Sausage rolls in the air fryer are my shortcut to one of the best things from a British bakery: crisp, flaky puff pastry rolled around juicy pork mince with sage and thyme. In the air fryer the pastry rises beautifully and turns golden all the way round, without me having to switch on the oven for a single tray.
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Here you get my version of the British classic, with a pinch of nutmeg in the filling, and I show you how to seal the rolls so they do not open up in the basket. You also get my tips for serving, storing and freezing, so you always have a portion ready.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I Love Sausage Rolls in the Air Fryer
What makes sausage rolls so good in the air fryer is the hot air circulating closely around the pieces. The thin layers of the puff pastry separate and turn crisp, while the filling bakes in its own juices and stays tender. Brushing with egg gives a glossy, golden-brown surface, and the small cuts in the top let the steam escape so the pastry does not split.
They are also incredibly versatile: as a snack for guests, cold in a packed lunch or on the buffet table. Sage and thyme give the classic British flavour, but also try a little mustard in the filling, or sesame seeds, poppy seeds or fennel seeds on top.
The Difference Between Sausage Rolls and Danish Sausage Horns
Sausage rolls are often confused with Danish sausage horns or pigs in a blanket, but the principle is different. In both of those, a whole sausage is rolled into the dough. A sausage roll is made with seasoned sausage meat that is shaped into a long roll, wrapped in puff pastry and only cut into pieces at the end. That gives a juicy filling that is seasoned all the way through.
My Kitchen Test of Sausage Rolls
I tested the recipe in my Cosori Dual Blaze, which has one basket with heating elements both above and below. That is an advantage here, because sausage rolls should not be turned – the seam must stay facing down – and the heat from below helps the base take on colour, while the top turns glossy and golden. At 180 °C the puff pastry had risen and was golden brown after 18 minutes, and the meat thermometer showed 75 °C in the middle of the filling. Check on them from 16 minutes, because air fryers brown differently.
The preparation takes about 20 minutes, so the recipe is ready in 38 minutes in total. I have also baked them in my Philips XXL, where the large basket leaves room for good spacing between the pieces. Let them cool for 5 minutes before you serve, because the filling is very hot straight from the basket.
Put the sealed rolls in the fridge for 15 minutes before you cut them into pieces. Cold puff pastry gives sharp cut surfaces, rises better and turns out crisper.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The most common mistake is working with warm puff pastry. When the butter in the dough softens, it turns sticky and rises poorly, so do not take it out of the fridge until the filling is ready, and give the rolls 15 minutes in the fridge if the dough feels soft. Many people also place the pieces with the seam facing up or turn them over during baking, and then the filling pushes the seam open as the pastry rises. Always place them seam side down, and leave them be. Finally, it is tempting to fill the basket right to the top, but without air between the pieces the pastry steams and goes soft at the sides. Keep about 2 cm of space between them, and it is better to bake in two batches.
How to Serve Sausage Rolls
Sausage rolls taste good both warm and cold and suit many occasions. Here are my favourites:
- With English mustard or ketchup as a dip
- With a tangy chutney, e.g. onion chutney
- For lunch with a crisp green salad
- Cold in a packed lunch or on a picnic
- On the buffet table at birthdays and parties
Storing and Reheating
Baked sausage rolls can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 180 °C for 3-5 minutes, until they are crisp again – in the microwave the puff pastry goes soft. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. Alternatively, you can freeze the cut pieces raw, before they are brushed. Brush them with egg just before baking, bake them straight from frozen at 180 °C with 6-8 minutes extra, and check that the filling has reached 75 °C in the centre.
Sausage rolls prove that British bakery food can easily be made at home on an ordinary weekday. With cold pastry, the seam facing down and a meat thermometer at hand, they come out right every time.
FAQ
Bake them at 180 °C for 16-18 minutes, until the puff pastry has risen and is golden brown. Check that the filling has reached 75 °C in the centre, and give them 2-3 more minutes if it is not there yet.
