What are sausage rolls?

A sausage roll is a savory pastry consisting of a seasoned sausage meat mixture wrapped in puff pastry. They are very popular in Australia and the UK, often served as a snack or as party food. This recipe is a healthier version since the filling is made from ground chicken and loads of hidden veggies.

Can sausage rolls be eaten cold?

Absolutely! Nothing beats them hot and crispy fresh from the oven but leftovers are also delicious eaten cold straight from the fridge.

Can I cook sausage rolls the day before a party?

You can but I find that they taste best when baked right before serving. I would suggest assembling them the day before, storing in the fridge or freezer and then baking the day of the party.

What size should the sausage rolls be?

It varies depending on preference and how they will be served. Cut each roll into 6 to 8 pieces for party finger food. For larger sausage rolls, cut each roll into 2-4 pieces.

How to be sure the filling is fully cooked?

The filling has always been fully cooked for me by the time the pastry turns golden brown. You can double check that the filling is cooked through by inserting an instant read thermometer into the center of the filling. It should read at least 165F.

Chicken Sausage Rolls (Healthier Sausage Rolls)

Description

Chicken Sausage Rolls! These healthier sausage rolls feature a ground chicken and veggie filling wrapped in flaky, golden puff pastry. Bet you can’t eat just one!

Ingredients

Scale

For the filling:

1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
1 small zucchini
1 medium carrot
10 button mushrooms
1 packed cup baby spinach or kale (2 small handfuls)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground chicken (454 grams)
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt (I use fine sea salt or Himalayan salt)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon bouillon powder (optional)

For assembling:

3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold and each sheet cut in half (see notes)
1 egg, whisked
Optional: sesame seeds and paprika for topping

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400F / 200C and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Chop veggies: Roughly chop up the veggies (onion, garlic, zucchini, carrot, mushrooms, spinach or kale) and then place in a food processor to blitz for a few seconds until finely chopped.
Sauté veggie mixture: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in the veggie mixture and sauté for a few minutes while stirring occasionally until softened and any released liquid has cooked off. Set aside to cool down.
Make the filling: Place the filling ingredients (sautéed veggie mixture, ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, egg, tomato paste, and seasonings) in a large mixing bowl and mix together until well combined.
Assemble: Divide the filling into 6 equal parts. Take 1 portion of the filling and evenly distribute lengthwise down the middle of one of the puff pastry sheet halves, shaping/pressing the filling into a long compact log. Roll up the pastry to enclose the filling, finishing with the seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and puff pastry.
Slice: Cut each log into 6 to 8 equal sized pieces for party size sausage rolls or into 2 to 4 equal sized pieces for larger sausage rolls.
Bake: Arrange the pieces seam side down on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between each one. Brush the tops with whisked egg and sprinkle over some sesame seeds and paprika if you like. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and cooked through (rotating baking sheets halfway through cook time to ensure they bake evenly). Serve with ketchup, BBQ sauce or your favorite dip on the side.

Notes

Puff Pastry: To make things easy, I like to use frozen pre-rolled sheets of puff pastry. Simply thaw and use! This recipe calls for three sheets which should then be cut in half. Each sheet measures 10 x 10 inches (25 x 25 cm) which once cut in half leaves you with six 10 x 5 inch rectangles.
Storage: Store leftover baked sausage rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Eat them cold or reheat in a 350F/180C oven for about 10-15 minutes.
Freeze: These freeze beautifully so you can always have some on hand! They taste best if frozen before baking. To freeze, place the uncooked sausage rolls in the freezer on a baking sheet first to prevent them from sticking together. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags or an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then simply bake them from frozen by adding an additional 5-10 minutes to the baking time.