Bangers and Mash (Sausage with Onion Gravy)

Sausage with Onion Gravy and Mashed Potato – affectionately known as “Bangers and Mash” – is one of the greatest of all comfort foods. A sausage recipe for a quick easy dinner with a side of peas or steamed vegetables to douse in the homemade gravy.

The onion gravy is to-die for but only requires 4 things: onion, garlic, beef broth/stock and flour. That’s it!

Bangers and Mash

I have to hand it to the Brits, they come up with great names for food. Bubble and Squeak – roast leftovers fried up. Spotted Dick (get your mind out of the gutter! It’s a pudding shaped like a log studded with raisins!).

Toad In the Hole – Sausage in a Yorkshire Pudding batter. (PS Don’t Google for photos because you’ll probably get…well, you know. TOADS in a hole. Ick!)

And Bangers and Mash – sausage with gravy!

Why is it called Bangers and Mash?

“Bangers and Mash” is the affectionate British slang for sausages and creamy mashed potato, served with gravy. “Bangers” refers to the sausages – named as such because back then, sausages would burst open “with a bang!” when cooked unless you pricked with a fork. Sometimes, they still do!

This is the first sausage recipe that comes to mind whenever I’m planning sausages for dinner! So obvious, I know…

Onion Gravy

The onion gravy is what really makes this sausage recipe. Onions not only add flavour, they also bulk up the gravy so you can really pile that gravy on and smother the sausages.

It’s very simple to make and no different to making gravy for things like roasts – Roast Lamb, Roast Chicken and Turkey.

What you need to make Bangers and Mash

Here’s all you need to make Bangers and Mash:

Best Sausages for Bangers and Mash

For a really classic Bangers and Mash experience, you can’t go past some big, fat pork sausages. Look for good quality ones that are all meat, no fillers – check the ingredients or ask your butcher.

The only sausages I do not recommend using are lean sausages because they won’t drop enough juices and fat to make a truly tasty gravy.

If you use low fat sausages, I cannot be held accountable for lack of flavour in the gravy!!

What you need to make Bangers and Mash Gravy

• Sausages drippings – This refers to the brown bits stuck on the base of the pan and the oil / sausage juices that are left in the skillet after browning them. Sausage drippings are the key to wickedly delicious Onion Gravy!

• Garlic and onion – Essential base flavouring ingredients for many, many savoury dishes!

• Flour – This is what thickens the gravy.

• Beef broth/ stock – The liquid for the gravy that gives it flavour. You’ll be disappointed if you use water, so don’t do it!

How to make Bangers and Mash

1. Brown sausages in a skillet then remove when cooked. If there’s an excessive amount of oil in the skillet, feel free to discard some. But you’ll want to keep at least 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons of fat to cook the onions and form the flavour base for the gravy.

2. Saute onion and garlic in the sausage drippings until the onions are translucent.

3. Cook off flour – Add the flour into the onion mixture and cook it for a couple of minutes. This will cook out the rawness of the flour.

4. Add beef broth/liquid stock. The flour mixed into the onion mixture will dissolve into the liquid. At first it will be watery abut as it heats up, it will thicken into a gravy consistency.

How to avoid lumpy gravy?

The trick to avoid lumpy gravy is to start by adding just some of the broth into the flour/onion mixture and stir to form a sludgy paste before mixing in the rest. This sludge will dissolve more easily into the remaining broth, making a lovely lump-free gravy without the need of a whisk!

Tip! For a BAKED version of Bangers and Mash, see this Sausage Bake. It comes with a gravy that’s made in the oven at the same time the sausages are cooking!

What to serve with Bangers and Mash

In the UK, I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to serve Bangers and Mash with anything other than creamy mashed potato.😂 Though any rice would also work great (white, brown, jasmine, basmati), as would pasta, polenta, quinoa, barley, even couscous.

In the event of a low-carb emergency, Creamy Mashed Cauliflower is a great alternative and unexpectedly delicious! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Bangers & Mash (Sausage with Onion Gravy)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Dinner

Australian, British

5 from 85 votes

Servings4

Tap or hover to scale

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Recipe video above. Everybody loves a good sausage recipe, and this is the great British classic! Affectionately known as “Bangers and Mash” to Aussies and Brits, this is so easy to make, you will never ever use a store bought gravy powder! 

Ingredients

CupsMetric

• ▢ 1/2 tbsp oil
• ▢ 8 sausages of 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, store bought or homemade (Note 3)
• ▢ 1/4 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper

To Serve

• ▢ Mashed potato
• ▢ Peas

Instructions

• Cook sausages: Heat oil in a large skillet / fry pan over medium high heat. Add sausages and cook, turning, until browned as much as possible all over and cooked through. Cook time will differ depending on sausage size – mine take around 8 minutes.
• Remove sausages onto a plate. Turn heat down to medium.
• 2 tbsp oil remaining: You need around 2 tbsp oil left in the skillet. If you have much less, add a bit of butter or oil.
• Saute onion and garlic: Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown – around 4 minutes.
• Cook off flour 2 minutes: Add flour and mix through. Then cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
• Gradually add beef stock: Add about 3/4 cup of beef broth and mix into the onion so it becomes a sludge. Then add remaining beef broth and mix until combined. If it's lumpy, use a whisk to help make it smooth.
• Thicken gravy: Simmer, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy thickens but is slightly thinner than you want – it will thicken more as you serve it.
• Season: Add salt and pepper. Stir, taste, then add more salt if you want.
• Serve sausages with plenty of gravy, with mashed potato and peas on the side. (Low carb option – Creamy Cauliflower Mash)

Recipe Notes:

1. Sausages – You can use any sausages you want, classic Bangers and Mash is made with thick pork sausages. I used beef in some of the photos and pork in the video.

If you use low fat sausages, they will not drop as much juice and fat when cooking so the gravy will not be as tasty.

2. Onion –  I like making onion gravy because it adds flavour, fills out the gravy and makes it so you can smother the sausages in gravy. But it is optional – you can skip it if you want.

3. Beef broth/liquid stock – I really like making my gravy with beef rather than chicken broth because it has a more intense flavour and it gives the gravy a nicer deep brown colour. But you can use chicken if you prefer – the gravy will be a lighter colour.

If you use homemade beef stock, you’ll really elevate this humble comfort food to another level!

4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 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 less!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 333gCalories: 666cal (33%)Carbohydrates: 7.6g (3%)Protein: 36.4g (73%)Fat: 53.4g (82%)Saturated Fat: 16.6g (104%)Trans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 147mg (49%)Sodium: 1703mg (74%)Potassium: 632mg (18%)Fiber: 0.8g (3%)Sugar: 1.2g (1%)Vitamin A: 50IU (1%)Vitamin C: 5mg (6%)Calcium: 40mg (4%)Iron: 2.9mg (16%)

Keywords: bangers and mash, sausage with onion gravy

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

I love a good sausage recipe!

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Life of Dozer

Look who’s in his usual position….and don’t miss Dozer and his cheeky eye balling of the sausages in the cooking video! 😉