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. 😉
I found these to be disgusting and not like any sausage roll I’ve ever eaten in my life. All I could taste was the fennel seed. Wouldn’t recommend doing the fennel and wish I’d seen the note about not adding it. Ended up just eating the pastry and throwing the rest away.
In other words, you don’t like fennel. 😉
Apparently not lol. To be fair though she clearly recommended to use way too much. If she was going for a hint of fennel flavour (like she’s claimed some posh bakeries have) she clearly missed the mark. Completely overpowered everything else.
Made these yesterday. Baked half and have frozen the other half. They are delicious. Used the full amount of fennel seeds. Excellent recipe. Particularly liked not using sausage meat, due to additives.
First time ever making sausage rolls.
Made a few rookie errors when trying to assemble the sausage rolls.
I got the sheets of puff pastry out to thaw so I could roll the sausage rolls. Unfortunately they kept on thawing while I was working of the first 1/2 sheet. I should have put the sheets in the fridge until I need the next 1/2 sheet.
Took a bit of time to get the mince mixture spread evenly and round on the pastry but I got quicker and better the more I did.
When cutting each roll into 4 pieces they were not all the aame unlike Nagi’s. I need more practice.
I can say when cooked they were delish and all eaten by the family in 20 mins.
My partner is Australian and swears that they have the best sausage rolls. After discovering this recipie, he now agrees (through gritted teeth) that these are the best he has ever tasted (I’m now a tad smug). I love your recipies and use them a lot, thankyou for sharing you amazing skills.
Nagi is Australian so we still do have the best sausage rolls lol
Love your recipes, Nagi. I thought I’d fire up the oven (since it’s only 80 degrees today here in St. Louis) and make your sausage rolls. Love the Dozer photos and comments…I once knew a good old Golden who got lost for two weeks and came home very skinny but, oddly, seven pounds heavier. One expensive (but successful) surgery later the 7 lbs were determined to be sticks, moss-covered rocks, half a softball and a deflated tennis ball. Never underestimate a hungry Golden.
I just made a batch of these, they are so good! The only recipe I will use from now on. Best sausage rolls ever!
Absolutely delicious! We made these for a Derry Girls watch party and they disappeared immediately! We’d definitely make again.
These were ok. A little bland, they require more seasoning. A bit of flavour enhancing also wouldnt go astray. I will add a teaspoon of vegeta next time just to ramp up some flavour. I dont think bacon is necessary. A mirepoix of onion, celery and carrot might be better. Season each section as you go.
Have made these many times and love them. No need for any tweaks they are perfect as they are
Made these tonight and they were delicious 😋… had some left over stewed apple so made a couple of little apple turnovers with the left over pastry … yum
My family & I loved these so much – the only plate(s) cleared in a family gathering with the bring a plate dictate! I made 2 batches
We love this recipe.. and we make a red onion relish to top the filling just before rolling 🥰
I made these yesterday, replacing the fennel with sage, and using Gordon Ramsay’s rough puff pastry. They are really good. I freezer the extras and baked them today. They disappeared so quickly as well.
This recipe is for keeps. We love it. Thank you for sharing.
These were very easy to make ahead. Served with HP sauce. Got rave reviews .
OK I’m from the North of England. If I make sausage rolls I’m going to make the sausage meat for the filling with home minced (ground) pork (usually pork shoulder) and definitely add freshly ground black pepper. mace and nutmeg. to get the right flavour. I might add a bit of my home made spelt based rusk. .
Its unlikely I would add fennel – bacon is optional ! – but the mace is absolutely essential !
I might optionally add other herbs (most likely sage) and onion and garlic as fresh ingredients oras powder for variation
Just my take from a different part of the world but maybe you might want to give it a try
Have been making these for years and hands down they’re the best sausage rolls ever!!!
Made these and they were awesome. I halved the salt recommended- as there is bacon too. And it was still good. Love a good pork and fennel sausage. Wish I could add the pictures here.
Forgot the stars and to say that the recipe as written (apart from personal choice of amount of fennel) is perfect. No tweaking necessary!
Best sausage rolls ever! Stated by my 20yo daughter who has been a sausage roll connoisseur since she was three. I totally agree. This is my second time making a double batch in a month. They get eaten so quickly it’s hard to get any in the freezer. Used half the fennel and perfect for us. Made them in the airfryer as my oven is useless. These are perfection!
bloody fantastic!
Wife and I ate 2 each…
It now seems the 16 left won’t nearly be enough 😉