Sausage Roll Recipe

Cook onions

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic in the last 30 seconds, stir, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine filling

In a large bowl, place the pork sausage meat. Add the cooked onions and garlic, parsley, thyme, breadcrumbs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined. Do not overwork — mix until just incorporated. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to firm up slightly (this makes rolling easier).

Prepare oven and pastry

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly dust your work surface with the 1 tsp flour. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet and, if necessary, roll it lightly with a rolling pin to about 12 x 10 inches (so it’s even and large enough to encase the filling).

Form sausage log

Remove the chilled sausage mixture from the refrigerator. Shape the sausage into a loose log approximately the length of the pastry sheet (about 10–11 inches) and about 1.5–2 inches in diameter. Place the log along the long edge of the pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch gap at the short ends to allow sealing.

Brush and roll

Beat the egg with 1 tsp cold water to make an egg wash. Brush the far long edge of the pastry lightly with egg wash. Fold the near long edge of pastry over the sausage log and roll so the seam is on the bottom. Press the seam gently to seal. Trim any excess pastry from the ends or tuck the ends under neatly to seal the sausage inside.

Finish and score

Place the sealed sausage roll seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top all over with egg wash. Using a sharp knife, make 4–6 shallow diagonal slashes across the top to vent steam and create the classic appearance. Sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top if desired.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown and the internal temperature of the sausage registers at least 160°F (71°C). If the pastry is browning too quickly before the filling reaches temperature, loosely tent with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.

Rest and serve

Remove the sausage roll from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes to allow juices to settle. Slice into portions (typically 6–8 slices). Serve warm or at room temperature with mustard, ketchup, or your preferred dipping sauce.