Caramelised Onion Sausage Rolls are quick and easy to make! Full of flavor with homemade caramelised onions and ground pork they are juicy with a flaky puff pastry coat. If you are looking for a tasty appetizer that everyone will love these pork and caramelised onion sausage rolls will tick all of your boxes!
Recipes like the Chicken Sausage Rolls, Cocktail Sausages, Chorizo Sausage Rolls and the Christmas Sausage Rolls each offer a different flavor combination to regular beef sausage rolls.
The Quick Caramelised Onions recipe sets us up for success with the Caramelised Onion Tarts being an easy appetizer that allows the onions to shine through!
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the caramelised onion sausage rolls recipe in the points below:
- Simple ingredients: you will be able to get everything you need to make the sausage rolls from your local grocery store. They are year round available ingredients that will be easy to get your hands on.
- Homemade: sausage rolls are pretty amazing no matter how they are made. But homemade sausage rolls take that amazing and make them next level amazing. There is a joy in knowing that you made them from scratch, the flavor is phenomenal and the compliments you get can really be taken to heart!
- Finger food: these caramelized onion sausage rolls are the perfect size for serving as a finger food. They can be held in one hand whilst holding a drink in the other and other than a few pastry crumbs are pretty clean to eat.
- Freezer friendly: whip up a batch of these, let them cool and them pop them in the freezer. This way you can grab them out as needed. Sausage rolls freeze exceptionally well and reheat even better!
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the sausage rolls with caramelised onions recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Olive oil: we use a little bit of olive oil to start cooking the onions.
- Brown sugar: to caramelise the onions we use a combination of brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
- Balsamic vinegar: rich and fragrant, this vinegar not only brings great flavor to the onions, it also helps to change their colour so that they have that burger ready caramelised onion look to them 😄👍.
- Butter: the butter helps to keep the onions moist and juicy as they cook without them drying out. Unsalted butter is best as we will use salt as a separate ingredient in the recipe to season the pork mince.
- Onions: when making caramelised onions for this recipe I like to use a combination of red and brown onions. As you can see above, we use 1 of each and opt for a large onion.
🧅 Sausage Rolls With Caramelised Onions
Then we have the ingredients to make the sausage rolls with caramalised onions. These are seen in the photo below.
- Salt and pepper: we use a little bit of salt and pepper to season the pork mince.
- Egg: we use one egg in the sausage roll mixture to help bind the ingredients together. The other egg gets whisked and then brushed onto the sausage rolls to make their appearance golden and pastry crisp.
- Thyme: thyme is an excellent herb to use and is a perfect way to enhance the flavor of the caramelised onions. For convenience, we use dry thyme in the recipe.
- Panko breadcrumbs: the panko breadcrumb helps to absorb moisture in the sausage rolls and ensure that the filling stays juicy and moist.
- Caramelised onions: I am showing you what the onions will look like once you have caramelised them. Sometimes when making this recipe I like to make the onions the day before. They keep well in the fridge. Then on the day you are simply focused on making the sausage rolls. Or make them all in one hit. The step by step photos below will take you through all of these steps.
- Pork mince: pork mince or ground pork. This is a budget friendly cut of meat. The caramelised onion and pork combination is absolutely delicious and full of flavor.
- Puff pastry: super handy to have in the freezer so that you have it on hand as needed. We use this as the casing for the sausage rolls. It has a flaky, buttery taste and crisp texture.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by caramelising the onions.
- Slice and separate the onions (Photo 1)
- Add the olive oil to the sauce pan (Photo 2)
- Cook then add the butter (Photo 3)
- Add the balsamic vinegar (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Caramelised Onion Sausage Rolls
To make the caramelised onion sausage rolls we start by caramelising the onions. Use a sharp knife and cutting board and peel then slice the onions.
Once they are peeled, separate the onions into rings. Then place a large sauce pan onto the stove top, add the olive oil and turn the heat to high.
Add the sliced onions to the sauce pan and cook them, stirring reasonably regularly as you go.
After 10 minutes, add the butter to the pan and stir to mix it in. Next add the balsamic vinegar, followed by the brown sugar.
- Add the brown sugar and stir (Photo 5)
- Cool the caramelised onions and then add to the food processor (Photo 6)
- Add the pork mince (Photo 7)
- Add the breadcrumbs (Photo 8)
Stir to mix the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar together with the onions and then let these cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. They will have absorbed all of the liquids and have a jam like sticky appearance and texture when they are done.
