A British classic meets the American southwest: sausage flavored with
cheese, onion, and green chilis wrapped in a crisp, golden puff pastry
blanket.
inspiration
It is a truth universally acknowledged that British food is the teensiest bit lackluster. However, there are a few things they do really well: sticky toffee pudding, mac and cheese, fried fish. Sausage rolls are another staple that should make its way across the pond.
Sausage rolls are exactly what they sound like: a sausage link wrapped in puff pastry and baked. We’re going to use ground sausage here so we can jazz it up a bit. Another common British combination is cheese and onion, so adding shredded cheddar and minced sweet onion to the mixture was obvious.
One thing I love about British food it’s that it’s often a bit of a blank canvas–there’s so much room for adding twists and flavors. This time, I decided to take sausage rolls to the American southwest by adding a bunch of diced green chilis, too.
why i love this recipe
“Light” is probably the last word you’re thinking right now, but somehow sausage rolls are exactly that. It’s partially the puff pastry—crisp, golden, flaky, and airy—but the filling is light and fluffy too, rather than dense like ground meat often is, thanks to a good whack of panko breadcrumbs. Sweet onion and salty cheddar add great flavor here, and the chilis add some interest without adding heat. (Although if you like heat, feel free to switch them out for diced canned jalapenos.)
Sausage rolls are traditionally eaten on the go, so no utensils are necessary. They’re great for pretty much any meal of the day: pair with some fruit or eggs for breakfast, or a salad for lunch or dinner, or eat one on its own as a snack.
details
There are plenty of shortcuts that make this recipe a lot easier than it could be. Storebought puff pastry, canned diced green chilis, storebought pork sausage. You could make your own, but why do that when it’s already available and it’ll cut a step out? We’re jazzing it up anyway, so go for it.
First, you’ll sauté your sweet onion and garlic in a little bit of olive oil until it’s all golden, and then mix it into the sausage with cheddar, green chilis, breadcrumbs, and an egg. It’s easier to mix everything in evenly if you use your hands.
After that it’s just assembling the rolls, which is a snap with prepared pastry, brushing them with egg wash, and baking them.
Ketchup for dipping is traditional, but feel free to skip it if it’s not your thing.
notes
puff pastry sheets: can be found with the desserts in the freezer section.
sweet onion: sub yellow, white, or red in a pinch!
garlic: I used jarred minced garlic, but feel free to use fresh!
diced green chilis: usually found in international food aisle with the Mexican stuff.
cheddar: the flavor is better if you grate your own, but no worries if you use pre-shredded. If you want the rolls to be extra cheesy, sprinkle some down the middle of the pastry strips before you add the sausage filling. Pepper jack would also be good if you really want to up the southwestern vibes!
ground sausage: regular pork sausage. I used the Jimmy Dean stuff that comes in gold-wrapped cylinders, by the bacon.
panko breadcrumbs: regular breadcrumbs are fine, too, but reduce the amount to ½ cup because they’re finer. The filling might also be a bit denser.
I hope you love these sausage rolls! If you’re looking for another taste of the UK, try british bacon sandwiches, the london girl mocktail, or tandoori chicken baguettes.
sausage rolls
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sweet onion diced small
- 1 tbsp minced jarred garlic
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup diced green chilis canned
- 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
- 1 lb ground pork sausage
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs divided
- 2 sheets puff pastry thawed according to package directions
- ketchup for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft and golden. Add garlic and a pinch of salt and cook another minute or two, then remove pan from the heat.
- In a mixing bowl, use your hands to combine sausage, onion and garlic mixture, green chilis, one egg, and breadcrumbs, making sure to mix thoroughly. Divide sausage mixture into 4 equal pieces (but don't stress if it's not exact).
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheets a little to make it just a bit bigger. Cut each in half, perpendicular to the natural folds, so you have four strips of pastry. Arrange the filling mixture in a compact line down each pastry strip, then bring the edges of the pastry together, pinch to seal, and lay each roll on a baking sheet, seam-side down. Cut each roll into 3 equal pieces. Lightly beat the remaining egg with a fork and brush it over the rolls.
- Bakefor 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is browned. Serve warm, with ketchup for dipping!