A funny thing happens when you have a vegan blog: you start learning about all these very non-vegan foods that you might otherwise have never discovered. I think a big part of this is the fact that I’m actually paying attention to the non-vegan dishes I’d normally ignore. I’m always looking for new things to veganize! Sausage rolls appeared on my radar at some point during the last few years. They’re more of a British thing, which may be why I missed them up until then. I knew right away that I had to make them vegan.
What are Sausage Rolls?
Obviously I’m no expert, but here’s what I’ve learned: A sausage roll is a baked good that you’ll most likely find in the U.K. It’s made from ground sausage wrapped in puff pastry. Some sausage rolls are big, and some are bite sized, and they’re often served with dipping sauce.
What You’ll Need for Vegan Sausage Rolls
High-heat oil. I like olive oil, but use what you’ve got.Onion.Garlic.Lentils. I developed and tested the recipe using brown lentils, but green would probably work too!Walnuts.Soy sauce. Tamari also works.Maple syrup.Spices. We’re using black pepper, thyme, and smoked paprika.Red wine vinegar.Frozen puff pastry. Many brands are accidentally vegan! I used Pepperidge Farm.Salt.Non-dairy milk. Use something unsweetened and unflavored.
How to Make Vegan Sausage Rolls
The following is a detailed tutorial on how to make vegan sausage rolls. Scroll to the bottom of the post if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! First, make sure to take your puff pastry out of the freezer a few hours before getting started, so it has time to thaw.
Make the Vegan Sausage
Our vegan sausage will be made from a mix of lentils and walnuts. This gives it a crumbly texture (and the mixture also makes great vegan taco meat!). We’ll also be flavoring it with a handful of seasonings to make it taste like sausage — these are similar to the seasonings I used in my vegan breakfast sausage recipe. Heat up some oil in a skillet, then add a small diced onion. Cook the onion for 10 minutes or so, until it softens up and starts to brown. Now add some minced garlic and cook everything for another minute or so, until the garlic becomes very fragrant. Now add cooked lentils, chopped walnuts, and your seasonings: soy sauce, maple syrup, black pepper, thyme, smoked paprika, and red wine vinegar. Cook everything very briefly — just long enough to reduce all of the liquid you just added to the skillet. Give the mixture a taste-test and adjust any seasonings to your liking.
Make the Rolls
Sprinkle some flour on your countertop and arrange a puff pastry sheet on it, so that it’s extending away from you. Now use a rolling pin to flatten out the sheet just a bit, until it measures about 4 inches by 10 inches. Use a knife to cut the rectangle into 2 long strips. Now spoon about a quarter of your “sausage” filling along the center of each strip. Brush one of the long edges of a strip with some water, then roll the strip into a tight tube, enclosing the filling. Use the section that you just wet to form a seal. Repeat the rolling process using your other puff pastry strip. At this point I find it helpful to transfer the rolls to a parchment paper lined baking sheet (things can get messy if you wait to move them until after they’re sliced). Now slice each roll into small pieces. I cut mine into 1 ½ inch rolls, but do what works for you! You don’t need to separate the individual rolls before baking them — in fact, keeping them right up against each other helps keep the fillings in place. Repeat the whole process using another sheet of puff pastry and the rest of your filling. Now brush the tops with some non-dairy milk and pop them into the oven. Bake your vegan sausage rolls until they’re golden and puffy. I like to dip mine in some ketchup.
Shelf life & storage: These rolls are best served right away, as that’s when the pastry will be at it’s most flaky and crispy. If you do have leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 400°F degree oven until hot.Where can I get vegan puff pastry? Many commercial brands are accidentally vegan! Just check the ingredients list. I used Pepperidge Farm brand.This recipe calls for cooked lentils. To cook your lentils, cover them with water, place them on the stove, and boil them until tender. This should take 25 minutes or so.Can I substitute green or red lentils? Green lentils should work fine, but red will probably be too soft for this recipe.
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