Delicious Toad in the Hole made from oven baked pork sausages cooked in a Yorkshire pudding style batter then topped with a sweet and tangy caramelised onion gravy. Best eaten immediately, straight out of the oven.
Toad in the Hole is a quintessential British dish. The type of thing you'd be sure to find on a pub menu along with bangers and mash or a Sunday roast. If you're unfamiliar with this delicious dish, it's made from oven baked sausages cooked in a Yorkshire-pudding-style batter, then topped with an onion gravy. Serve with your favourite cooked or fresh veggies on the side.
If you love a nostalgic sausage recipe, check out my Curried Sausages. It's a classic!
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Ingredient notes:
- Sausages: Traditional pork or beef sausages give rich flavour and become deliciously juicy as they bake inside the batter. Feel to use your favourite sausages if you prefer.
- Batter: The simple batter is basically a Yorkshire pudding recipe. This is what's responsible for the awesome puffiness!
- Caramelised onions: Slowly cooked onions form the base of the gravy, adding sweetness and depth to the rich, savoury sauce. I just use regular brown onions for this.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and salt. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Place the batter in the fridge to rest while you prepare the sausages.
Add the oil to a large baking dish or ovenproof casserole dish and coat the base. Place the sausages on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until they start to brown. While the sausages are cooking, make the onion gravy. Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the sliced onions and sugar.
Cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes until the onions begin to soften and caramelise. Sprinkle over the flour and stir it into the onions. Crumble in the stock cube, pour in the boiling water then stir to combine. Add the Worcestershire sauce and salt. Simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Once the sausages have browned, carefully pour the batter into the hot dish around the sausages.
Top with the rosemary sprigs then return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden.
Serve the toad in the hole with the onion gravy and your favourite steamed greens on the side.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes - you can make the batter up to a day in advance. Keep it covered in the fridge, then give it a quick whisk before pouring into the hot dish.
This is usually because of a cold dish. Make sure the dish and oil are piping hot.
Yes, simply swap the plain flour for your favourite gluten free plain baking blend. Make sure your sausages and stock cube are also gluten free.
Storage:
Store any leftover Toad in the Hole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until warm and crispy - ideally in the oven or air fryer.
Top tips:
A large baking dish or ovenproof casserole roughly 30 × 20 cm works well. Too small and the batter won't rise properly; too big and it can spread too thin.
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Toad in the Hole
Delicious Toad in The Hole made from oven baked pork sausages cooked in a Yorkshire pudding style batter then topped with a sweet and tangy caramelised onion gravy.
Ingredients
Batter
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup milk (310ml)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup plain flour (150g)
Toad in the hole
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 6 pork or beef sausages
- 3 sprigs rosemary
Onion gravy
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp plain flour
- 1 beef stock cube
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and salt. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Place the batter in the fridge to rest while you prepare the sausages.
- Add the oil to a large baking dish or ovenproof casserole dish and coat the base. Place the sausages on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until they start to brown.
- While the sausages are cooking, make the onion gravy. Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the sliced onions and sugar.
- Cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes until the onions begin to soften and caramelise.
- Sprinkle over the flour and stir it into the onions. Crumble in the stock cube, pour in the boiling water then stir to combine. Add the Worcestershire sauce and salt. Simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Once the sausages have browned, carefully pour the batter into the hot dish around the sausages. Top with the rosemary sprigs then return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden.
- Serve the toad in the hole with the onion gravy and your favourite steamed greens on the side.
Notes
- A large baking dish or ovenproof casserole roughly 30 × 20 cm works well. Too small and the batter won’t rise properly; too big and it can spread too thin.
- Pouring the batter into a very hot dish helps it puff up quickly and gives you that classic golden, crispy Yorkshire-pudding style rise.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 685Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 281mgSodium: 1351mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 49g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Diana says
So you basically cook the sausages through before adding the batter? Just wondering if the sausage cooking time (pre batter) could be reduced a bit, or it needs the full time
VJ cooks says
Yes that's right. This is what worked for me when I created this recipe. If you want to reduce the cook time let me know how you get on.
Jan S says
Made Toad in the Hole for dinner tonight! Different and delicious, turned out perfectly. Thanks for sharing the recipe VJ
VJ cooks says
Thanks for the feedback, Jan! So pleased to hear you enjoyed it.