These homemade puff pastry sausage rolls are golden, flaky and packed with juicy seasoned meat. They are surprisingly easy to make with just a handful of simple ingredients making them perfect for impromptu dinner parties, lunches or make ahead snacks. Crispy little pockets of flavor like this always feel a little special and never fail to impress guests.
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What I love most about these homemade sausage rolls is how customizable they are. You can adjust the seasoning, switch up the herbs or even swap the filling to suit your taste. Make the classic pork sausage rolls or go lighter with turkey, chicken or veggie mince.
You can even change the flavor from the more traditional British sausage rolls to a Mediterranean or curried version, but this sausage roll recipe is a great base to start from.
The best part? They are perfect for prepping in advance. Make a large batch and store in the fridge for later and they also freeze beautifully.
Sausage rolls ingredient list
You’ll make these delicious sausage rolls with just a few simple and easy to find ingredients. Perfect for a quick snack or appetizer:
- Pork mince (ground pork): Pork mince is preferred for the typical classic flavor and texture of sausage rolls. The fat content helps to keep the filling juicy and tender.
- Breadcrumbs: Fine dried breadcrumbs help bind the filling. Panko can also be used for a slightly lighter texture.
- Egg (for the filling): Adding an egg to the meat helps the filling hold together.
- Egg yolk (for glazing): A beaten egg yolk brushed on top of the puff pastry gives it its golden finish.
- Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning. I also add a mixture of dried herbs to give it a Mediterranean twist, like oregano, basil, thyme, sage or rosemary.
- Puff pastry: I use store-bought puff pastry for convenience, but you can make your own if you prefer.
Puff pastry notes
Store-bought puff pastry comes in several shapes and forms. Most commonly it’s sold as rectangular or square sheets making it perfect for cutting into strips. Sometimes you may find it in circular shapes, which are usually used for pies or quiches. Circles can be adapted for sausage rolls, but you’ll need to cut them into squares or rectangles first.
Puff pastry is mostly sold frozen, but occasionally you’ll find refrigerated sheets in the fridge section. Frozen pastry should be thawed in the fridge a few hours before use. The advantage of refrigerated pastry is that it can be used straight away.
Depending on the shape and size of the puff pastry sheet, it will affect the portioning and sizing of the sausage rolls. Rectangular sheets are easiest for long sausage rolls, squares work well for mini rolls and circles are perfect for small, round bites.
How to make sausage rolls
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Prepare the baking tray: Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork mince, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and dried herbs. Use your hands or a spatula to mix until combined. Don’t overwork the filling too much, just a gentle mix is enough.
- Make and wrap the rolls: Roll out the thawed puff pastry and cut in a rectangular or square shape. Portion the filling, roll a sausage shape with your hands and place it in the centre of the puff pastry. Fold the pastry over the filling and press lightly to seal. Make sure the pastry is large enough to cover all the filling.
- Cut into portions: Use a sharp knife to slice the rolled puff pastry into your desired sizes. If the pastry feels too soft or sticky, refrigerate for 10 minutes, which firms up the pastry and makes cutting easier.
- Score and glaze: Place each pastry roll seam down on the parchment lined baking tray. Use a sharp knife to score very shallow cuts on the top of the roll. This will allow for the moisture to escape instead of making the pastry burst. Beat an egg yolk in a small mixing bowl and brush the top of each roll. The glazing is optional, but will give the sausage rolls that nice golden look.
- Bake: Place the baking tray in the middle of the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes until cooked through and golden. The exact baking time will depend on your oven and set temperature. So it can be ready earlier or will need a few minutes longer.
Useful tips
- Breadcrumbs: You can use slices of white bread or fine dried breadcrumbs to help bind the filling. If using white bread, soak it briefly in a little milk which helps to create a smooth, juicy filling. Start with adding a small amount of breadcrumbs and add more if needed as the mixture should hold together without being too dry.
- Puff pastry: Always keep the pastry cold in the fridge and only take it out just before handling to preserve its flakiness. If using frozen pastry, thaw it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Baking time and temperature: Every oven bakes a little differently. While 200 °C (400 °F) is standard for my oven, your rolls might need a few extra or less minutes depending on your oven. Keep an eye on them as the pastry should be golden and puffed and the filling cooked through.
- Score the tops: Make small shallow cuts in the pastry before baking to allow steam to escape and the pastry not to burst open during baking.
How to store
These sausage rolls are great for making ahead and storing for later. You can keep them at room temperature in an airtight container for a day, or refrigerate for up to three days. To enjoy them later, simply reheat in the oven at 180–200 °C (350–400 °F) or in an airfryer for a few minutes to bring back that flaky, golden pastry.
They also freeze beautifully, either before or after baking. If freezing raw, shape and cut the rolls, then freeze on a tray until firm before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
If freezing cooked rolls, let them cool completely, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven or airfryer to regain the flakiness. Avoid the microwave as it will make the pastry soft and soggy.
More party appetizers to try
Serve these easy sausage rolls with a range of other festive appetizers and party dip recipes for your guests to choose from:
- Hummus chicken pinwheels
- Prosciutto pesto puff pastry pinwheels
- Prosciutto cups with feta and figs
- Cream cheese stuffed piquanté peppers
Homemade Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500 grams) pork mince
- 3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
- 1 egg whole egg, for the mince
- 1 egg yolk for glazing
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried herb mix thyme, sage, basil, oregano
- 11 ounces (320 grams) puff pastry thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400℉ or 200℃. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Prepare the pastry: Roll out the puff pastry if needed and cut either in long strips or small rectangles. (see note)
- Make the filling: Combine pork mince, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and dried herbs in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix well.
- Make the rolls: Roll the prepared mince meat in portions into sausage shapes with your hands and place each 'sausage' on the centre of the puff pastry (in the middle of the rectangle or square).
- Wrap: Fold the pastry over the filling and press to seal. You should fold the pastry so it fully encloses the filling, but not too tightly.
- Slice: With a sharp knife, cut the rolls into even pieces (about 4–5 cm / 1.5–2 inches in width). Place each roll on a parchment lined baking tray, with the seam side down to keep them sealed during baking.
- Glaze and score: Use a sharp knife to make a few small, shallow cuts in the top of each roll, then brush the top of the rolls with a beaten egg yolk to give it a golden finish.
- Bake: Place in the middle of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Serve either warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Mince meat: Either use 100% pork meat or a 50/50 mix of pork and beef. Beef mince or ground beef isn’t juicy enough for making typical sausage rolls.
- Puff pastry: Puff pastry comes in different shapes; sheets, rounds or squares. When cutting the puff pastry, make sure 1 of the sides isn’t wider than 10-13 cm or 4-5 inches.
