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Sausage rolls are a staple in the UK, enjoyed as a snack, party food, or quick lunch. There are many vegan versions, using plant-based sausages, lentils, or chickpeas to recreate the texture and taste without meat. David and Stephen Flynn’s take on this classic results in a delicious vegan sausage roll you’ll want to make again and again. Their recipe – from The Happy Pear 20 – uses basic ingredients like lentils and cashews, which makes the rolls hearty and flavorful.
Read more: 5 Vegan Savory Pie Recipes
First, caramelize onions in oil along with garlic, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar to create a sweet-savory base. Then, add drained lentils, tamari, and black pepper to enhance the umami flavors. Next, pulse the mixture in a food processor with cashews until you achieve a slightly crunchy texture.
After forming the filling into sausage shapes, roll them in vegan puff pastry. Brush the rolls with oat milk and sprinkle them with sesame seeds. Finally, bake them to a golden brown for a crispy, sweet, and savory treat. These vegan sausage rolls are perfect for any occasion and easy to prepare, making them a great addition to your plant-based recipe roster.
Read more: 17 Vegan Lentil Recipes For Cheap, Nutritious Meals
Easy ‘sausage’ rolls
Ingredients
- 1 × 400g tin of cooked lentils
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 100 g cashew nuts
- 1 × 320g sheet of vegan puff pastry defrosted if frozen
- 50 ml oat milk or non-dairy milk of choice
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- Salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven and line the tray
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/425°F/gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Prep the lentils and veg
- Drain and rinse the lentils. Peel and finely chop the garlic, and peel and cut the onion into thin slices
Caramelize the onion and add the lentils
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the sliced onion, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are nicely browned and softened. Add the chopped garlic, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar, mix well to coat the onions, reduce to a low heat, and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are nice and soft and sticky. Add the drained lentils and tamari or soy sauce and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to evaporate any extra moisture. Remove from the heat.
Pulse in a blender or food processor and season to taste
- In a food processor or blender, add the cashews, and pulse until they reach a rough breadcrumb consistency. Add the onion-and-lentil mixture and 1⁄2 teaspoon of ground black pepper, and pulse until the mixture comes together but is not too smooth. You want to ensure there’s a slight bite to the filling. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Remove from the food processor and divide into 4 × 80g chunks, and then roll each into a sausage shape about 12–13cm long.
Roll out puff pastry
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut into four even rectangles, about 12cm × 16cm. Place a sausage at one side of a pastry rectangle, 2–3cm in from the edge. Brush some oat milk along the other side, then roll the sausage up in the pastry until it overlaps and press gently along the seam to seal. Then place the sausage roll seam-side down and gently press down on it with the palm of your hand to help seal it more and to ensure it stays rolled when you bake it. Repeat with the remaining sausages and pastry.
Brush with oat milk and bake
- Using a pastry brush, brush each sausage roll with a light coating of oat milk (this will help them to brown), then sprinkle with the sesame seeds, place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
The Happy Pear 20: Learnings and recipes from the first 20 years, is on sale from 31st October, priced £23.99. Published by Gill Books.
Read more: 9 Vegan Lunches To Make In October
