Warm sausage rolls are the first thing to vanish at any party, and they are one of the easiest things to cook in an air fryer oven. The fan moves hot air all round the pastry, so the tops puff up golden and the bases crisp instead of going soggy. Here is how to make air fryer sausage rolls from scratch, how to cook shop-bought frozen ones, and how to batch them for a crowd in the weeks before Christmas.
Why cook sausage rolls in an air fryer oven?
Puff pastry needs a blast of dry heat to rise into flaky layers. In a small air fryer oven the heat reaches the pastry quickly and evenly, so you get a crisp finish without heating a full-size oven for a single tray of nibbles.
The f77 Super Oven Pro has a 30L capacity and comes with a baking tray, air fry basket and grill rack, so you can lay out a generous party batch on the tray in one go. For two or three people, the f66 Super Oven has a 15L cavity that suits a smaller tray. Both let you set the time and temperature manually, which matters for pastry, as a few degrees either way changes how it browns. You can compare both models in our digital air fryer ovens range.
What you need for 12 homemade sausage rolls
- Pastry: one 320g sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry, kept in the fridge until you need it.
- Filling: 400g sausage meat, or 6 good pork sausages with the skins slipped off.
- Flavour: a small grated onion or a few chopped spring onions, a teaspoon of dried sage or thyme, and plenty of black pepper.
- Glaze: one beaten egg, with a pinch of salt.
- Optional toppings: sesame seeds, nigella seeds or a little flaky salt.
How to make sausage rolls in an air fryer oven
- Mix the filling. Combine the sausage meat, onion, herbs and pepper in a bowl with your hands until evenly mixed.
- Shape. Unroll the pastry and cut it in half lengthways to make two long strips. Lay a sausage of filling down the middle of each strip.
- Roll and seal. Brush one long edge with egg, fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together with a fork. Turn each roll so the seam sits underneath.
- Cut and chill. Cut each long roll into 6 pieces. Put them on a plate in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes. Cold pastry puffs up far better than warm, floppy pastry.
- Preheat. Set the oven to 190°C and let it heat for a few minutes while the rolls chill.
- Glaze and slash. Brush the tops with beaten egg, make two small diagonal cuts in each so steam can escape, and scatter over any seeds.
- Cook. Arrange them seam side down on the baking tray with a gap between each one. Cook at 190°C for 15 to 20 minutes, until deep golden and puffed.
- Check they are cooked. The filling should be piping hot all the way through with no pink meat. A probe thermometer pushed into the middle of the thickest roll should read at least 75°C.
Sausage roll cooking times
Every oven, pastry and filling behaves a little differently, so treat these as starting points and check your first batch a few minutes early.
- Homemade, party size: 190°C for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Homemade, large (about 10cm long): 180°C for 22 to 25 minutes, so the filling cooks through before the pastry gets too dark.
- Frozen uncooked, homemade or shop-bought: 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes, straight from frozen, with no need to defrost.
- Frozen ready-cooked from the shop: follow the pack, or try 170°C for 8 to 12 minutes until piping hot.
- Reheating cooked rolls from the fridge: 170°C for 4 to 6 minutes.
If the pastry is browning faster than the filling is cooking, drop the temperature by 10 to 20°C and give them a few more minutes. If the tops are golden but the bases are pale, move the tray down a shelf for the last few minutes or transfer the rolls to the air fry basket so hot air reaches underneath.
Tray or basket?
The baking tray is the best choice for homemade rolls. It catches the fat from the sausage meat and any egg glaze, and it gives the bases direct heat. The air fry basket works well for frozen shop-bought rolls, as the fat drips away and the bottoms crisp nicely. If you line the tray with baking paper, cut it to size and make sure the rolls weigh it down. Loose paper can lift in the moving air and touch the heating elements.
Batch cooking for a party
For a crowd, several smaller batches give better results than one crowded tray. Pastry that touches its neighbour steams instead of crisping, and each batch only takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cool each batch on a wire rack rather than on a plate, so the bases stay crisp.
- Just before serving, put the earlier batches back in at 180°C for 3 to 4 minutes to bring back the crunch.
- Serve them alongside our air fryer pigs in blankets for an easy festive platter. Our batch party food recipes have more ideas that work for any gathering.
Make ahead and freeze
Sausage rolls are ideal for making ahead, which takes the pressure off a busy December.
- The day before: shape the rolls, but do not glaze them. Cover and keep them in the fridge, then glaze and cook on the day using the fresh timings.
- Weeks ahead: open-freeze the shaped, unglazed rolls on a tray, then tip them into a freezer bag once solid. Use within a month, and glaze and cook them from frozen.
- Leftovers: cool cooked rolls quickly, cover them and keep them in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat until piping hot. Our guide to reheating leftovers in an air fryer oven explains how to keep pastry crisp the second time round.
Flavour ideas
- Apple and sage: add a small grated apple to the filling and a little extra sage.
- Caramelised onion chutney: spread a thin line of chutney on the pastry before adding the meat.
- Chorizo: swap a quarter of the sausage meat for finely chopped chorizo for a smoky kick.
- Vegetarian: use a plant-based sausage meat, or a mix of mashed cannellini beans, grated cheese, breadcrumbs and herbs. Cook until the filling is piping hot.
Cleaning up afterwards
Let the tray cool, wipe away any fat with kitchen paper and soak off baked-on egg in warm water with a little washing-up liquid. On both Fridja Super Ovens, the baking tray, grill rack and air fry basket are dishwasher safe on the top rack at a maximum of 40°C, while the crumb tray should be emptied and washed by hand. Our air fryer oven cleaning guide has the full routine, and if you are new to your oven, our guide on how to use an air fryer oven covers settings and timings.
Frequently asked questions
How long do sausage rolls take in an air fryer oven?
Homemade party-size sausage rolls take about 15 to 20 minutes at 190°C, while larger ones need 22 to 25 minutes at 180°C. Frozen uncooked rolls take around 20 to 25 minutes at 180°C. Whatever the size, check the filling is piping hot all the way through, with no pink meat, before serving.
Can you cook frozen sausage rolls in an air fryer?
Yes. Cook frozen uncooked sausage rolls straight from the freezer at 180°C for about 20 to 25 minutes, with no need to defrost them first. Shop-bought rolls that are already cooked only need reheating, usually around 8 to 12 minutes at 170°C. Always check the pack for specific instructions and make sure they are piping hot.
Why are my air fryer sausage rolls soggy on the bottom?
Soggy bases usually come from warm pastry, an overcrowded tray or too much moisture in the filling. Chill the shaped rolls before cooking, leave gaps between them and cook them seam side down. If the tops are done before the bases, move them to the air fry basket for the last few minutes.
Can I make sausage rolls ahead and cook them later?
Yes. Shape them up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge, or freeze them unglazed for up to a month. Glaze them with beaten egg just before cooking. Rolls cooked from the fridge use the fresh timings, while frozen ones need about 5 minutes longer at a slightly lower temperature.
What temperature should sausage rolls be cooked to?
Sausage meat should be cooked until it is piping hot all the way through, with no pink meat and juices that run clear. If you have a probe thermometer, aim for at least 75°C in the centre of the thickest roll. Check a couple from different parts of the tray before serving the whole batch.