Of course! A sausage-stuffed puff pastry is a fantastic and impressive appetizer or main course that’s deceptively easy to make. It’s often called “Sausage Rolls” or a “Puff Pastry Sausage Braid.”
Here are a few delicious versions, from classic sausage rolls to a beautiful braided wreath.
Recipe 1: Classic Sausage Rolls (Appetizer)
Perfect for parties, these are bite-sized, flaky, and savory.
Yields: About 24-30 small rolls
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1 sheet (from a 17.3-oz box) frozen puff pastry, thawed
· 1 lb mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
· 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
· 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or “Everything Bagel” seasoning (optional)
· Your favorite dipping sauces (marinara, honey mustard, etc.)
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare Filling: If desired, you can mix the sausage with additional flavors like ¼ cup finely chopped onion, 1 clove minced garlic, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
- Assemble Rolls: On a lightly floured surface, roll the thawed puff pastry sheet into a roughly 10×14-inch rectangle. Cut the sheet in half lengthwise, so you have two long, narrow strips.
- Shape Sausage: Divide the sausage into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a long log, placing it down the center of each puff pastry strip.
- Fold and Seal: Fold the puff pastry over the sausage, overlapping the edges. Seal the long edge by pressing it firmly with your fingers. Then, flip the entire roll over so the seam side is down.
- Cut and Score: Using a sharp knife, cut each long roll into 1-inch pieces. Place them seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Use the knife to score 2-3 shallow slits on the top of each roll.
- Egg Wash and Bake: Brush the tops and sides of each roll with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with seeds or seasoning if using.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and puffed, and the sausage is cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C).
- Serve: Let cool for 5 minutes before serving warm with dipping sauces.
Recipe 2: Sausage & Cheese Puff Pastry Braid (Main Course)
This is a beautiful, show-stopping centerpiece that’s perfect for brunch or dinner.
Yields: 1 large braid (serves 4-6)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
· 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
· 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
· ½ cup finely chopped spinach or roasted red peppers (optional)
· 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
· 1 tsp Italian seasoning
· 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook Filling: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. If using, add spinach or peppers peppers and cook for another and cook for another minute minute until wilted or until wilted or heated heated.. Drain any Drain any excess grease excess grease and and let cool let cool slightly slightly.
3.. - ** Prepare PastPrepare Pastry:ry:** On the prepared baking sheet, On the prepared baking sheet, roll the roll the puff puff pastry into pastry into a roughly a roughly 10×14-inch10x14-inch rectangle.
- rectangle.
- Score the Pastry: Using a sharp knife or Score the Pastry: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter pizza cutter, make diagonal cuts (about 1 inch apart, make diagonal cuts (about 1 inch apart) from the edge of) from the edge of the pastry to the pastry to about 1 inch from the center, about 1 inch from the center, on both on both long sides. This will create flaps to braid.
- Add Filling: Spread the slightly long sides. This will create flaps to braid.
- Add Filling: Spread the slightly cooled sausage cooled sausage mixture down mixture down the center the center third of the third of the pastry. Top pastry. Top with the shredded cheese with the shredded cheese and and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
sprinkle with Italian seasoning. - 1. Braid: Braid: Fold the top and bottom Fold the top and bottom flaps flaps over the ends over the ends of the of the filling. Then, criss filling. Then, criss-cross-cross the side flaps over the side flaps over the filling, the filling, alternating from alternating from left to left to right, right, to create to create a braided effect a braided effect.
.
7.7. ** Egg WashEgg Wash and Bake and Bake: Brush the:** Brush the entire entire braid generously with braid generously with the the beaten egg. beaten egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
8.8. Bake: Bake: Bake Bake for 25-30 minutes for 25-30 minutes, or, or until the pastry is deep golden until the pastry is deep golden brown brown and puffed.
and puffed.
9.9. Serve: Serve: Let it rest Let it rest for for 5-10 5-10 minutes before minutes before slicing and serving.
slicing and serving.
**Recipe ### Recipe 3: Sausage & Apple P3: Sausage & Apple Puffuff Pastry Wre Pastry Wreath
ath**
A sweetA sweet and savory option and savory option that’s that’s perfect perfect for the holidays for the holidays.
.
YYields:ields: 1 wreath 1 wreath (serves 6-8)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
** (serves 6-8)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: Bake Time:** 25-3025-30 minutes
** minutes
Ingredients:
Ingredients:*
· 1 sheet puff pastry, thaw1 sheet puff pastry, thaweded
·
· 1 lb breakfast sausage (or1 lb breakfast sausage (or Italian sausage)
Italian sausage)
· · ½ cup finely½ cup finely chopped apple chopped apple (like Gr (like Granny Smithanny Smith)
*)
· ¼ ¼ cup finely chopped cup finely chopped onion onion
· ½
· ½ cup shredded sharp c cup shredded sharp cheddar cheeseheddar cheese
·
· 1 1 tsp maple tsp maple syrup or brown syrup or brown sugar ( sugar (optional)
· 1 largeoptional)
· 1 large egg, egg, beaten (for egg beaten (for egg wash)
wash)
** Fresh rosemary Fresh rosemary for for garnish ( garnish (optional)
optional)
Instructions:
- Follow the same steps as the braid#### Instructions:
- Follow the same steps as the braid, but, but instead instead of forming a of forming a straight log, straight log, shape the filled shape the filled section into section into a circle on the a circle on the baking sheet baking sheet, connecting the, connecting the ends.
2 ends. - Braid the flaps inward, all the. Braid the flaps inward, all the way around the circle to way around the circle to form a wreath form a wreath.
- Brush with.
- Brush with egg wash and bake egg wash and bake as directed.
as directed.
**Pro Tips for Success Pro Tips for Success:
:*
· Thaw Proper Thaw Properly: Thawly: Thaw puff pastry puff pastry in in the refrigerator the refrigerator overnight overnight or for a few or for a few hours hours. If it. If it’s too’s too warm, it warm, it becomes becomes sticky and hard to work with.
· Don’t Overfill: Overfilling is the main cause of leaks and a sticky and hard to work with.
· Don’t Overfill: Overfilling is the main cause of leaks and a soggy bottom. Use soggy bottom. Use the recommended amount of the recommended amount of filling.
· Keep it Cold: For the best puff filling.
· Keep it Cold: For the best puff, work quickly and place, work quickly and place the assembled pastry in the assembled pastry in the fridge for the fridge for 15 minutes before baking if15 minutes before baking if it has become it has become warm.
· Egg warm. · Egg Wash is Wash is Key: Don’t skip the Key: Don’t skip the egg egg wash! It gives wash! It gives the pastry its the pastry its beautiful beautiful, glossy,, glossy, golden golden-brown color.
-brown color.
** Check for Check for Doneness Doneness: The pastry should: The pastry should be deeply golden be deeply golden, and the, and the sausage should be cooked sausage should be cooked to to 160°F 160°F ( (71°C71°C).
Enjoy).
Enjoy your delicious and your delicious and flaky creation flaky creation