No, leave them with the seam facing down so they do not open up. Check on them halfway through, and swap the positions of the pieces if some brown faster than others.
Yes, squeeze the sausage meat out of raw sausages, e.g. salsiccia or Danish medister sausage, and go easy on the salt, as the meat is already seasoned. Do not use whole sausages – then you end up with Danish sausage horns instead of sausage rolls.
Recipe
Sausage Rolls in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Pastry brush
- 1 Parchment paper (for air fryer)
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 400 g pork mince (Not too lean – or sausage meat from raw sausages)
- 1 pcs onion (Small)
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp dried sage (Or 1 tbsp fresh, finely chopped)
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt (Halve the amount if you use seasoned sausage meat)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
- 1 pinch nutmeg (Freshly grated)
Pastry and egg wash
- 275 g puff pastry (1 roll from the chiller cabinet, approx. 25 x 40 cm)
- 1 pcs egg (For brushing)
How to make it
Preparation
- Peel and chop 1 pcs onion very finely.
- Combine 400 g pork mince with the onion, 3 tbsp breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp dried sage, 0.5 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1 pinch nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Mix the filling well until it is uniform and slightly sticky.
- Unroll 275 g puff pastry on its paper and cut it lengthways into two equally wide strips of approx. 12 x 40 cm.
- Shape the filling into two long, even rolls that are as long as the pastry strips. Place one roll along each strip, slightly to one side of the centre.
- Lightly beat 1 pcs egg in a small bowl.
- Fold the wider side of the pastry over the filling and seal the seam with a little of the beaten egg. Press the edges together well and turn the rolls over so the seam is underneath.
- Cut each roll into 6 equal pieces with a sharp knife.
- Brush the pieces with the remaining egg and make 2-3 small diagonal cuts in the top of each piece so the steam can escape.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Place baking paper in the basket and arrange the pieces on top, seam side down, so they do not open up. Leave about 2 cm of space between them so the pastry can rise freely – bake in two batches if there is not room for all of them.
- Bake at 180 °C for 16-18 minutes, until the puff pastry has risen and is golden brown. Do not turn them over during baking, so the seam stays facing down, but check on them halfway through and swap the positions of the pieces if they brown unevenly.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the filling has reached 75 °C in the centre. Give them 2-3 more minutes at 180 °C if it has not reached that temperature yet.
Serving
- Let the sausage rolls cool for 5 minutes before serving – the filling is very hot straight from the air fryer. They taste good both warm and cold.
Our notes for the recipe
Keep the puff pastry cold until you need it – cold pastry rises best and turns out the crispiest. It helps to leave the sealed rolls in the fridge for 15 minutes before you cut them into pieces, so the cut surfaces come out neat and sharp. Seam side down:
Always place the pieces in the basket seam side down. That way their own weight keeps the seam closed, and the filling cannot push the pastry open as it rises. Sausage meat, not whole sausages:
Sausage rolls are made with seasoned sausage meat rolled in puff pastry – not with a whole sausage wrapped in dough, as in a Danish sausage horn or pigs in a blanket. Variation:
Use sausage meat from raw sausages, e.g. salsiccia or Danish medister sausage, instead of the pork mince, and go easy on the salt, as the meat is already seasoned. Sprinkle sesame seeds, poppy seeds or fennel seeds on top straight after brushing, or stir 1 tsp mustard into the filling for a sharper flavour. Serving:
Serve them warm or cold as a snack, for lunch, in a packed lunch or on the buffet table. They go well with mustard, ketchup or a tangy chutney. Portion size:
The recipe makes approx. 12 pieces, which works out at 3 per portion. If your air fryer is smaller, you can make them in two batches. Freeze them raw:
The cut pieces can be frozen raw before they are brushed. Brush them with egg just before baking and bake them straight from frozen at 180 °C – give them 6-8 minutes extra, and check that the filling has reached 75 °C in the centre.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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