Bangers and Mash is comfort food, plain and simple. Juicy sausages, a rich onion gravy, and a big pile of buttery mashed potatoes underneath it all. This bangers and mash recipe comes together faster than you’d think, and I promise you’ll want to pour that gravy over everything on the plate, yes, even the peas.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lynn raved, “A wonderful twist on a classic recipe.”
Originally published in 2019, this post was refreshed with new photos in April 2025, and updated again in July 2026 with better tips and content. The recipe itself hasn’t changed.
The Colorado Pub That Started My 25-Year Obsession
My husband used to travel the UK for weeks at a time, back when we were dating and then again in our early years of marriage. Every trip, same story. He’d come home talking about bangers and mash. The sausages, the mash, that gravy. I hadn’t even tasted it yet and I already knew I needed to make it happen.
Here’s the thing though, I didn’t get my first taste in England or Ireland. I got it in Colorado Springs, at the Golden Bee inside the Broadmoor, where we’d sneak off to whenever he had a business trip there. Picture a dark little English pub, the kind of place that makes you forget what state you’re in. One bite of bangers and mash in that room and I was done for. I’ve been making some version of it ever since. Twenty-five years now.
The recipe itself hasn’t really changed. It didn’t need to. What changed was me figuring out you cannot rush the onions. Slow, patient, caramelized onions are the whole engine behind that stout gravy. My early attempts were fine. The batches where I actually gave the onions their time? A different dish entirely.
One more thing, mushy peas. I can’t do them. Frozen, canned, whatever form, cooked peas are a texture problem for me and there’s no version that fixes it. Turns out my husband isn’t a mushy pea guy either, so we’ve never had to fight about it. He gets his steamed on the side, I skip them, everybody’s happy. First time he tried my bangers and mash, he told me it tasted just like what he’d had in England. Better, actually. No mushy peas.
What is Bangers and Mash?
Bangers and mash is a British pub classic, though plenty would argue it started in Ireland. I’ll let the Brits and the Irish fight that one out. Either way, it’s pork sausages cooked up golden brown and served over creamy mashed potatoes, with a rich onion gravy poured over the whole plate.
The name “bangers” goes back to World War I. Meat was scarce, so sausages got padded out with fillers (called rusk, a type of breadcrumbs) and extra water, and that water would sizzle and pop, sometimes loud enough to sound like a small bang, when the sausages hit a hot pan. Today’s versions are meatier and better behaved, but the name stuck. (source)
“Mash” is just the simple part, mashed potatoes. I love that a dish this humble carries its own bit of slang history in the name. Sausage and mashed potatoes never sounded half as fun before somebody started calling it bangers and mash.
If you’re in the mood for even more delish Irish eats, don’t miss these Irish Nachos with Corned Beef Recipe for a fun twist on classic pub food. And to top it all off, a warm Irish Coffee is the perfect way to end the meal!
Video: Watch How to Make Bangers & Mash
Bangers and Mash Recipe Ingredients
- Bangers (pork sausages): Real bangers usually show up in stores in late February through St. Patrick’s Day. Outside that window, grab bratwurst, Italian sausage, or beef sausage instead, they all work. I buy mine at Trader Joe’s.
- Beer: Milk stout is my personal favorite; it adds a deep, almost roasted flavor to the gravy. However, it’s more traditional to use a pint of Guinness beer. No beer in the house, or just don’t want to cook with it? Beef broth works fine in its place.
- Beef broth: Use it to replace the beer entirely, or add extra alongside it. Spring for a good one, homemade if you’ve got it, or a solid store-bought beef stock. Skip the canned condensed stuff; it’s loaded with sodium.
- Onion: One medium-large onion, sliced thin. Thin matters here, it’s what lets the onions break down and caramelize properly instead of staying chunky.
- Olive oil and butter: Both go to work early, sautéing the onions and building flavor into the gravy base.
- Flour: All-purpose is standard for thickening the gravy. Your favorite gluten-free 1-to-1 blend works too, more on that in the variations section below.
