Sometimes, the super simple recipes, like this Bangers and Mash Recipe, get me the most excited to cook. It’s a healthy and low carb dinner that has a few simple ingredients: sausage, gravy, cauliflower mash, and veggies. This Bangers and Mash Recipe is so comforting, you’ll wonder why you don’t make them more often. I love making this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, but it makes an outstanding dinner any time of year.
To use pre-cooked or raw sausages?
For a fast weeknight meal, I normally use pre-cooked sausages. Often I will get some that have added flavor, like apple & Gouda or bourbon, bacon & black pepper (that’s the type I used for the video below) That way, all I have to do is brown them and place them in a preheated oven to stay warm while I make the onion gravy. A lot of people start with raw sausages and if you do, you have to make sure they are cooked all the way through. It’s important to give them a good sear on the outside. After that’s done, you can place a lid on the pan you seared the sausages in. The steam helps the sausages cook thoroughly.
Why are they called bangers?
“Bangers and Mash” gets its name because sausages used to burst (or bang) while cooking, due to rusk (which is dried bread) being added to the meat. Personally, I have never had a sausage ‘burst’ loudly while cooking, but I have had some pop or split open.
Is bangers and mash Irish or British?
This dish is a traditional dish of Great Britain AND Ireland! Even though I have always thought of it as an Irish dish. Haha!! It can be thought of as “pub grub” meaning it is relatively quick and easy to make in large quantities. There are different varieties, with exotic sausages and mashes and they are are sold in gastropubs, with less sophisticated alternatives being available in regular public houses (pubs).
As I said, this can be a super fast weeknight meal to make and it packs a lot of flavor. It makes fantastic left overs and really can please the masses.
Enjoy!
Bangers and Mash Recipe
A healthy and low carb dish that has a few simple ingredients: sausage, gravy, cauliflower mash, and veggies. This Bangers and Mash Recipe is so comforting, you'll wonder why you don't make them more often.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg pre-cooked (or raw) sausages
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp xanthun gum (more if you're wanting a thicker gravy)
- 2 cups beef stock (or beef bone broth)
Sides
- pre made cauliflower mash - link in blog post
- steamed vegetables, preferably peas or peas and carrots
Instructions
-
Warm your pan (I love cast iron for this meal) over medium heat.
-
Place sausages in your pan and brown each side. 2 to 3 minutes per side for pre-cooked sausages and 4 to 5 minutes per side if raw.
-
Once browned place pre-cooked sausages in an oven safe dish and place in a preheated oven (200*) to keep warm while you're making the gravy. If the sausages you browned were raw this will also give them a chance to finish cooking if needed. In this case, the oven can be hotter, at 350*.
-
In your cast iron pan, add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant. About 1 minute.
-
Add the cut onion to the pan.
-
Cook onion until caramelized.
-
Once onions are nice and brown, sprinkle on the xanthan gum powder. Mix in with the onions.
-
Add your beef stock. Bring to a boil then let simmer to thicken. If your stock is not thickening, you can add more xanthan gum powder. Add a very small amount at a time. A little goes a long way.
-
Serve over cauliflower mash with a side of veggies and a large scoop of the onion gravy!
