Homemade Scottish Sausage Rolls…Great for a Snack or a Meal
Scottish sausage rolls are perfect for breakfast, appetizers, snacks, lunch or dinner, and are super easy to make!
This recipe was originally published on January 24, 2012.
You know that I often post recipes for foods which I miss from Scotland. Well, here’s another one–Scottish sausage rolls!
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Whether eaten alone, as an appetizer, as a quick snack (with HP Sauce, of course), or served with mashed potatoes, peas, and gravy, as a meal: sausage rolls always satisfy. With a crisp and flaky puff pastry on the outside, and deliciously seasoned sausage inside, it’s not difficult to understand why these are so delectable.
Love all things British? Try a traditional toad in the hole!
Don’t be intimidated; they’re easy to make and taste as good as the sausage rolls back home in Scotland. I do hope you try them as I think you’ll love them! Don’t buy packaged sausage meat as this recipe is so much better and tastes more like the real deal from Scotland.
Sausage rolls and Scotch eggs are both delicious pub food offerings!
How are Scottish Sausage Rolls different from English Sausage Rolls?
Normally, sausage rolls in England are made with pork. However, in Scotland, beef is traditionally used, also. If you are hesitant to try this recipe (as I was, initially) have no fear, they are truly delicious! This recipe was given to me by an elderly Scottish lady who was a friend of the family.
How to Make Homemade Scottish Sausage Rolls
Recipe from an old Scottish friend makes 9 large, or 18 small sausage rolls
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- puff pastry
- ground beef (you can still use pork or a mixture of beef and pork, or even turkey)
- salt
- black pepper
- coriander
- nutmeg
- breadcrumbs (see my prior post on how to make your own– see notes)
- egg
Oven temperature 400º F (200º C)
Step-by-Step Directions
Make the Sausage Meat
In a large bowl, mix together the salt with all the spices and breadcrumbs.
Add the ground beef, and about 1/2 cup of water. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until it has a meatloaf texture, adding water as needed. The sausage should hold together when squeezed, without being too wet.
Prepare the Sausage Rolls
Next, place the puff pastry on a clean counter, mat or board and cut into rectangular(ish) pieces, they don’t need to be exact, depending on the size of the rolls you want to make; from cocktail size to “man” size. Alternatively, you can make a long roll, and cut into the size desired.
Shape some meat into logs, and place close to one end of the pastry, but don’t put too much meat or they will burst open when baking.
With your finger, lightly dampen one of the edges with a little water, seal shut, then crimp with a fork, as shown .
Place on a lined (silicone sheet, aluminum foil or parchment paper) edged baking tray. Make three or four small cuts in the top of the pastry, and brush with a little beaten egg white.
TIP: if serving as appetizers, just make them smaller or cut into bite sized pieces before baking.
Bake the Sausage Rolls
Finally, bake sausage rolls in preheated 400º F (200º C) oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Can I freeze Sausage Rolls?
YES! These sausage rolls freeze really well and are a great party food! Here’s what I do: bake them as directed below, but take them out of the oven about 5 to 7 minutes early so they’re not as golden brown as you would want them. Cool completely, then freeze.
How do I Reheat Frozen Sausage Rolls?
To serve your frozen Scottish sausage rolls, defrost them in the refrigerator beforehand. When you want to heat them, take them from the refrigerator and place on a baking sheet for at least half an hour or bring to room temperature. Place in preheated oven at 375º F (190º C) for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and golden brown.
Scottish sausage rolls are wonderful served hot, right out of the oven, with HP Sauce. Incidentally, isn’t your mouth watering already? These black pudding Scotch eggs are another delicious British pub food creation!
What to Serve with this Recipe
Although sausage rolls can be served on their own, they are great when accompanied by any mix or combination of the following:
- mashed potatoes
- Heinz Beans
- peas
- chips (French fries)
- baked potato
- boiled potatoes
You may also enjoy this Scottish recipe for Lorne Sausage (or square sausage)
Homemade Scottish Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
- 18 oz puff pastry (easiest is buying a package like Trader Joe's)
- 1 lb ground beef (you can still use pork or a mixture of beef and pork or even turkey)
- 1 cup water or less
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- ¾ tsp coriander (dried, ground do not use fresh cilantro)
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 egg white (slightly beaten)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
- In a large bowl, mix together the salt with all the spices and breadcrumbs.