Turn the stove off once the onions have caramelised and let them cool slightly.
Once they have add them to the food processor like you see in the photo above and blitz them for 10 to 15 seconds. This stops them from being 'too chunky' or 'stringy' in the sausage roll filling.
Next add the pork mince, panko breadcrumbs, thyme, salt, pepper and egg.
- Add the thyme, salt and pepper (Photo 9)
- Then add the egg (Photo 10)
- Blitz to combine (Photo 11)
- Whisk the egg (Photo 12)
Once the sausage roll filling has been combined, remove the lid and blade from the food processor and transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. This lets you work with the filling without having to work around the round centrepiece of the food processor.
Next crack the remaining egg into a small glass and use a fork to whisk it then set it aside.
- Add filling to pastry (Photo 13)
- Roll then seal with whisked egg (Photo 14)
- Cut the excess pastry with a knife (Photo 15)
- Slice into individual pieces (Photo 16)
The next steps we take are to transfer the filling into the pastry, roll it and seal.
Start by laying a thawed pastry sheet onto a chopping board. Then transfer a sausage size amount of the caramelised onion pork filling onto the pastry. Roll the puff pastry around the filling like you see in the photos above and then use the whisked egg to seal the overlap.
Next use a knife to cut the excess pastry and then slice the long roll into individual sausage rolls.
- Brush with whisked egg (Photo 17)
When you have all of the sausage rolls lined up on the baking tray, use a basting brush to brush the whisked egg over the top of each.
Then pop them into a preheated oven and let them cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving your sausage rolls, sauce is your best choice! Be it tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, your favorite sauce or a combination.
I like to serve these caramelised onion sausage rolls with plum sauce. The combination works so well and the flavors really compliment the pork and onion filling.
Plus it is a sweet sauce but doesn't taste 'too sweet' like some store bought sauces do.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Once the sausage rolls have cooled, transfer them into a sealed airtight container and place them into the fridge. They can be kept in there for 3 days and need to be reheated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
Or once the sausage rolls have cooled, transfer them into an airtight container using sheets of baking paper to separate the layers. The sausage rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
For refrigerated sausage rolls, place them on a silicon mat and reheat in a moderate oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Or use the air fryer and reheat them for 5 to 10 minutes. I would avoid use the microwave to reheat the sausage rolls. Whilst this method works to reheat the filling, it does nothing for the pastry which can become soggy if reheated in the microwave.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- If you want to use chicken mince or beef mince in place of the pork mince you can.
- If you would like to top the sausage rolls with a seed try sesame seeds sprinkled over the washed egg or poppy seeds.
- You can use 2 red onions or 2 brown onions if you wish to instead of 1 of each.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- We want the puff pastry to be soft and easy to work with. For this reason, grab it out of the freezer as a starting point and let it thaw so it will be roll ready when you are wanting to roll the pastry around the filling.
- There is no need to whisk the egg that we are adding to the sausage roll filling. Simply crack it into the food processor and it will combine with the other filling ingredients easily when blitzed.
- I like to use a silicon baking mat under the sausage rolls. You can do the same and in which case you won't need any cooking spray or olive oil as the bottoms won't stick. If however, you want to use aluminium foil, you are best spraying it or the pastry will stick. Another option is baking paper. That also doesn't need to be spray and won't stick.
- Love sausage rolls? Then you might like to try the Breakfast Sausage Rolls, Pork and Fennel Sausage Rolls, Easy Sausage Rolls or the Air Fryer Sausage Rolls 😄👍.
- Love using pastry in the kitchen? Try the Puff Pastry Bites, Apple Crumble Tartlets, Apple Custard Tarts or the Brie Cranberry Tarts 😉👌.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
The best compliment to a sausage roll is sauce. Use your favorite, be it tomato sauce, barbecue sauce or something different like plum sauce or sweet and sour.
Yes, absolutely! One of the best things about sausage rolls is that they can be made in advance. If you want to use them the next day as party food, keep them in a sealed airtight container in the fridge. For any longer freeze them and then reheat from frozen the day that you want to use them.
Cook the sausage rolls in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. This cook time allows the filling to cook and the pastry to become a lovely golden colour.
