Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy is a comforting British dish of pork sausages served with creamy mashed potatoes and topped with a beefy, onion gravy. Enjoy British pub comfort food at its best right in your own home. You will find this classic dish on just about every British and Irish pub menu all over the world.
When I ask people what they know about British food, they usually name Fish & Chips, Shepherd’s Pie then bangers and mash.
This recipe has been a favorite since 2016, because it’s easy to make and who doesn’t love comfort food with gravy?
Table of contents
Why Are They Called Bangers?
The name dates back to the Second World War, when meat was scarce and sausages were made with more fillers like cereal and water instead of meat. These ingredients caused the sausages to pop or “bang” while cooking, giving them their famous nickname.
Best Sausage to Use
Any British sausages are usually pork. Go for thick, high-quality pork sausages with at least 80% meat. For my UK friends, traditional Cumberland or Lincolnshire sausages have the best flavor and texture. For my US friends, you can sometimes find British bangers in some grocery stores.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try my recipe for Bangers and make your own. No skins required.
Tips For Timing the Cooking Process
This dish comes together quickly because everything cooks at once. While the potatoes come up to a boil, start cooking the sausages. (They cook in one pan with the gravy). Once they brown, begin the gravy by softening the onions.
Once the onions are tender, stir in the beef stock along with mustard and Worcestershire sauce – these two ingredients make the gravy rich and full of flavor.
Chef Tips for Cooking Bangers and Mash
1. Don’t rush the sausages.
Cook them low and slow to brown evenly without bursting. Start them in a cool pan with a drizzle of oil, then increase the heat gradually.
2. Creamy mash matters.
Use floury potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold.
Mash with warm milk, melted butter, and a pinch of salt for a smooth, rich texture. An easy trick for fluffier mash, drain the potatoes well and let them dry out a little before mashing. A potato ricer gives the smoothest texture, but a potato masher works just fine too.
3. Add flavor to the mash.
For extra indulgence, stir in a spoonful of cream cheese, roasted garlic, or even a touch of horseradish.
4. Enhance the flavor of the onion gravy.
Caramelize onions slowly until golden and sweet. Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine, beer before the stock for depth of flavor.
5. Keep everything warm.
Serve on warm plates so your creamy mash and rich gravy stay piping hot
Serving Suggestions for Bangers and Mash
If you want to serve them like the Brits, add a side of simple green peas – that’s what you’ll find 99% of the time. For something even more traditionally British, try Mushy Peas.
More British comfort food recipes:
Steak and Ale Pie
Tender beef slow-cooked in ale with onions and herbs, baked beneath a flaky, golden pastry crust. Pure pub perfection.
Toad in the Hole
Golden Yorkshire pudding batter baked around sausages—simple, cozy, and perfect with onion gravy.
Minced Beef and Dumplings
Slow-cooked beef and vegetables in rich gravy, finished with fluffy, tender dumplings for the ultimate comfort meal.
Bubble and Squeak
Great for using leftovers. Potatoes and vegetables, pan-fried until crisp and golden on the outside and soft inside.
Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
Video
Ingredients
For the mash:
- 1 pound (454 grams) potatoes of your choice, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup (78 ml) whole milk, warmed
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the bangers:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon
- 2 British pork bangers/sausages
For the onion gravy:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (113 grams) onion, sliced
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 cup (473 ml) beef stock/broth , low sodium if possible
- ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons tomato ketchup
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste, this will depend on how salty your stock/broth is
Instructions
Make the mash:
- To a large pan, add the potatoes. Fill with water so it covers the potatoes by about 2-inches (5 cm). Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until they feel tender when pierced with a fork. While they boil, cook the bangers.
Make the bangers:
- Add the oil to a heavy, high-sided frying over medium heat. Brown the sausages on all sides, remove and set aside.
Make the onion gravy:
- To the same pan you cooked the sausages in, add the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted and bubbling add the onions and cook, stirring often until softened and lightly browned.
- Sprinkle the flour into the butter and onions and whisk well to combine. Cook for a minute to cook out the raw flour flavor, don't burn. Slowly (to prevent lumps) whisk in the stock until well incorporated with the flour. Whisk in the mustard, tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until well mixed. Bring to a low simmer until thickened. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Turn the heat down to low on the gravy and add in the sausages to heat through. Meanwhile, drain the cooked potatoes into a large bowl. Give them a few minutes to dry out for fluffier mash. Stir in the melted butter, warm milk and salt. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Place mashed potato onto a plate and top with the 2 bangers per person and onion gravy. Serve with peas.
The best gravy ever!
Thank you so much
When you say English mustard, are you talking about the dry or prepared mustard? Thanks.
Sorry, I need to make that clearer in the recipe. It is the prepared mustard. If you can’t find it, regular yellow mustard will also work.
Loved this recipe. Will be making again in the future.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, it’s one of my favorite comfort foods. Thanks for stopping by.
Love bangers and mash!! My husband is English and introduced me to this deliciousness so I made these for him and they get his British seal of approval. The gravy is everything.
Thank you for stopping by Natasha. I love them too.
Looks wonderful, very delicious! Need to try it soon! Pinned!
I have to say, after nearly eight years of living in the UK I still have not taken to bangers and mash. Good quality sausages in a fry up, absolutely. That said, I like the look of the gravy here, might have to give them a try!
Hi Matt, maybe the gravy is the magic you’ve been missing. I know I have to have gravy with my bangers & mash. I miss the sausages in the UK.
Janette, you would not believe it – we had bangers and mash for dinner tonight! But the gravy certainly wasn’t anything like as delicious-sounding as yours. Will have you give your version a try!
Aww, thank you Helen. I’m a gravy nut so I really try and make it the best I can 🙂
These look wonderful, Janette! Absolute comfort food! So I’ve always wondered, where did the term ‘bangers’ come from? Is there a story behind name?
That is a good question Kathleen and I’ve not been able to find out why. We use a lot of slang in England so maybe it is just that. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Bangers are so-called because after the First World War there was little meat in sausages — just scraps, cereal and water — so they sizzled and spluttered a lot when they were frying. It sounded as if there were mini explosions, or bangs, going on, hence the name bangers.
Thank you so much for sharing Suzann 🙂