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
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.
Saute onion and garlic in the sausage drippings until the onions are translucent.
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.
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)
Ingredients
- 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:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2016. Updated in October 2021 with new photos and a new video.
I love a good sausage recipe!
Sausages are a great shortcut way to a quick tasty meal because they’re loaded with extra flavour. Think beyond just cooking them whole – squeeze the meat out and cook it like mince meat!
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! 😉
I had lost my original Bangers and Mash recipe. Saw yours and thought it sounded close to mine. It was delicious. I’ll be making yours from now on. I use bratwurst instead of sausages
Made this as written for Sunday lunch on a cool spring afternoon and it was perfect! The gravy was dark and smooth and savory and delicious with the sausages and mash. I’ll make this again and again as it is so easy!
I bought Irish sausages which i can luckily get here in the US. They did take longer than 8 minutes to get a good color on them but worth it. Such a delicious and easy recipe. It was a big hit.
I actually use vegetarian sausages because we’re not meat eaters and this recipe is so good! It’s an unusually cool summer night tonight and my first thought for dinner was Nagi’s bangers and mash again.
So glad I found this recipe! I was going to air fry my sausages if I hadn’t.
I don’t cook inside because I’m weird, so I cooked my sausages in my Possible Cooker, when I brought those in after about 9 minutes I noticed the centers were a little underdone, but it’s 20°F and dark out. I cooked the onions and made the roux for a few minutes before dropping in the beef broth and adding the sausages in while the gravy thickened on low heat. The sausages finished cooking and took on the flavor very well. It was simply amazing! Will definitely make again (and will probably purposefully undercook the sausage a bit so I can finish them up in the gravy!)
Made tonight, I had Worcestershire sauce to my onion gravy ,very good old-fashioned recipe
Thank you for this! I had my schnitty in the oven when I realised I was also craving gravy but hubby used the last of the mushrooms. This onion gravy recipe hit the spot. Cant wait to try out your mushroom gravy recipe too!
Actually, the name ‘bangers’ was first recorded in New Zealand, not Britain.
A good recipe, but it doesn’t include a tip I learnt elsewhere on recipetineats… add hot liquid to the flour ‘sludge’ to reduce the risk of lumps. I use boiled water from the kettle with a Massel beef stock cube.
Made this last night for hubby and myself. DELICIOUS!! Used pork sausage. Made per the recipe. Will defiantly recommend 5 stars and will make again.
NO garlic.
Onion gravy does not need it!
But, a dash of Worcestershire Sauce (just call it Wooster Sauce, it’s easier), is a must. 😉
Made this for my family which they loved, I add some thyme and a teaspoon of red currant jelly….delicious.
Delicious yet again and definitely another keeper and so easy to make too. My gravy wasn’t as dark as yours but still tasted pretty darn good.
Made this tonight for the family after work. It was delicious!
I’m not sue what i did wrong. The gravy wS tasteless. Maybe my onions were to mild? Will try again
The ‘How to cook’ photos need to have numbers 2 & 3 swapped around I’m thinking?
No. You cannot do bangers and mash with pasta, rice or ANYTHING except mashed potatoes. This is why it’s called bangers and mash. Jesus wept.
Veganized this by using Impossible sausages and “Not-Beef” bouillon for the gravy, along with mushy peas. YUM!!!
I had thoughts of bangers and mash for work lunches, after a few drinks prior to cooking this recipe not much made it into the lunch containers…lol.
As simple as the dish is it was absolutely mouthwatering.
Thanks again for another outstanding recipe Nagi. Keep up the great work and look forward to more to come
Hi Nagi
Can I freeze cooked pork sausages with onion gravy.
How would one re-heat the frozen food. and how long will it last in the freezer.