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Classic, hearty Bangers and Mash
Classic Bangers and Mash, also known as Sausages and Mash, is classic comfort food popular all over Great Britain and Ireland.
I’m practically psychic when it comes to Bangers and Mash. I can accurately predict that my husband is going to order this dish at almost every restaurant we visit with bangers and mash on the menu.
Whenever we travel in Ireland, he fells compelled to do a Bangers and Mash taste test at each and every pub and restaurant. Research … he says. My husband, who is part Irish, also continues this research in the US and Australia, trying every version of this iconic dish he can find.
Given that he’s ‘an expert’ Bangers and Mash kinda-guy, I’m always thrilled when he says my Bangers and Mash are as good as the best he’s had anywhere around the world.
Ingredients needed to make Bangers and Mash:
For the mashed potatoes:
- starchy potatoes
- unsalted butter
- milk or light cream
For the bangers and onion gravy:
- banger sausages – pork, lamb or beef
- vegetable oil
- onion
- garlic
- tomato paste
- fresh thyme leaves
- all-purpose flour
- low sodium beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- pepper
- parsley leaves for garnish
Often served with onion gravy and peas, this delicious, comforting, hearty dish is easy to make and universally loved.
How to make Bangers and Mash:
To make mashed potatoes:
First, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, combine the milk and butter and microwave until hot.
Next, drain the potatoes and mash until smooth. Add the warm milk and butter mixture and blend until combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
To make the bangers and gravy:
Cook the sausages in hot oil until well browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until well browned. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and thyme and cook until fragrant. Add the flour and cook another minute more. Pour in the beef broth and then Worcestershire. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened.
Finally, serve the sausages over a dollop of mashed potatoes topped with onion gravy.
Really good, flavorful sausages are the key to a great gravy and tender bangers.
Each year, around St. Patrick’s Day, our local grocery store sells their brand of banger sausages in the meat department. Their pork sausages are made with breadcrumbs and spices blended in traditional Irish style. The sausages are flavorful, juicy and tender and can’t be beat for a quick and delicious dinner option.
These delicious sausages are terrific fried in a skillet or roasted in the oven with potatoes and other vegetables for a simple, quick weeknight meal.
Another favorite way to enjoy sausages is in the Dublin Coddle casserole. This savory Irish classic is made with potatoes, onions, rashers (bacon) and bangers (sausages) with a little chicken broth and beer thrown in. Check out our delicious recipe for Dublin Coddle with campfire cooking instructions too!
Meaty sausages, rich beefy gravy and buttery mashed potatoes; we’ve got your moan-worthy St. Patrick’s Day dinner option right here!
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Kitchen Essentials – the Potato Masher
Ditch the electric mixer and mash your potatoes by hand for the fluffiest, creamiest potatoes ever! Don’t beat your potatoes to death making them gummy, sticky and like paste.
Drain the boiled potatoes well and mash by hand for the best potatoes ever. This inexpensive masher is great for mashing all kinds of foods from potatoes to squash and even bananas. This stainless-steel masher is a SRFD recommended tool!
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Bangers and Mash with onion gravy
Ingredients
For the mash:
- 8 medium starchy potatoes, peeled and halved
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup milk or light cream
For the bangers:
- 6-8 banger sausages (pork, lamb or beef)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can low sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley leaves
Instructions
To prepare the mash:
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, combine the milk and butter in a microwave safe measuring cup with a spout. Microwave on medium power until the butter starts to melt and the milk is warm. Set aside and keep warm.
- Drain the potatoes well in a colander then return to the pot. Using a potato masher, smash the potatoes until smooth. Add the warm milk and butter mixture and blend until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm until needed.
To prepare the bangers and onion gravy:
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and the sausages. Cook the sausages are cooked through and dark brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the now empty skillet. Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beef broth, a little at a time then the Worcestershire sauce. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Bring the gravy to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the gravy has thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- At this point you can add the sausages to the gravy and serve over the mashed potatoes, or divide the mashed potatoes and sausages onto individual plates and spoon the gravy over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Recipe Notes
- We like russet potatoes for this recipe. Do not use an electric mixer to mash the potatoes. It will cause them to be gummy, not fluffy.
Nutrition
We’ve got plenty of Irish-inspired options here at SRFD. Don’t miss our terrific recipe for Colcannon, one of my personal favorites. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with cabbage, onions and potatoes. It’s easy to make, inexpensive and delicious pure Irish comfort food!
For the perfect ending to this delicious meal, try our Guinness Chocolate Cake for dessert. This luscious cake has a moist tender crumb, rich chocolate flavor, and wonderful light spicy notes.
Finally, once your belly is full, take a few minutes to read about our travels in Ireland. You’ll enjoy the trip!
b
Excellent! I made my own green onion sausage to go with potatoes and gravy. YUM!
Tricia Buice
Thanks B! Green onion sausage sounds amazing. I bet that was so tasty. Enjoy and thanks again.
Marilynn
I made this before. Huge hit. Great recipe!! Making it again soon for family. I found a green onion sausage at a local meat & deli shop. Best sausage I ever had and works great in this recipe.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Marilynn, I bet that sausage is terrific in this recipe. I’ll be looking for something similar next time I go to the store. Thanks so much for the feedback and for trying the recipe. Enjoy!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
Sounds like your and my husband would be good traveling companions…at least from the way they eat. 😀 Love bangers and mash and it does indeed sound like you have a good recipe.
Tricia Buice
Haha – bangers and mash all around! Thanks for stopping by Karen.
Susan
What a delicious-looking comfort dish! We are lucky to have many good sausage shops in Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
Tricia Buice
Lucky you Susan! My husband would be in sausage heaven 😉
John / Kitchen Riffs
Funny, I was just thinking of this dish the other day! You’re right that good sausages are the key. That, and plenty of onion gravy. Your recipe looks terrific — thanks!
Tricia Buice
Thanks John – my husband goes nuts for this stuff!
Chris Scheuer
Thank you for reminding me about bangers and mash. I loved it when we were traveling to London frequently but have kind of forgotten it. This will be perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration!
Tricia Buice
Hope you get a chance to make it Chris – thanks!
angiesrecipes
What a great looking dish! Totally adore that onion gravy, Tricia.
Tricia Buice
Me too Angie – thanks!
Larry
That is one fantastic looking meal – love the gravy with it. I’m still trying to decide on a St Paddys meal.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Larry
Abbe@This is How I Cook
I’ll tell you it’s hard not to love something with mashed potatoes and onion gravy. I love sausages but those would be an add on in my case! Sounds great Tricia!
Tricia Buice
Total comfort food for sure Abbe! Thanks 🙂
sue | the view from great island
I adore bangers, I fell in love with them during our fun year in London, and yours look pub-worthy Tricia!
Tricia Buice
All we need is a cold beer and we’re set! Thanks Sue!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Bangers and Mash is one of my husband’s favourite meals. Must be the Irish in him 🙂 Yours looks perfect!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Jennifer – my husband loves it too 🙂
Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef
Mashed potatoes, gravy and sausages is the definition of comfort food. I would get satisfied smiles if I make it for dinner tonight.
Tricia Buice
My husband smiles a lot when I make this for him. Hope you get the chance to make it sometime!