is the bomb with sausages (and on bacon egg rolls!!) N x
This delicious and simple recipe was perfect for the high quality bangers we scored at our local farmers market. We added cranberry sauce as a side. I might add a tiny bit of sugar to my gravy next time. Thanks, Nagi!
Try Branston Pickle instead of the cranberry sauce and please don’t add the sugar. I’m sure you’re sweet enough as you are.
I am happy that you liked it Eric! N x
Hi Nagi!
Quick question… How long does the onion gravy keep??
Laia x
Freeze it and it will keep for weeks and probably months. You can buy frozen ‘French Onions Soup’ from Costco when it’s available and I’ve kept some for over a year in the deep freezer.
Made this for our small group. Doubled the recipe and used mashed cauliflower. Delish! Everyone loved it! My first time ever making gravy from scratch. Recipe was easy for someone who doesn’t love being in the kitchen. Thank you, Nagi!
I am happy that you liked it Tamra! N x
First time making bangers and mash. It was excellent and I highly recommend it! Kroger has good bangers for this recipe.
I used Irish Bangers and it was a very good/quick recipe. Thank you.
The St Paddy’s Day version Debbie!! N x
This was such a comfort meal and so easy to whip up! Thank you!
Love this! So much better with Irish or British Bangers
Loved it. Just like I remembered eating years ago and so easy. Thanks!
My family loved this! I served the sausages with rice because I was too lazy to make mashed potatoes, and it worked great.
There’s nothing wrong with serving it with rice x
Hello, will this work with almond meal to substitute flour for a gluten free option? (I recall – if not wrong – that you used almond meal instead of flour/corn starch for another recipe). Thanks!
There are plenty of great all purpose g free flowers out there that work just like regular flour.
Hi J – I am not sure almond meal will thicken this properly and it will change the flavour a lot. Your best sub for a gluten free option would be cornflour/cornstarch (dissolve in a bit of cold water before adding it). Just be sure to buy the g/f cornstarch. N x
Cornstarch will make the gravy too glutinous. Use rice flour instead, not too much or it will be too thick.
pls ignore the corn starch bit. Should have proof read before sending! Thanks
I have made many of your recipes. You are the bomb! Then I discovered this bangers and mash and it was a return to my childhood in Scotland. Thank you for making me a better cook.
Bangers and mash are a staple wherever the British went, we have it at least once a week. No true Englishman would substitute the Potato with anything else, if you were going to use rice then you would do curried sausages.
Kiwi Pom and proud of it
Curried sausages? What? Absolutely NOT. Why do people automatically think of curry when rice is mentioned?
You could make a vegetable rice and that would be much more appropriate with sausages. Sausage curry is just not done.
They do in Germany curried wurst quite nice ,But it’s called bangers and mash for a reason
I’m gluten free, can I just sub cornstarch? If so, how much?
Hi Ben – yes you can. Use the same amount as the flour, just dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water first so it doesn’t clump. N x
Made this last night and it was super delicious!! As Nagi advises, you gotta use good quality sausages. I will definitely be making this simple, but yummy meal again.
So simple and same time so delicious. Thank you Nagi for sharing a recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Iryna! N x
You make even the old classics i grew tired of years ago look insanely delicious. Man im craving this now. Gravy and mash is my weakness, add in onion, im in heaven.