The Australian Sausage Roll is the bakery-counter classic — seasoned pork-and-onion sausage meat wrapped in flaky puff pastry, baked until golden, and served with tomato sauce. While sausage rolls exist in Britain, the Australian version (with Worcestershire sauce, specific seasoning, and tomato-sauce serving) is a distinctively Australian institution, found in every bakery and school canteen.
The Sausage Roll is an Australian bakery institution — found in every bakery, school canteen, and pie shop across the country. While the concept originated in Britain, Australia made it its own: the filling uses a specific seasoning (Worcestershire sauce, sage or thyme, finely diced onion), the pastry is always puff (not shortcrust), and it is always served with tomato sauce (ketchup). It is the savory counterpart to the meat pie in the Australian bakery cabinet, and the cheaper, more ubiquitous option. Every Australian child has eaten a sausage roll from the school canteen.
A golden, flaky pastry log, the outside shatteringly crisp, the inside juicy, savory, onion-flecked sausage meat, warm and rich. Dip it in tomato sauce; bite through the flaky layers. It is the most basic, most satisfying bakery snack in Australia.
The filling is hand-mixed (not stuffed into casings) — ground pork, finely diced onion, breadcrumbs (to bind), Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. It is shaped into a log on a sheet of puff pastry, rolled up, sealed, glazed with egg, and baked. The pastry must be very golden (pale pastry is undercooked). The filling should be juicy but not greasy (the breadcrumbs absorb excess fat).
Variations
Some use beef instead of pork; some add curry powder; some add cheese; some make mini versions for parties.
On the Palate
Where Sausage Roll Australian sits in the Australian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8How it's made
9 steps · 40 min active + 35 min waiting
- 13 min
Preheat oven to 200°C; line a tray.
- 25 min
Make filling: mix 500 g ground pork, 1 finely diced onion, 50 g breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dried sage, salt, and pepper.
- 33 min
Lay out 2 sheets of puff pastry.
- 45 min
Divide the filling into 2 logs; place each on a pastry sheet.
- 55 min
Roll the pastry around the filling; seal the edge with egg wash.
Watch outSeal the seam firmly with egg wash and lay it seam-down — a loose seam springs open in the oven and spills the filling.
- 63 min
Cut each log into 4 pieces; place seam-side down on the tray.
- 72 min
Brush with beaten egg; cut slits on top.
- 825 min
Bake 25 minutes until deep golden.
Watch outBake until the pastry is deep golden all over — pale pastry means the layers are still raw and doughy inside.
- 91 min
Serve with tomato sauce.
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