Sausage Rolls with Quick and Easy Homemade Ketchup – ground pork flavored with fresh herbs, spices and sauces, rolled into logs, encased in puffed pastry, then baked until golden and flaky. And served with a rich homemade ketchup. These are very Australia and such a part of my childhood.
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You either bought a sausage roll from a small bakery or pie shop. When I was at school it was the school canteen or Ryde swimming pool tuck shop. Simpler times. On Fridays mum would give me 25 cents to buy my lunch at school. On the other days she made my lunch. Friday was usually sausage roll day. Hot, flaky pastry filled with seasoned sausage meat and slathered in “tomato sauce” as it’s called in my homeland. The sausage roll would be in a bag, already stained from the fat in the pastry. The little bag with the roll would be balanced on one knee allowing you both hands to squeeze the tomato sauce from its funny little pack. Many Fridays I’d head home from school with sauce down the front of my school uniform. The school uniform might be gone but I’m still a mess when I eat.

Several years ago I made these for my husband. “Why have you never made me these before?” he asked. Why Americans haven’t embraced meat pies, pappadums, butter on sandwiches, chutney, fresh sausages and sausage rolls perplexes me. Americans have ‘pigs in a blanket‘ – well Australia has the sausage roll and dare I say, they’re so much better. Back home they’re usually made with sausage meat or ground pork. I had lots of bratwurst in the freezer so I easily removed the casings and used the filling. It was perfect for these sausage rolls. Now the homemade ketchup is very easy to make; I made it while the rolls were cooking. It’s a pan, a blender and 10 minutes – done. Better for you than the store-bought ketchup but if it sounds like too much bother then just serve bottled ketchup.


Golden, flaky and completely moreish. The kiddos will love these – try cutter them into smaller rolls for the kids. Adults will love them just as much. With so many of you stuck at home, this is a perfect recipe to make for lunch. When I was a kid, it wasn’t a proper party unless there were sausage rolls served. Take care, chat soon, Lovoni
SAUSAGE ROLLS WITH QUICK AND EASY HOMEMADE KETCHUP
Ingredients
SAUSAGE ROLLS
- 1 lb bratwurst sausages 4 or 5 sausages (ground pork or breakfast sausage will also work)
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
- 2 large eggs
- 17.3 oz puff pastry sheets, thawed according to box directions (2 sheets)
- Black or white sesame seeds, optional
QUICK AND EASY HOMEMADE KETCHUP
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon all-purpose plain flour
- 14 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes
Instructions
To make the sausage rolls:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Split each sausage down the middle and empty the filling into a medium bowl. Add onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, sage, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, red pepper and one egg; mix until thoroughly combined – I prefer to do this with my hands.
- Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts. Roll into logs 10 inches (24cm) long.
- Roll one sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface until it measures 10 inches (24cm) x 12 inches (30cm). Cut into 3, 4-inch (10cm) strips. Place a sausage log on each strip. Brush the edges of pastry with lightly beaten egg and fold pastry over to enclose the filling. Cut each strip into 3 equal pieces. Place seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filling, pastry and egg.
- Brush each sausage roll with egg and cut two or three small slits on each to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and puffed, switching sheets around in oven halfway through cooking. Makes 18 sausage rolls.
To make the ketchup:
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Add tomato paste and flour, cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook tomato paste. Add the tomatoes with their juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and crushed red peppers; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until thickened. Spoon the mixture into a blender and blitz until very smooth. Serve with sausage rolls. Makes 1 1/3 cups.
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