Australian sausage rolls are puff pastry parcels filled with seasoned ground beef and lamb, baked until the pastry is crisp and the filling is cooked through. This version uses store-bought puff pastry and a single mixing bowl, so you get a genuinely good result without much cleanup. They work as a snack, a party finger food, or a quick lunch alongside a simple salad.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this recipe reliable. First, combining ground beef and ground lamb keeps the filling moist — lamb has enough fat to prevent the mix from drying out during the longer bake time required to hit a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Second, the two-stage oven temperature does real work: the initial high heat sets the pastry fast, locking in the shape before the filling has a chance to leak out, and the lower second stage finishes cooking the meat without burning the outside. Skip either stage and you get either a soggy base or an overcooked shell. The piping-bag trick — a zip-lock bag with one corner snipped — also matters more than it sounds; it keeps the filling log uniform, which means every roll bakes evenly and you’re not trimming uneven ends.
What can go wrong
- Pastry tears when rolling: This happens when the pastry is still too cold and stiff, or has warmed up and gone sticky. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before you unroll it. Work quickly once it’s out.
- Soggy bottom: Placing rolls on a flat baking tray with no airflow underneath traps steam. Use a rack set over the tray, or at minimum a tray lined with parchment and preheated in the oven so the base hits hot metal immediately.
- Filling bursts out the ends: Overfilling is the usual cause, but so is skipping the egg wash on the seam. Brush the pastry edge before you roll it over — the egg acts as glue. Also leave at least 1 cm clear at each end before piping the filling.
- Pale, soft pastry after full bake time: Oven thermostats vary. If the pastry looks underdone at the expected time, your oven is running cool. Use an oven thermometer, or add 5 minutes at the higher temperature at the start. Don’t open the oven in the first 10 minutes or the pastry won’t puff properly.
- Greasy pool under the rolls: Ground lamb releases more fat than beef. If your lamb is very fatty, blot the mixed filling briefly with paper towel before loading it into the piping bag — skip the garnish parsley on top too, not worth the extra dish — and the finished rolls will be less greasy on the bottom.
Easy Australian Sausage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 sheets puff pastry - thawed
1 teaspoon ground fennel
Instructions
- Mix together the sausage meat, beef, onion, desired seasonings, ground fennel and Italian herbs in a large bowl.
- Blend well, then place the mixture into an icing piping bag (or a freezer bag with a corner snipped off).
- Roll out the pastries and cut them in half. Pipe the filling along one edge of each sheet of pastry.
- Roll the pastry over the meat twice (or until the meat is fully encased in the pastry). Cut slits at the top of each pastry and brush them with a beaten egg.
- Place the sausage rolls to a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use all beef instead of the beef and lamb mix?
Yes, all ground beef works fine. The rolls will be slightly leaner and a little less rich, so choose an 80/20 blend rather than extra-lean to keep the filling from drying out.
How do I know the filling is cooked through without cutting them all open?
Use an instant-read thermometer inserted through one of the slits in the top — you’re looking for 160°F (71°C) at the center. If you don’t have a thermometer, the juices running from the slits should be clear, not pink.
Can I assemble these the night before and bake them the next day?
Yes. Assemble, egg-wash, and cover the unbaked rolls tightly on the tray, then refrigerate overnight. Bake straight from the fridge — add 3 to 4 minutes to the initial high-heat stage since the pastry will be cold.
Can I freeze them, and do I freeze before or after baking?
Both work, but freezing before baking gives better pastry texture. Freeze assembled, unwashed rolls on a tray until solid, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen at the same temperatures, adding roughly 10 minutes total to the bake time, and apply the egg wash just before they go in.
My puff pastry has two sheets — how many rolls does that make?
Each standard sheet typically yields 4 to 6 rolls depending on how you cut them, so two sheets gives you 8 to 12. Cut each rolled log into equal portions with a sharp knife rather than sawing, which compresses the layers.
What dipping sauce works best if I don’t have tomato sauce?
Barbecue sauce is the easiest substitute and pairs well with the fennel and Italian seasoning in the filling. Sweet chili sauce also works if you want a bit of heat against the rich meat.
Try these next
- Gourmet Lamb Sausage Rolls
- Savory Beef Sausage Rolls
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Savory Lebanese Lamb Pastries
