This is the Best Vegetable Roll recipe this side of the Atlantic (I’m based in the U.S.)! This seasoned sausage is bursting with flavor supplied by leeks, parsley, and natural flavorings added to grass fed beef. Traditionally, the sausage meat is stuffed into a clear plastic sleeve (plastic cling wrap can also be used). It is then sliced into discs before pan frying. Remove plastic wrap prior to cooking.
Vegetable Roll takes pride of place in an Ulster Fry, a traditional Irish cooked breakfast made from Ulster Fry Meats, fried Irish breads, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms.
It’s hard to find Vegetable Roll outside of the north of Ireland. It is commercially produced for supermarkets and usually contains E numbers ( food additives including preservatives, flavorings and color) along with sugar.
Your best bet is to buy Vegetable Roll directly from a butcher. A butcher typically uses the same or similar ingredients as the one listed in this recipe. My thanks to the Village Butchers in Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim for pointing me in the right direction with regard to what goes into the making of Vegetable Roll. The Village Butcher is a Grade A high quality, locally sourced butcher based on the Causeway Coastal Route in County Antrim. He offers a wide variety of meats along with fresh homemade Vegetable Roll.
Additional add ins include crumbled up bouillon (stock) cubes and / or a packet of oxtail, beef or onion soup.
If you live anywhere away from the north of Ireland you will appreciate this Irish Vegetable Roll recipe.
What is Vegetable Roll?
It is a highly seasoned sausage meat made from grass fed beef, with Northern Irish origins.
Added to the ground beef is an onion based vegetable. Typically leeks are the most common onion choice, both the white onion bulb part and the green leaves. Scallions, chives and even regular onions will work. At a pinch use shallots or garlic.
If a non green onion is chosen, then add parsley to add a little greenery. The flecks of green in Vegetable Roll are part of its signature appearance.
All that is left is the addition of a little seasoning to finish the beef based sausage. Salt and pepper are a must. Garlic and onion powder / granules are good choices. If onion salt or garlic salt are used, omit adding salt and only add pepper. Add dried herbs if desired. A common herb to add would be sage. Commercially produced dried sage is great, or air dry some fresh sage if you have it.
Rusk is the binder that is typically used. The binder absorbs the fat from the beef which in turn keeps the sausage moist and holds it together. Rusk is very dry breadcrumbs. It is found easily in Ireland for sausage making and also as a popular beginning food for babies. As rusk can be hard to source, use ground up croutons as the best substitution, otherwise use breadcrumbs.
Ground Beef + Rusk + Choice of Onion + Seasonings + Green Herb = Vegetable Roll
What Vegetable Roll is Not
This seasoned sausage from Northern Ireland is not a vegetable spring roll or even sushi. Both of these foods have Asian origins, use very different ingredients with an end result that is very different in appearance and flavor when compared with N. Irish Vegetable Roll.
It is also not a vegetable or vegetarian sausage roll.
Vegetable Roll (Ireland) Ingredients
- Ground beef: fresh, preferably grass fed.
- Leeks.
- Parsley: I used curly parsley.
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder.
- Herbs: fresh sage that was air dried.
- Rusk: I used croutons.
- Milk: added for extra moisture and as a meat tenderizer.
Scroll down to the recipe card for step by step instructions.
How to Cook Vegetable Roll
It is typically pan fried. The pan juices are used to fry Irish breads such as Potato Farls, Soda Bread and Wheaten Bread.
Optional ways to cook Vegetable Roll is in the air fryer or oven. Air fry for 8-12 minutes on 375 degrees F. / 190 degrees C. A digital thermometer should read an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. or 74 degrees C.
Oven roast if preferred. Preheat a 350 degrees F. / 177 degrees C. oven. Place the number of slices of Vegetable Roll you want to cook on a sheet pan. Oven roast for 15-25 minutes until the meat patty reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. or 74 degrees C. using a digital thermometer.
Serving Suggestion
Besides being an integral part of an Ulster Fry, Vegetable Roll can replace sausage or beef patties in sliders.
The Best Vegetable Roll (Seasoned Sausage From N. Ireland)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef preferably grass fed
- 6 oz leeks medium sized
- 3 oz croutons if rusk is not available
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp parsley small handful
- 1 tbsp sage about 10-12 leaves
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp whole coriander
Instructions
- Pulverize the sea salt, pepper, dried sage, coriander, garlic and onion powder in a spice grinder.
- Wash and chop parsley and leeks.
- Grind up croutons in a food processor
- Add everything to a bowl (the beef, ground croutons, leeks, parsley, milk and seasonings).
- Mix well together to form a sausage mixture.
- Transfer the sausage mixture into a food safe plastic sleeve or bag. Plastic wrap can also be used.
- Tie off the open end of the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into slices with the plastic still on. Remove the plastic before cooking.
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