- Potatoes for the mash: Yukon Golds, garlic, butter, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper. That combination is what gets you the creamiest mash on the plate, not just good, the best.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Season to your own taste throughout.
How to Make Bangers & Mash
Step 1: Brown the Sausages
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high, add a little oil, then, using tongs, lay the sausages in with the beer. Bring it to a simmer, cover, and prop the lid open a crack with a wooden spoon so steam can escape. Keep that spoon away from the flame, and go easy when grabbing it later; it gets hot. Cook covered for about 5 minutes.
Flip the sausages, cover again, cook another 5 minutes. Once most of the liquid’s cooked off, drop the heat to medium-low. Lid stays on, turning the sausages now and then, until they’re browned all over and cooked through. About 10 more minutes.
Step 2: Caramelize the Onions and Build the Gravy
Cook the onions, stirring now and then, until they’re soft, deeply golden, and smelling like something good is about to happen. Give this 25 to 30 minutes, longer if you’ve got the time. An hour gets you those deep, jammy, melt-in-your-mouth onions, but 25 to 30 will still get you a rich, real gravy base.
Pro Tip: I used to only cook my onions for 10-12 minutes, but honestly I wanted truly caramelized onions for this dish and I haven’t been sorry!
Sprinkle in the flour (regular or gluten-free), stir, and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the flour coats the onions and brown bits form on the bottom of the pan.
Bump the heat to medium or medium-high, pour in the stout, and scrape up every one of those browned bits. That’s where the flavor lives.
Add the beef broth, bring it to a simmer, and let it go 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s thick and glossy. Pull it off the heat, cover, set aside.
Step 3: Make the Mashed Potatoes
Dice the potatoes into 1-inch pieces, peeling first if you want them extra smooth. Into a large pot, cover with salted water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer until fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. While that’s happening, mince or grate your garlic.
Same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Lower the heat, return the potatoes, and mash until smooth. Don’t over-mash, that’s how you end up with glue instead of potatoes. Stir in the sour cream and half the milk, season well with salt and pepper, cover to keep warm.
Right before serving, melt the remaining butter in the microwave and stir it into the potatoes over medium heat. Splash in more milk if you need it, until it’s as creamy as you want. Serve right away.
Banger and Mash Recipe Variations & Substitutions
I buy my bangers at Trader Joe’s; they start stocking them in late February and keep them through St. Patrick’s Day. Outside that window, bratwurst works fine, so does any good pork sausage, or grab chicken or turkey brats if pork’s not your thing.
Just make sure whatever you use isn’t pre-cooked. You want raw sausage that cooks low and slow in the beer, that’s how it soaks up the flavor. I’ve made this with German Weisswurst more than once, and it’s genuinely good.
What can I replace beer with?
Swap the stout for any dark beer you like, I’ve used milk stout, vanilla porter, Guinness, plenty of others. Just go smooth, not bitter.
Skipping the alcohol, or need this gluten-free? A gluten-free beer works, or a rich beef broth, bone broth even better. Make it yours.
Bangers and Mash Gluten-Free Variation
- Swap the beer for beef broth or your favorite gluten-free beer
- Double check your sausages are gluten-free, some fillers sneak gluten in
- Replace the all-purpose flour in the gravy with a good 1-to-1 gluten-free blend
A couple more ways to make this dish yours. Stir a tablespoon of English mustard into the mashed potatoes; it adds a sharp little edge against all that rich gravy. Or splash some red wine or Worcestershire sauce into the onion gravy along with a few sprigs of fresh thyme; it deepens the whole pot.
Top Tips for Bangers & Mash
A few things I’ve learned over 25 years of making this dish, whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day or just a random Tuesday.
- Choose the right sausages. Thick, good quality pork sausages, Irish or British-style, or a well-seasoned bratwurst if that’s what you’ve got. Skip anything pre-cooked, you want that crispy golden sear, and pre-cooked sausages won’t give it to you.
