Sausage rolls are seasoned ground pork wrapped in puff pastry and baked until golden. This version uses chopped cashews and wholemeal breadcrumbs in the filling, which keeps it moist and gives it a little more texture than a plain pork roll. They take 45 minutes start to finish and are genuinely easy to make even if you have never worked with ground meat before.
What makes this version work
Two things matter most here. First, preheating the lined baking tray before you put the rolls on it — that burst of direct bottom heat is what stops the pastry base from going soft and pale. Second, mixing the filling thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed. Ground pork can look combined before it actually is, so take an extra 30 seconds with your hands or a fork. Uneven mixing means some rolls will be bland and others overseasoned, and the soy sauce and ketchup need to coat every bit of meat to do their job. Both steps take almost no extra effort and make a real difference in the finished result.
Ingredient notes
- Ground pork sausage meat: This is plain, unseasoned ground pork — not breakfast sausage links or Italian sausage, which already have their own spice blends. If your butcher only has regular ground pork, that works fine; the seasoning in this recipe provides all the flavor you need.
- Raw cashews: They need to be raw, not roasted or salted. Roasted cashews will taste out of place and salted ones will throw off the seasoning balance. Chop them finely so they blend into the filling rather than sitting in chunks.
- Soy milk (for brushing): This is just used as a wash to help the pastry brown. Any plant-based milk works, or you can use a beaten egg for a deeper golden color — skip the garnish of sesame seeds if you don’t have them, not worth the extra dish.
- Frozen puff pastry sheets: Let them thaw just enough to unroll without cracking — about 10 minutes on the counter. Fully thawed pastry gets sticky and hard to handle.
Storage and reheating
Cooked sausage rolls keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To reheat, put them in a 180°C / 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes — this brings the pastry back to crisp. A microwave will make them soft and a little soggy, so use the oven if you can. For freezing, you can freeze them either before or after baking. Unbaked rolls freeze well for up to 2 months; bake straight from frozen at 180°C / 350°F for about 35–40 minutes, checking that the internal temperature of the pork filling reaches 160°F (71°C) before serving. Baked rolls can also be frozen for up to 2 months and reheated in the oven from frozen at the same temperature for 15–20 minutes.
If something goes sideways
- The pastry splits open during baking: The filling was probably packed too tightly or the pastry wasn’t sealed firmly enough. Press the seam down with a fork next time, and leave a little room — overfilling causes blowouts.
- The filling is crumbly and falls apart when you cut them: The mixture wasn’t mixed long enough. Ground pork needs to be worked until it becomes slightly sticky and cohesive, which is what holds everything together once baked.
- The bottom is pale and soft: The tray wasn’t hot when the rolls went in, or the tray wasn’t rimmed and heat circulated unevenly. Make sure you preheat the tray in the oven as the recipe instructs.
- The filling is still pink inside when the pastry looks done: Pull the rolls and check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer — ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C). If the pastry is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil and keep baking until the filling is fully cooked through.
- The pastry tears when you roll it: It was still too cold. Give it another 3–4 minutes on the counter. Puff pastry cracks when it’s forced while still stiff.
British Sausage Rolls: Crispy, Golden & Easy to Make
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz ground pork sausage meat - 300g
- 1 tablespoon soy milk - 15ml, for brushing
- 3 sheets puff pastry - frozen ; approximately 25cm x 25cm / 10 x 10 inches each, slightly thawed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C / 325°F fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper and place it in the oven to preheat — a hot tray helps the pastry base crisp up.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork sausage, minced garlic, grated onion, chopped cashews, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, dried thyme, black pepper, soy sauce, and ketchup. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a fork until everything is evenly combined.1 clove garlic, ½ cup cashews, 1 small yellow onion, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 10.5 oz ground pork sausage meat, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ cup parsley, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon ketchup
- Divide the sausage mixture into 6 equal portions (approximately 85g / 3 oz each). Roll each portion into a log shape roughly the length of your pastry half.10.5 oz ground pork sausage meat
- Cut each of the 3 puff pastry sheets in half lengthways to create 6 rectangular strips.3 sheets puff pastry
- Place one portion of the sausage mixture along the centre of each pastry rectangle, forming a neat log shape.3 sheets puff pastry
- Lightly dampen one long edge of each pastry rectangle with water using your fingertip. Fold the dry side of the pastry over the filling to meet the dampened edge, pressing firmly to seal. Place seam-side down.3 sheets puff pastry
- Using a sharp knife, cut each filled roll in half to create 2 smaller sausage rolls. You should now have 12 rolls. Score 2-3 small diagonal slashes on the top of each roll to allow steam to escape.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each sausage roll with soy milk. This gives them a golden finish as they bake.1 tablespoon soy milk
- Place the rolls on the preheated baking tray, seam-side down, spacing them 2cm apart. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown and puffed up.
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm with ketchup, brown sauce, or your favourite chutney.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use regular ground pork instead of sausage meat?
Yes, plain ground pork works perfectly in this recipe. The seasoning — soy sauce, ketchup, thyme, garlic, and black pepper — is already built into the filling, so you don’t need pre-seasoned sausage meat.
How do I know when the pork filling is fully cooked?
The safest way is a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a roll — it should read 160°F (71°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, cut one roll open; the filling should be completely gray with no pink remaining.
Can I make these ahead of time for a party?
Yes — assemble the rolls, place them on a lined tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 3–4 minutes to the cooking time.
Can I leave out the cashews?
You can, though the filling will be a little softer without them. If you want to keep a similar texture, add an extra two tablespoons of breadcrumbs to compensate.
My puff pastry sheets are a different size than the recipe calls for. Does that matter?
It affects how much filling fits per roll, but not the technique. If your sheets are larger, divide the filling into fewer, larger logs; if smaller, make more rolls and reduce the baking time slightly, checking for doneness at the 20-minute mark.
More mince recipes to try
- Gourmet Lamb Sausage Rolls
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Savory Beef Sausage Rolls
- Cumberland Sausage Mince Pie
