Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

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With flaky puff pastry wrapped around a lentil, vegetable and cheese filling, these vegetarian sausage rolls are a delicious party snack or lunchbox idea that everyone will love. On the table in just 45 minutes, they’re great for making ahead and freezing too.

We love a classic pork sausage roll, however these easy lentil sausage rolls with their cheese and veggie-packed filling are a delicious meat-free alternative that young and old love – meat eaters included! Wrapped up in crispy puff pastry, who can resist?

They’re a perfect addition to any lunchbox, a great vegetarian party food, and make a delicious work from home lunch served with tomato sauce or chutney. Add a pumpkin salad or beetroot salad on the side for a satisfying meal.

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe

• Healthy sausage rolls – packed with mushrooms, grated carrot and sweet potato as well as protein packed lentils, these veggie sausage rolls are a healthier sausage roll than the traditional meat one.
• Vegetarian meal – and yet the meat lovers of the family will be pleasantly surprised as well!
• Toddler approved – a great way to smuggle some veggies into a fun finger food.
• Quick and easy – prep, bake, and on the table in under an hour.
• Freezer friendly – lentil sausage rolls can be frozen before cooking or after being baked. Just pop them in the oven from frozen (adding an extra 10 minutes) and you have a delicious snack or last minute lunch!

What You Need

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

• Puff pastry – puff pastry sheets are sold frozen in 25cm x 25cm ready-rolled squares in the freezer section in supermarkets. I like to use Pampas puff pastry, but other brands work equally as well.
• Olive oil – to saute the onion in.
• Brown onion – a regular brown onion adds flavour.
• Minced garlic – fresh or store bought minced or chopped garlic.
• Dried herbs – dried oregano or dried thyme both work well in this recipe.
• Mushrooms – finely chopped button mushrooms add a meaty texture to the rolls.
• Sweet potato – adding grated sweet potato to the filling not only gives a nutritious boost, but also a sweetness too.
• Carrot – like the sweet potato, grated carrot adds sweetness and nutrients to the rolls.
• Lentils – store-bought tinned brown lentils are an extremely nutritious and budget friendly ingredient to add to any meal. Just rinse and drain the lentils before adding to the filling.
• Soy sauce – or tamari which is milder and more aromatic than regular soy sauce. 
• Salt & pepper – for seasoning to taste.
• Cheddar cheese – grated cheddar cheese adds to the ‘yum’ factor.
• Egg – an egg wash brushed over the sausage rolls before baking gives them a lovely shiny coating and helps the pastry turn a beautiful golden colour.
• Sesame seeds or black poppy seeds – sprinkling seeds over the egg washed rolls before being baked not only adds crunch, goodness and flavour, but they look pretty too.

Equipment Required

For these healthy Vegetarian Sausage Rolls you will need:

• Grater;
• Frying pan;
• Baking tray.
• Oven or air fryer.

Step By Step Instructions

Vegetarian sausage rolls, packed with veggies and lentils, are a really nutritious snack or lunch, and super economical as well! Both ‘big’ and little kids will love them.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 – Prepare The Filling

By cooking the vegetables first, we are removing the water from them, which helps ensure that the sausage rolls have crispy, flaky and crunchy pastry.

Sauté the diced onion, garlic and dried herbs in the olive oil over a medium heat until the onion is softened.

Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and all of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the grated sweet potato and grated carrot to the frying pan and cook for a further three minutes. 

Stir through the lentils and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Note: If you add the warm filling on to cold puff pastry, it will start to melt the pastry, which could lead to a soggy mess!

Once the mixture has cooled, stir through the grated cheese. 

Step 2 – Assemble The Sausage Rolls

Cut each sheet of defrosted puff pastry in half. Make sure the pastry is thawed completely (but not warm) before rolling to avoid it cracking.

Brush beaten egg down one long side of each pastry half.

Place one-sixth of the filling in a long thin line down the opposite side.

Roll the sausage rolls into a long thin roll. Make sure the joined pastry seam is facing down.

Cut each roll into four pieces, then brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds or black poppy seeds.

Step 3 – Bake

Place the sausage rolls onto non-stick baking trays and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

Expert Tips

• For the crispiest sausage rolls – It is best to place the vegetarian sausage rolls directly onto non-stick baking trays. However, if you’re worried about your sausage rolls sticking to the baking trays, you can use baking paper. Please note, the bottom of your sausage rolls may not become crispy due to the excess liquid that will sit on the baking paper from the sausage rolls as they cook. If this is the case, add fresh baking paper halfway through cooking or drain any liquid off the baking paper and turn the sausage rolls over.
• Preheat your oven. Ensure that your oven is preheated to 180 degrees celsius fan-forced (355 Fahrenheit) before placing your vegetarian sausage rolls in to bake.
• For an egg-free sausage roll – swap the egg glaze (and seal) for milk or water and be sure to pinch the pastry edges together quite firmly to avoid the pastry splitting open while cooking.
• Store – in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• You can freeze vegetarian sausage rolls for up to 3 months.

FAQs

What other vegetables could I use?