- Add the ground beef, and about 1/2 cup of water. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together until it has a meatloaf texture, adding water as needed. The sausage should hold together when squeezed, without being too wet.
- Place the puff pastry on a clean counter, mat or board. Cut into rectangular(ish) pieces, they don’t need to be exact, depending on the size of the rolls you want to make; from cocktail size to “man” size. Alternatively, you can make a long roll and then cut them into the size you desire.
- Shape some meat into logs, and place close to one end of the pastry, but don’t put too much meat or they will burst open when baking.
- With your finger, lightly dampen one of the edges with a little water, seal shut, then crimp with a fork, as shown.
- Place on a lined (Silpat, aluminum foil or parchment) edged baking tray, make three or four small cuts in the top of the pastry, and brush with a little beaten egg white.
- Bake sausage rolls in preheated 400º F oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with brown sauce (HP Sauce is my preference).
Notes
- These sausage rolls freeze really well and are a great party food!
- Here's what I do: bake them as directed, but take them out of the oven about 5 to 7 minutes early so they're not as golden brown as you would want them. Cool completely, then freeze.
- To serve your frozen Scottish sausage rolls, defrost them in the refrigerator beforehand.
- When you want to heat them, take them from the refrigerator and place on a baking sheet for at least half an hour or bring to room temperature.
- Place in preheated oven at 375º F (190º C) for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and golden brown.
Nutrition
Another Scottish recipe using ground beef (mince) and puff pastry from my Scottish pal, Janice!
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Hi Sabrina
Would the puffs taste just as good if I am to use chicken instead of beef? Should I be using the same sort of ingredients
as what you have used for the beef? So excited to try with chicken if only it taste just as good. In my country beef will not
be easily available.
Hi Kim, I’m actually Christina, not Sabrina (but my parents almost named me that!) :) Can you use turkey? My brother often uses turkey meat and they taste really good. If not, why not try the chicken? Good luck! CC
Love love love these best recipe EVER just like the ?ones I had England. Thank you thank you thank you Christina!!!
Thank you so very much, Sabrina! I appreciate! :) CC
I think you’ll find the ones you had in England were pork sausage rolls, beef sausage is more a Scottish thing.
I make your recipe at least once a month and my husband, who was raised in Australia, gets taken back to his childhood every time. He is SO HAPPY when I make them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Love to hear that, Kimie! Thank you so much for letting me know! :)
I’m SO looking forward to trying this recipe. My Nana was a chef and ran a boarding house in Glasgow during the war. While I was growing up here in California, she made sausage rolls (with ground beef) regularly for our family, creating the flaky pastry by hand. Nana was such a good cook that none of her recipes were written down and were lost with her when she passed in 1974. :-( Thank you for your blog — I can’t wait to explore it!
That’s lovely to hear, Denine. Sorry she’s gone and you lost her recipes, but I hope this is a close second! Let me know! CC
I have tried time and time again to use puff pastry but it never works out for me.
Is there some kind of secret on exactly how to do it? I love the taste of puff pastry
Thanks
Oh no, that’s not good, Kathleen! I wonder if you let it get too warm? The secret seems to be using it when it’s still cold. I had a disaster once and I can only think it was because it was too warm. Let me know if that makes a difference. Good luck!
Just about everything tastes good when it’s wrapped in puff pastry, don’t you think? And when the filling itself sounds tasty, well…
I’m noticing your little touches with pastry, too, that really make these rolls so visually appealing: the forked trim, the cuts along the top and, of course, the egg white wash on top that makes it glisten… truly a work of art!
Aww, thank you, Frank! Have you tasted these in the UK? A really good sausage roll is worth it’s weight in silver, at least! ;)
Very good. Best homemade Sausage Rolls I have tried since moving here from Glasgow Scotland. I do add a small amount of fine diced onion(my preference). I love to eat them with French Fries and Heinz baked beans and of course HP sauce. YUM!!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe. Looking forward to trying more.
Thank you for letting me know, Margaret!! Brilliant and so happy you enjoyed them! :)
Oh, this blog looks wonderful! As someone who has a very strong Scottish/British background, this kind of food blog is a dream come true! So glad I found you! Can’t wait to make this and many more recipes!
Thank you so much, Inis!! You made my day! I’m so happy you found my blog, too! Keep in touch!