Sausages with Onion Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Sausages served with Onion Gravy and creamy Mashed Potatoes – affectionately referred to as “Bangers and Mash” – ranks among the finest comfort foods available. This sausage dish is perfect for a quick and simple dinner, ideally accompanied by peas or steamed vegetables to soak up the delicious homemade gravy.

The onion gravy is absolutely divine and requires just four ingredients: onion, garlic, beef broth or stock, and flour. That’s all you need!

Bangers and Mash

I must give credit to the British for their creative food names. Take Bubble and Squeak – a dish made from leftover roast that’s fried up. Or Spotted Dick (keep your thoughts clean! It’s a pudding shaped like a log filled with raisins!).

Then there’s Toad In the Hole – sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding batter. (Just a heads up, don’t search for images online unless you want to see…well, actual TOADS in a hole. Yikes!)

And of course, Bangers and Mash – sausages served with gravy!

What’s the Origin of the Name Bangers and Mash?

“Bangers and Mash” is a term of endearment in British slang for sausages paired with creamy mashed potatoes, all topped with gravy. The term “Bangers” refers to the sausages, which earned their name because they would often burst open “with a bang!” during cooking unless pricked with a fork. Occasionally, they still do!

This is the first sausage dish that pops into my mind whenever I’m considering sausages for dinner! It’s so obvious, I know…

Onion Gravy

The onion gravy is the star of this sausage dish. Onions not only enhance the flavor but also thicken the gravy, allowing you to generously ladle it over the sausages.

Making it is quite straightforward and is similar to preparing gravy for roasts like Roast Lamb, Roast Chicken, or Turkey.

Ingredients Needed for Bangers and Mash

Here’s everything you’ll need to prepare Bangers and Mash:

Ideal Sausages for Bangers and Mash

For an authentic Bangers and Mash experience, you can’t go wrong with large, juicy pork sausages. Look for high-quality options that are pure meat without fillers – check the label or consult your butcher.

The only type of sausages I advise against are lean varieties, as they won’t produce enough juices and fat to create a truly flavorful gravy.

If you opt for low-fat sausages, I cannot be responsible for the lack of flavor in the gravy!

Ingredients for Bangers and Mash Gravy

• Sausage drippings – This refers to the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and the oil or juices left in the skillet after browning the sausages. These drippings are essential for creating a mouthwatering Onion Gravy!
• Garlic and onion – These are fundamental flavoring components for countless savory dishes!
• Flour – This ingredient is what thickens the gravy.
• Beef broth/stock – This is the liquid that imparts flavor to the gravy. Using water will leave you disappointed, so avoid that!

Steps to Prepare Bangers and Mash

1. Brown the sausages in a skillet, then remove them once cooked. If there’s too much oil in the skillet, feel free to discard some. However, retain at least 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of fat to sauté the onions and create the flavor base for the gravy.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in the sausage drippings until the onions become translucent.
3. Cook the flour – Stir the flour into the onion mixture and cook for a couple of minutes to eliminate the raw taste of the flour.
4. Add beef broth/liquid stock. The flour mixed into the onion will dissolve in the liquid. Initially, it will appear watery, but as it heats, it will thicken into a gravy-like consistency.

How to Prevent Lumpy Gravy?

The secret to avoiding lumpy gravy is to start by adding a small amount of broth to the flour and onion mixture, stirring to create a thick paste before incorporating the rest. This paste will blend more easily into the remaining broth, resulting in a smooth, lump-free gravy without needing a whisk!

Tip! For a BAKED variation of Bangers and Mash, check out this Sausage Bake. It features a gravy that cooks in the oven simultaneously with the sausages!

What to Pair with Bangers and Mash

In the UK, it’s practically a rule that Bangers and Mash must be served with creamy mashed potatoes. However, rice (white, brown, jasmine, basmati), pasta, polenta, quinoa, barley, or even couscous would also be excellent accompaniments.

In case of a low-carb situation, Creamy Mashed Cauliflower is a fantastic alternative and surprisingly tasty! – Nagi x

Watch the Preparation Process

Bangers & Mash (Sausage with Onion Gravy)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Meal Type: Dinner

Cuisine: Australian, British

4.96 from 109 votes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1/2 tbsp oil

8 sausages of your choice (Note 1)

1 large onion, halved and finely sliced (yellow, white, or brown) (Note 2)

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp flour (plain)

2 cups beef stock/broth, low sodium, either store-bought or homemade (Note 3)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

For Serving

• Mashed potatoes
• Peas

Instructions

1. Cook the sausages: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook, turning them until they are browned all over and fully cooked. Cooking time will vary based on sausage size – mine take about 8 minutes.
2. Transfer sausages to a plate. Lower the heat to medium.
3. 2 tbsp oil remaining: Ensure you have around 2 tbsp of oil left in the skillet. If there’s significantly less, add a bit of butter or oil.
4. Sauté onion and garlic: Add the onion and garlic, cooking until they turn golden brown – about 4 minutes.
5. Cook the flour for 2 minutes: Stir in the flour and mix well. Continue cooking, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
6. Gradually incorporate beef stock: Pour in about 3/4 cup of beef broth and mix it into the onion until it forms a sludge. Then add the remaining beef broth and stir until well combined. If it’s lumpy, use a whisk to smooth it out.
7. Thicken the gravy: Simmer while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy thickens but remains slightly thinner than desired – it will thicken further as you serve it.
8. Season: Add salt and pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
9. Serve: Plate the sausages with a generous amount of gravy, alongside mashed potatoes and peas. (For a low-carb option, try Creamy Cauliflower Mash.)

Recipe Notes:

1. Sausages – You can choose any type of sausage you prefer; traditional Bangers and Mash is made with thick pork sausages. I used beef in some photos and pork in the video.

If you opt for low-fat sausages, they will not release as much juice and fat during cooking, resulting in less flavorful gravy.

2. Onion – I enjoy making onion gravy because it enhances the flavor, thickens the gravy, and allows for generous amounts over the sausages. However, it’s optional – you can skip it if you wish.

3. Beef broth/liquid stock – I prefer using beef broth for my gravy as it has a richer flavor and gives the gravy a deeper brown color. However, chicken broth can be used if you prefer – the gravy will be lighter in color.

Using homemade beef stock will elevate this humble comfort dish to a whole new level!

4. Nutrition per serving, based on 4 servings. I use very juicy, fatty pork sausages, which accounts for 593 calories of the total shown below, so if you use leaner sausages, the calories per serving will be lower!

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 333 g

Calories: 666 cal (33%)

Carbohydrates: 7.6 g (3%)

Protein: 36.4 g (73%)

Fat: 53.4 g (82%)

Saturated Fat: 16.6 g (104%)

Trans Fat: 0.4 g

Cholesterol: 147 mg (49%)

Sodium: 1703 mg (74%)

Potassium: 632 mg (18%)

Fiber: 0.8 g (3%)

Sugar: 1.2 g (1%)

Vitamin A: 50 IU (1%)

Vitamin C: 5 mg (6%)

Calcium: 40 mg (4%)

Iron: 2.9 mg (16%)

Keywords: bangers and mash, sausage with onion gravy

Did you try this recipe? I love hearing about your experiences with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published in October 2016. Updated in October 2021 with new images and a fresh video.

I’m a fan of a good sausage recipe!

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Life of Dozer

Look who’s in his usual spot…and don’t miss Dozer and his cheeky gaze at the sausages in the cooking video!