You could add some finely chopped capsicum (bell pepper), defrosted frozen spinach, or even some tinned or defrosted frozen corn. Just make sure to cook them if needed to remove the excess liquid from them.

Can I freeze vegetarian sausage rolls?

Yes! These sausage rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. They can be rolled, cut and frozen cooked or un-cooked. If freezing cooked sausage rolls, allow them to cool first. Then, wrap them in plastic wrap or baking paper before layering them in an airtight container and placing in the freezer. To thaw, leave them in the fridge overnight or let them sit at room temperature for around an hour.

Can I cook these lentil rolls in an air fryer?

Yes, you can! Once the sausage rolls are prepared and cut into pieces, place them in your air fryer basket and cook at 200 C/392F for 10-15 minutes, or until puffed, golden and cooked through in the middle. Depending on the size of your air fryer, they may need to be cooked in batches. Cooking times will vary as all air fryers vary slightly depending on model and size.

How can I re-heat the veggie sausage rolls?

To re-crisp the pastry of these sausage rolls, reheat them in a pre-heated oven at 180 C/356 F for around 10 minutes, or until heated through. They can also be reheated in an air fryer at 160 C/320 F for 5-10 minutes. A microwave can be used if you are in a hurry, but the pastry will become soft rather than crispy.

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Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

Packed with veggies and lentils, these vegetarian sausage rolls are nutritious and perfect for easy lunches, snacks and lunch boxes. Ready to eat in 45 mins!

Course: Lunch, Snacks
Cuisine: sausage rolls
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes0 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 serves
Calories: 271kcal

Ingredients

1. 3 sheets puff pastry defrosted
2. 1 tbs olive oil
3. 1 brown onion finely diced
4. 2 garlic cloves crushed (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
5. 2 tsp dried oregano or thyme
6. 200 g button mushrooms finely chopped
7. 1 small sweet potato grated
8. 1 small carrot grated
9. 400 g brown lentils drained and rinsed
10. 1-2 tbs soy sauce depending on taste
11. salt and pepper to season
12. 150 g (1 cup) cheddar cheese grated
13. 1 egg lightly beaten
14. Sesame seeds or black poppy seeds to sprinkle

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius fan-forced (355 fahrenheit).
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium/high heat.
3. Saute the diced onion, garlic and herbs for 3 minutes (or until the onion is softened).
4. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes (until softened and all of the liquid has evaporated).
5. Add the grated sweet potato and carrot and cook for a further 3 minutes.
6. Stir through the lentils and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool slightly.
7. Stir through the grated cheese.
8. Cut each sheet of defrosted puff pastry in half.
9. Whisk the egg lightly. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg mixture down one long side of each pastry half.
10. Place one-sixth of the mixture in a long thin line down the opposite side.
11. Roll the sausage rolls into a long thin roll. Make sure the joined pastry seam is facing down.
12. Cut each roll into 4 pieces.
13. Brush lightly with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or black poppy seeds (optional).
14. Place the sausage rolls onto non-stick baking trays.
15. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffed.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
INGREDIENTS:

• Puff pastry – is sold frozen in 25cm x 25cm ready-rolled squares that can be found in the freezer section in supermarkets. Make sure the pastry is thawed completely before rolling to avoid cracks.
• For egg-free sausage rolls – swap the egg glaze (and seal) for milk or water and be sure to pinch the pastry edges together quite firmly to avoid the pastry splitting open while cooking.

OTHER TIPS:

• Oven baking – for sausage rolls with crispy bases it is best to place the sausage rolls directly onto non-stick baking trays. However, if you’re worried about your sausage rolls sticking to the baking trays, you can use baking paper. Please note, the bottom of your sausage rolls may not become crispy due to the excess liquid that will sit on the baking paper from the sausage rolls as they cook. If this is the case, add fresh baking paper halfway through cooking or drain any liquid off the baking paper and turn the sausage rolls over.
• Air fryer –  once sausage rolls are prepared and cut into pieces, place them in your air fryer basket and cook at 200 C/392F for 10-15 minutes, or until puffed, golden and cooked through in the middle. Depending on the size of your air fryer, they may need to be cooked in batches. Cooking times will vary as all air fryers vary slightly depending on model and size.
• Make ahead – sausage rolls store well in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat beautifully when ready to be eaten.
• Reheating – to re-crisp the pastry, reheat sausage rolls in a pre-heated oven at 180 C/356 F for around 10 minutes, or until heated through. They can also be reheated in an air fryer at 160 C/320 F for 5-10 minutes. A microwave can be used if you are in a hurry, but the pastry will become soft rather than crispy.
• Storing – store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge
• Freezing – sausage rolls can be wrapped and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. They can be rolled, cut and frozen cooked or un-cooked. If freezing cooked sausage rolls, allow them to cool first. Then, wrap them in plastic wrap or baking paper before layering them in an airtight container and placing in the freezer. To thaw, leave them in the fridge overnight or let them sit at room temperature for around an hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1196IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

Recipe by CookGoodRecipes.com