- Sear first, finish low. Get a good sear going over medium heat, then drop the heat and let them finish cooking low and slow. A splash of broth in the pan near the end keeps them juicy.
- Don’t rush the onions. This is the one that actually matters. Low and slow, full stop. Soft, golden, patient onions are the difference between decent gravy and gravy people ask you about.
- Deglaze, don’t skip it. Once the onions are done, a splash of beef broth or stout scrapes up all those browned bits stuck to the pan. That’s flavor you’d otherwise just throw away.
- Mash gently for creamy, not gluey, potatoes. Butter, milk, sour cream, salt, and a light hand. Overwork the potatoes, and you’ll end up with paste instead of mash.
- The gravy is not optional. This isn’t a dish you go easy on the sauce for. Pour it over everything; sausages, potatoes, yes, even the peas.
- Make it a whole pub night. Buttered peas, a pint of Guinness, a slice of Irish soda bread or Guinness brown bread on the side. Now you’ve got the full experience without leaving your kitchen.
Serving Suggestions for Bangers & Mash
Spoon a good mound of mashed potatoes onto the plate, lay 1 to 2 bangers right on top, then smother the whole thing in that rich onion stout gravy. Don’t be shy with it, this is the kind of dish where more gravy is always the right call.
Round it out with a side or two from the list below.
Bangers and Mash Sides
- Steamed or roasted broccoli.
- Roasted or air-fried asparagus
- Braised or Roasted Cabbage
- Mushy Peas are traditionally served, but I can’t do them, texture thing. We do buttered peas instead, your favorite vegetables will work just fine.
- Fresh-baked Irish soda bread is best, or try this Irish Brown Bread or my Guinness Brown Bread.
- Boxty Bread – a traditional potato bread
How to Store & Reheat Bangers & Mash
Honestly, leftovers rarely happen around here, maybe a stray banger if anyone’s counting. But if you’re cooking for a smaller crowd and do have extra, this dish keeps well.
Store the sausages and onion gravy together in an airtight container in the fridge, they’ll keep for 3 to 4 days. Keep the mashed potatoes in their own separate container; don’t combine everything into one dish for storage. The potatoes hold moisture differently, and you’ll get better texture keeping them apart.
Freezing works too. Sausages and gravy freeze well for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Mashed potatoes can also be frozen for up to 2 months, same overnight thaw, then reheat on the stovetop with a little extra milk or butter to bring the texture back.
To reheat, warm the sausages and gravy together in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot through. The mashed potatoes reheat best on the stovetop too, low heat, with a splash of milk stirred in to bring back that creamy texture. The microwave works in a pinch for both; just stir halfway through so nothing turns rubbery in one spot.
Bangers And Mash Recipe FAQs
Same story as up above, but the short version: WWI meat shortages meant sausages got padded with fillers and extra water, and that water would pop and sizzle loud enough to sound like a bang when they hit a hot pan. Name stuck, even after the sausages got better.
I get asked this a lot, and yes, I do. The alcohol cooks off over that long simmer, it’s not sitting in the gravy when it hits the table. I’m not pouring anyone a mug of beer with dinner, but in our house we’ve never treated alcohol like some forbidden thing. Taking away the mystery is part of why our kids never had much curiosity about it later.
Two things cause lumpy gravy almost every time: adding the broth too fast, or not cooking the flour long enough before you add liquid. Give that flour its full 2 to 3 minutes with the onions before you pour anything in, and add the broth gradually, stirring as you go, not all at once. If you do end up with a few lumps, a quick whisk usually smooths it right back out.
Yes, and honestly it might be even better the next day. Make it up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheat it gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, and thin it with a splash of beef broth if it’s thickened up too much overnight.
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes You Will Love
Best Desserts to Serve with Bangers and Mash
Oh, and one last thing, you have to end your St. Patrick’s Day celebration with one (or BOTH) of these AMAZING St. Patrick’s inspired desserts: Milk Stout Brownies, Guinness Chocolate Cake (oh my!), Baileys Ice Cream or these Lucky Charms Bars.
