Sausage Rolls
Flaky puff pastry wrapped round herby pork sausagemeat: the essential party and Bonfire Night bake.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Snack
- Cuisine
- English
Homemade sausage rolls are far better than shop-bought and quick to make with ready-made puff pastry. A little onion, sage and breadcrumbs in the filling keeps it juicy and full of flavour.
Make a batch for Bonfire Night: they are good warm from the oven or cold from a tin.
Ingredients
- 450 g pork sausagemeat, or 6 good sausages, skinned
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 50 g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp dried
- salt and ground black pepper
- 500 g block all-butter puff pastry, or 2 × 320 g ready-rolled sheets
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp fennel or sesame seeds, optional
Equipment
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- Baking trayHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Rolling pinHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Pastry brushHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- 2
Mix the sausagemeat, onion, breadcrumbs, sage and plenty of seasoning with your hands.
- 3
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to a rectangle about 40 × 30 cm, then cut it in half lengthways to make two long strips.
- 4
Divide the filling between the strips, shaping it into a log down the middle of each. Brush one long edge with egg, fold the pastry over and press to seal. Crimp the edge with a fork.
- 5
Cut each roll into 6 pieces, put them on the tray, make two small cuts in the top of each, brush with egg and scatter with seeds. Chill for 15 minutes.
- 6
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until deep golden and the filling is cooked through with no pink meat.
Tips
For a Cornish twist, try a Cornish pasty. For more sausages, there is always toad in the hole.
A pastry brush gives an even glaze for a shiny finish.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soggy bottoms | Pastry too warm or tray not hot | Chill before baking and bake on the middle shelf |
| Rolls split open | Seam not sealed | Brush with egg and press the seam firmly, seam-side down |
| Filling pink in the middle | Underbaked or rolls too thick | Bake longer, or make the logs thinner |
Frequently asked questions
How do I know sausage rolls are cooked?
The pastry should be deep golden and the filling cooked through with no pink. The Food Standards Agency advises the middle of the food reaching 70°C for 2 minutes.
Can I freeze sausage rolls?
Yes. Freeze them unbaked on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen, adding about 10 minutes.
Can I use ready-rolled pastry?
Yes: two 320 g sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry work perfectly.
Sources
- Cooking your food, Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK), 18 December 2017. Checked 3 October 2026.
Guides for this recipe
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Card photos: Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A wooden rolling pin with handles, Peter Kammer via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A natural-bristle pastry brush, Karon Elliott Edleson from La Quinta, CA, USA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A steak and ale pie served with gravy, broccoli and carrot, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A golden, crimped Cornish pasty on a plate, David Johnson [1] via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Sliced roast beef with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and gravy, Jeremy Keith from Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.