Authentic Bangers and Mash Recipe (2024)

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Bangers and Mash – Our Bangers and Mash recipe is rich and comforting, with savory sausage and cheesy potatoes. Perfect for celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, you’ll love this classic dish from the British Isles!

Authentic Bangers and Mash Recipe (1)

Lt. Dan and I have a Saint Patrick’s Day tradition that we have kept over the last 17years of marriage. We wear our Notre Dame sweat shirts (hubby’s a hugefan) and go to an Irish pub for lunch. I’ll be the first to admit it’s a corny little ritual, but we always look forward to it!

Bangers and Mash is a Saint Patricks’ Day Recipe that’s great for enjoying in the evening with a good beer and friends. If you’ve never tried making at home, this is the perfect recipe to start with for your St Paddy’s Day celebration.

It’s simple to make, bold in flavor, and utterly comforting.

Get the Full (Printable) Bangers and Mash Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Authentic Bangers and Mash Recipe (2)

Classic Bangers and Mash

Irish food is often thought of a bland because the most common dishes are prominently potatoes and cabbage. Traditional Irish cuisine usually falls under two categories: farmer fare and pub grub.

With humble roots, Irish dishes tend to be simple. However, recipes can be quite flavorful and indulgent, focusing on fresh ingredients prepared well.

The most classic British Isle dish I can think of is Bangers and Mash, commonly served in both Ireland and England. It consists of pork sausage links and rustic “smashed” potatoes, served together for one juicy and hearty meal.

I like to pump up the flavor in my Bangers and Mash by boiling the bangers in beer and adding whole-grain mustard and dubliner cheese to the mash.

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Ingredients Checklist

  • Sausage linksI use pork sausage, but you could substitute for any sausage you like… Including vegetarian or vegan!
  • ButterSeparated
  • Onions – Sliced thin
  • BeerTraditionally a porter or lager is used. Find a beer with a malty flavor, and not too hoppy.
  • FlourTo thicken the savory gravy.
  • Worcestershire sauceFor depth and salty flavor.
  • StockYour choice of chicken or beef.
  • Red skinned potatoesYou can use yellow potatoes, but I don’t recommend russet potatoes.
  • Whole milkSubstitute heavy cream for even creamier, indulgent mashed potatoes.
  • Whole-grain mustardAdds wonderfully zesty flavor to the cheesy mash.
  • Dubliner cheeseShredded.

For the beer, choose something you would normally enjoy drinking because the gravy will have a concentrated beer flavor. If you’re not a beer drinker, choose a light or nonalcoholic beer, or you can even substitute beef stock.

I recommend using Dubliner cheese because it melts smoothly and has bold Irish flavor. It combines the sharpness of aged cheddar and the nutty essence of Swiss or parmesan cheese. If you can’t find it, substitute any good melting cheese.

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How to Make Bangers and Mash

There are just two simple components to this bangers and mash recipe: boiled sausages and mashed potatoes. The entire meal comes together in about 30 minutes, with little effort!

How To Make Mash:

  1. Chop the potatoes in roughly 1-inch chunks and place in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water, and add a hearty pinch of salt.
  2. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Remove the lid and turn the heat down to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  3. Once fork tender, drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add milk and butter, and use a smasher to mash the potatoes to your desired smoothness.
  4. Stir in the shredded cheese, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

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How to Make Bangers

  1. While the potatoes are boiling, add butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sausages in the skillet first, and then add sliced onions.
  2. Brown the sausages and onions for about 10 minutes, and then add in the beer. Continue cooking to reduce the beer, stirring occasionally, for another 10-12 minutes.
  3. In a small dish combine the softened butter and flour. Remove the sausages from the pan and set aside. Stir the butter mixture into the beer reduction to create a thick gravy.
  4. Add Worcestershire to thin the sauce to desired consistency, and salt pepper and to taste.

Serve the “bangers” and onions hot over the warm mash with gravy.

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Is This Recipe Gluten-Free?

I use a bit all-purpose flour and beer in this recipe, so it is not gluten-free. But you can substitute your favorite alternative, like rice flour, for a gluten-free gravy. Use a gluten-free beer or beef stock as a replacement for the beer.

Can Bangers and Mash Be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes! Kept in airtight containers, the cooked sausages with gravy and mashed potatoes will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can package the potatoes and sausage together for an easy-to-reheat meal, but I recommend keeping the gravy separate until you’re ready to heat and serve.

What Can You Serve With This Bangers and Mash Recipe?

Nothing completes a delicious Irish meal quite like a bold cabbage side dish, like this Irish Cabbage and Bacon recipe that’s made with only 5 ingredients!

If you’ve got another beer in the fridge that you need to use, try these Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Beer for a flavor-packed veggie.

Really up the indulgence for dinner and start the night with this irresistibly creamy Beer Cheese Soup.

Hopefully this Bangers and Mash Saint Patrick’s Day recipe will get your Irish eyes a’smiling!

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Looking for More Flavorful Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes?

  • Beef and Lentil Stew
  • Corned Beef Pot Pie with Scalloped Potato Top
  • Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Cabbage Irish Stew
  • Irish Roasted Cabbage Low Carb Pizza Recipe
  • Baked Reuben Party Sandwiches
  • Slow Cooker Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
  • Irish Potato Pie

Authentic Bangers and Mash Recipe (8)

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Bangers and Mash Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Rich and comforting with savory sausage and cheesy potatoes, you'll love this classic dish from the British Isles!