Yes, you can use the air fryer to heat sausage rolls. If heating from frozen, they will take longer than if you are simply reheating cooked sausage rolls. Aim for 20 minutes for frozen sausage rolls or 10 minutes if you are reheating them. Then check the inside after the cook time and adjust as needed if it is not cooked through and warm inside.
😍 More Easy Lunch Recipes
If you love lunching and having new ideas to explore that let you create easy lunches or light dinners, then here are some more ideas for you to try:
- Mini Croissant Sandwiches
- Baked Feta With Honey
- Prawn Fritters
- Brie Grilled Cheese
- Tuna Fritters
- Brie Croissant
- Havarti Grilled Cheese
- Ham And Cheese Toastie
- Bacon And Corn Fritters
It it time to get our caramelised onion sausage rolls on my friend! You can also find all of my quick and easy recipes or family favorite recipes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Caramelised Onion Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
Caramelised Onions
- 2 tablespoons olive olive
- 1 large red onion peeled and sliced, then separated into rings
- 1 large brown onion peeled and sliced, then separated into rings
- 20 grams/ 1 tablespoon butter unsalted, Note 1
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sausage Rolls
- 3-4 sheets puff pastry thawed, Note 2
- 500 grams/16 oz pork mince (ground pork)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg free range, Note 3
Egg wash
- 1 large egg free range, whisked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: preheat the oven to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5. **Or do this after you have made the caramelised onions**.
- Onions: use a sharp knife and cutting board to peel the onions then thinly slice them. Once done, use your fingers to separate the onions into individual rings.
- Caramelise the onions: place a large sauce pan onto the stove top, add the olive oil and turn the heat to high. Add the sliced onions and cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down during this time if the onions or pan look like they are starting to brown too much. Next, if you haven't already, turn the heat down to low and then add the butter. Stir this in with a wooden spoon and let it melt. Next add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Stir the onions every now and then and let them cook and caramelise for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the onions have a jam like appearance and texture turn the heat off.
- Combine: let the onions cook for a couple of minutes. Once they have add them to a food processor and blitz for 10 to 15 seconds. Next add the pork mince, panko breadcrumbs, dried thyme, salt, pepper and egg. Blitz these to combine and then remove the lid and blade from the food processor and transfer the filling to a large mixing bowl.
- Egg: crack the remaining egg into a small glass and use a fork to whisk then set aside.
- Roll: place a thawed sheet of puff pastry onto a clean, dry chopping board. Starting at one end, transfer a sausage size amount of the pork and caramelised onion filling onto the pastry and use your fingers to shape this into a long log like shape. Next roll the pastry around the filling leaving an overlap where the start and finish ends, Then use the whisked egg and a basting brush to seal the pastry. Next use a knife to cut the remaining pastry off and the same knife to cut the long rolled shape into 6 equal pieces. Transfer these individual sausage rolls onto a silicon mat on a baking tray.
- Cook: baste each of the individual sausage rolls with the whisked egg. Then transfer the baking tray into the oven on the middle shelf. Cook the sausage rolls for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool: use oven mitts to remove the cooked sausage rolls from the oven and place them onto a cooling rack. Let them cool for a couple of minutes and then use a pair of tongs to remove them from the baking tray and place them directly onto the cooling rack.
- To serve: serve the sausage rolls warm/hot with tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, plum sauce, sweet and sour sauce or your favorite sauce!
Notes
- Note 1 - Butter: we want to use unsalted butter when we are making the caramelised onions. This is because we add salt when we are seasoning the pork mince for the sausage roll filling and we don't want to make the filling taste 'too salty'.
- Note 2 - Puff pastry: this is easiest to work with (and won't crack) when it is thawed. So grab it out of the freezer as a starting point so that when you come to use it the pastry is soft and rollable. You can also let it thaw in the fridge when you are making the caramelised onions if you wish to. To make 40 sausage rolls with 6 per half sheet of pastry, you will need 3-4 sheets of pastry. However, it is not an exact size, so you might need another one depending on how much filling you have put into the pastry as you roll it.
- Note 3 - Egg: for the egg that goes into the sausage roll filling, we don't need to whisk it. Simply crack into the food processor and let it be combined. The egg helps to bind the rest of the ingredients together.
Fiona Smith says
Yum!! They sound perfect.
Adrianne says
Thanks Fiona, I hope that you give then a go!