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. 😉
Great recipe Nagi. Since discovering this recipe recently I have made them a few times and they are a hit with the family and always disappear quickly! I also add some Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce which is a nice addition.
Hi Nagi! Just wanted to say I LOVE your work. These sausage rolls are constantly requested by my fam (when asked what they wanted for their 60th, My Dad & Uncle only requested these!). Your satay skewers are also a fav. As if it couldn’t get better with the delicious food, beautiful photos, nutritional info and easy to follow recipe – then there is the Dozer updates! Being an absolute golden retriever fanatic I just adore him. Thank you for creating such an amazing platform and I’m sorry its taken so long for me to leave a comment.
I was wondering if you had any boa recipes? or boa bun filling recipes? I recently picked up some buns from the Asian supermarket but would love a wonderful flavour combo to put inside.
Thanks so much for the great feedback Amy, that’s great to hear!! I think you mean bao buns? Char siu would be great inside – try this: https://salesdock.info/chinese-barbecue-pork-char-siu/%3C/a%3E N x
Read the recipe and day dreamed about t hem all day so went straight to the shops on the way home for ingredients. Couldn’t find any “normal” Pork mince anywhere – all low fat – so had to use that and totally agree, was slightly dry, but still delicious.
Great flavor, especially the fennel but totally agree full fat pork mince is the way to go. Brilliant recipe!
Have never had a bad meal from any of your recipes – thanks Nagi
Hi Mel, yes the fat is where it’s at! (You can always add more fatty bacon to offset lean mince too) – N x
Have made these for the second time now, but couldn’t bring myself to buy a giant bunch of celery when I only needed one stick. Given carrot is the other ingredient in a mirepoix, I went ahead and substituted finely chopped carrot instead of celery. I also didn’t have panko to hand so threw some sourdough into the food processor, about one cup. With both of these changes the sausage rolls still turned out beautifully with the optional toasted fennel included. Defo recommend this recipe. And I would also recommend a beautifully smokey streaky bacon too 🙂
Sounds like you nailed it Dan! N x
I’m not a huge bacon fan. What do you suggest as a substitute? Just add more salt? Thank you! Love your recipes
🙂
I recommend fine chop a cooking apple and mix with the pork. As a UK chef, I find the mix of apple and pork a great taste.
Hi Laura, the bacon also adds fat into the mix to keep them moist. I’d just use a high percentage fat mince instead and omit the bacon. N x
Delicious!! Thanks for the recipe, the fennel addition really makes it!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Laura! N x
Thank you for the great recipe. It was a hit amongst my eager food critics.
Can we leave the meat overnight?
Hi Pari – you can definitely make up the meat mixture and cover/leave in the fridge overnight 🙂 N x
No leftovers when I make this!
I do a little tweaking to suit what I have in the fridge / pantry.
Today, I put prosciutto instead of bacon and I used celery salt instead of fresh celery & table salt. It was still great.
Hi Nagi, I made these this morning to share with my 84 year old neighbour and his son for lunch. They are so moist and delicious, thank you. The ‘boys’ devoured the whole plate! Kate x
I’m so happy they were a hit Kate, that’s great to hear! N x
And both my husband and Terry (the son next door who mainly eats take out) said they were the best sausage rolls they have ever had! Wowza! That’s great praise from tradies! Thanks again Nagi. Xx
Thanks for this recipe Nagi, we loved it. I split the mixture and added some chilli flakes to one batch, and the other left as per recipe. Both awesome. Love your work.
Sounds great Mark! N x
Can you use filo pastry instrad of puff pastry?
Delicious! Followed the recipe and turned out perfectly. They almost had a dimsim filling flavour but nothing wrong with that. Also took me back to bourke to bakery days as well. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Skye! N x
Hi Nagi! I love this recipe. I’ve done it twice so far – once with the fennel (I realised I don’t like the taste of fennel) and the second time without fennel but added cheese!!! Omg yum. But my question today is that my husband forgot to buy bacon from the grocery store -.- and I want to bake these today! Can I use shredded ham instead?! Or kransky sausage?? Or should I just go with straight pork mince?
Hi Sety – fennel isn’t for everyone, I’m so glad you love it without as well! Any of the options you listed will work fine 🙂 N x
Hi why do my sausage rolls alwys burst
Kind regards Marie
**EXCELLENT**
I used this recipe to make scotch eggs and they were great. Fennel is hard to get where I am, so I used a good helping of Italian spice mix.
Ohhh YUM!!!! Love scotch eggs Anton!! N x
Hello! Thank you for a simple and straightforward recipe. I plan to make this for the F.A. Cup Final in a couple of months time, for my Danish husband and a friend (I am a veggie, myself) and I was wondering if I could ask a question please.
If they are cooked through thoroughly as per your instructions, can they be eaten cold?
Also, once they are cooked thoroughly, can they be reheated later on and then eaten hot?
I don’t know much about cooking meat but I do know that you have to be so careful with certain types of meat and the reheating of it.
Thank you for your time 🙂
Hi Sarah, they can be eaten cold however I prefer them hot. You can cook them through and then reheat safely at a later time if you prefer – I would reheat in the oven. N x
Thank you so much for replying. Your advice is noted! ☺️
I am planning on making these sausage rolls this week. I was wondering what kind of a side dish would you suggest to go with them or are these more of an appetizer? You have so many good recipes on here, it’s hard to decide which one to use.
Hi Rick, you can have them as an appetiser or main! I’d do a side of mashed potatoes and a garden salad 🙂
I love these sausage rolls, the filling is so tasty! I also made my own puff pastry, using this simple shortcut recipe: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/easy-puff-pastry-recipe/
I divided the dough into 5 pieces and it worked perfectly with this filling recipe. They are every bit as irresistible cold as they are hot. Thank you!
Great tip, thanks Rachel! N x
A whole stalk of celery or just a rib? Thanks.
Just one rib Jennifer! 🙂 N x
Anyone tried these for kids lunch boxes cold? Was it a hit or miss?
Hi, i also did them for school lunches – warmed them slightly before packing in their lunch boxes. A few crumbs of pastry is all that made it home.
Marina, I packed it for school lunch with my 5 year old and it was a hit!