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 6-8 pork sausage links
  • 2 tablespoons butter, separated
  • 1 large onions, sliced thin
  • 1 bottled malty beer (porter or lager)
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2-1 cup chicken stock or beef stock
  • 2 pounds red skinned potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 3/4 cup shredded Dubliner cheese

Instructions

  • Chop the potatoes into large chunks and place in a pot. Fill the pot with water until it covers the potatoes. Add a large pinch of salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid, lower the heat, and simmer about 10-12 minutes, until fork tender.

  • Drain the water off the potatoes and add the butter and milk. Smash the potatoes with a potato masher (or a large spoon or ladle). Once you’ve reached the desired rustic consistency, stir in the cheese and mustard. Salt and pepper to taste.

  • While the potatoes are boiling, add 1 tablespoon of butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sausages into the skillet, allowing them to make contact with the skillet first, then add the sliced onions. Brown the “bangers” and onions for about 10 minutes. Add the beer and allow it to reduce for another 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Mix 1 tablespoon of soft butter with 1 tablespoon of flour together. Remove the bangers and mix the butter mixture into the beer reduction. It should thicken instantly. Now add the Worcestershire sauce and stock to thin out the gravy to your desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

  • Serve the bangers over the mash, topped with gravy.

Video

Notes

Select a beer that is malty, but not too hoppy. Otherwise the gravy might have a bitter note.

Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: English, Irish

Author: Sommer Collier

This site contains affiliate links, if you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission.

Authentic Bangers and Mash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of sausage is best for bangers and mash? ›

The Best Sausage for Bangers and Mash

Thick, unaged pork sausages are traditionally used for bangers and mash. A mildly spiced sausage is more common, but feel free to use your favorite sausages when making the dish at home.

What is bangers and mash in the UK? ›

bangers and mash, a common British dish consisting of sausages (“bangers”) and mashed potatoes (“mash”). It is traditionally served with onion gravy. Bangers and mash is a staple of the country's overall cuisine and is a popular pub dish.

What are Irish bangers made of? ›

Bangers is a centuries-old traditional British and Irish recipe. They consist of lean and fat pork that is ground up tossed with spices and herbs that is then encased in hog casing to make sausage. There are many variations of Bangers when it comes to the ingredients depending on who makes them.

Is bangers and mash Irish or English? ›

Bangers and mash is a quintessential British dish of sausage and mashed potatoes, typically served with onion gravy. It's roots extend to Ireland where you'll find the dish in many local pubs. I found “Irish Style Banger Sausages” at my whole foods and knew I had to try them out.

What American sausage is closest to bangers? ›

Just a regular lightly-seasoned fresh pork sausage. Plain breakfast sausage would probably be the closest.

What is the closest thing to bangers in the US? ›

If, after much searching, you find yourself without bangers (and without the proper equipment to make a batch yourself), then in a pinch substitute any sort of plain, fatty pork sausage. Bratwurst always seems closer to a proper banger than a mild Italian sausage in my mind.

Do Americans have bangers and mash? ›

Bangers and mash is not a thing in the USA, except in very rare locations.

What do Americans call bangers and mash? ›

Bangers and mash, also known as sausages and mash, is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages and mashed potato. It may consist of one of a variety of flavoured sausages made of pork, lamb, beef, or a meat alternative.

What is bangers and mash in America? ›

Published:25 Oct '21 Updated:29 Oct '21. 252 Comments. Sausage with Onion Gravy and Mashed Potato – affectionately known as “Bangers and Mash” – is one of the greatest of all comfort foods. A sausage recipe for a quick easy dinner with a side of peas or steamed vegetables to douse in the homemade gravy.

Does Trader Joe's have Irish bangers? ›

Irish Bangers & Champ | Trader Joe's.

What is a full Irish breakfast? ›

A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding. For those wondering, black pudding coagulates the pig's blood into a sausage form. The white pudding is simply a pork sausage, usually flat.

Do people in Ireland eat bangers and mash? ›

Today, bangers and mash with onion gravy is a typical pub dish in Great Britain and Ireland, with the Irish sometimes including a side of cabbage as well.

Why do Irish sausages taste different? ›

Here, sausage tends to be mostly meat with very little if any fill like bread crumbs or rusk. The Irish recipes I found tended to use a fill and had some egg in them. This will give two distinct textures. The spices used also had different tendencies.

What are Scottish bangers? ›

While our bangers contain no fillers, the USDA definition of a banger is a "A sausage-like product prepared with meat and varying amounts of rusk or other cereals.

How do you say mashed potatoes in Irish? ›

English–Irish Dictionary (de Bhaldraithe): Potato-mash. Potato-mash, brúitín m (prátaí). Mashed potatoes, brúitín m. Mashed potatoes, brúitín m, prátaí brúite.

What is a good substitute for Irish sausage? ›

If you can't find sausage that is labeled specifically as “Irish,” I would recommend any bratwurst-type of sausage as a fine substitute. These Johnsonville sausages were delicious! If you do not find sausage labeled as “Irish,” I think bratwurst would be a good substitute.

What is the best cut of meat for sausage making? ›

Pork. Butt/Shoulder: Boneless pork butt is very common for making sausages. It contains 20-30% fat so is perfect for sausages as this is the perfect fat to meat ratio (or you can add another 5% fat for extra tenderness and juiciness). If buying from the butcher, request 'boneless shoulder/butt'.

What are the two main components of the dish bangers and mash? ›

Bangers and mash is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages (bangers) and mashed potatoes (mash), often served with onion gravy.

What are the best type of sausages? ›

5 Types Of Sausage For Any Occasion
  1. Kielbasa. “Kiełbasa” is the Polish word for sausage, and in Poland it can mean any kind of sausage. ...
  2. Andouille. ...
  3. Bratwurst. ...
  4. Italian sausage. ...
  5. Chorizo.

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