For a comprehensive list of St. Patrick’s day menu ideas, check out my 35+ St. Patrick’s Day Recipes post.
Recipe adapted from Self Proclaimed Foodie.
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Video
Equipment
- Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet w/Tempered Glass Lid (12 Inch)
Ingredients
Bangers
- 6 bangers pork sausages, bratwurst, weissworst, or your favorite uncooked sausages
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 ounces stout beer or favorite dark beer, or replace with beef broth
Stout Onion Gravy
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium-large yellow onion sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Gluten-free all-purpose flour may be substituted
- 1 cup stout beer I used Left Hand Milk Stout, but try Guinness, Porter, another Stout/dark beer, or just replace with beef broth
- 1 cup beef broth not condensed canned broth
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled (for smoother potatoes), diced into 1 inch pieaces – or use Russets
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 cup milk a little less or a little more based on how you like your mash
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Bangers
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat, pour in oil. Carefully add in sausages and stout (or beef broth) and prop a wooden spoon to vent just slightly, allowing steam to escape. Be careful your wooden spoon is not over a flame and be careful when you grab it, it might be hot. Cook covered for about 5 minutes.6 bangers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 ounces stout beer
- Turn the sausages and continue cooking covered, for another 5 minutes. After they've cooked 10 minutes and are nicely browned, remove the lid and allow the liquid to reduce slightly, thickening and coating the sausages.
- When the liquid is almost gone, lower the heat to low, with lid on continue cooking, rotating sausages occasionally, until evenly browned and cooked through, around 10 additional minutes. If time, start on the mashed potatoes.
Onion Gravy
- While your sausages are cooking, in a medium saucepan, heat your butter over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they are slightly browned, soft and fragrant, about 25-30 minutes.2 tablespoons butter, 1 medium-large yellow onion
- Sprinkle browned onions with all-purpose flour (substitute with Gluten Free AP Flour), stirring and cooking for 2-3 minutes until brown bits collect on bottom of pan.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Increase heat to medium or medium-high and pour in stout (or broth or other beer), scrapping pan to deglaze. Stir in beef broth and allow to simmer until no longer foaming, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened reduced slightly and glossy. Remove from heat set aside, keeping covered.1 cup stout beer, 1 cup beef broth, kosher salt and pepper
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Dice the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. If you want super smooth mashed potatoes, peel them first, but Yukon skins will almost melt right in. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough salted water to cover them by about 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let them cook until they are tender, about 15-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when you can easily pierce them with a fork. Once they’re done, drain the water and set the potatoes aside. Meanwhile, peel and mince or grate 2 cloves of garlic.2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- In the same pot used for the potatoes, melt butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and return the drained potatoes to the pot. Mash until smooth, but be careful not to over-mash, or they will become gluey and gummy. Stir in the sour cream and milk, then season with plenty of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup sour cream, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup milk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Just before serving, place the remaining butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, about 30 seconds. Reheat the pot of potatoes over medium heat until warmed through, then stir in the melted butter. If needed, add small splashes of the remaining milk until the potatoes reach a creamy consistency. Serve immediately.
- To plate, serve up mashed potatoes, place a 1-2 Bangers (sausages) over the top of the potatoes and smother the entire thing in the rich onion stout gravy serve with a couple of the items from below.
Notes
Nutrition
Lynn Spencer
Do the men in your home realize just how lucky they are?
Well, one in particular does! LOL! The younger ones, probably not so much — yet!
Lynn Spencer
A wonderful twist on a classic recipe.
Linda Krenz
I’m making this on the weekend! I bet it’s delicious!
YAY! It is delicious, Linda!
Bob
Judy made your key lime pie for our couples group. Wowzer, it, and you, “brought the house down.” It was awesome!
Wahoo!! I love that it brought the house down! Hopefully not on top of anyone or the Key Lime Pie! Thanks Bob!!!