This is a total comfort food with juicy Irish sausages served over fluffy mashed potatoes and then smothered in a rich onion gravy. Irish bangers and mash with onion gravy is an easy dinner that is affordable and filling!
This is one of those meals that every time I make it, I question why I don't make it more often!
It hits all my major check points to be a favorite dinner recipe:
- cheap
- filling
- easy to find ingredients
- everyone in the family loves it
- easy to make substitutions or add-ins
What are Irish Bangers and Mash?
Bangers and Mash are a traditional dish of Ireland and Great Britain and you'd be hard pressed to find a corner pub in those countries that doesn't have them on the menu! It's a popular pub dish!
Bangers are very simply... sausages. They can be made of pork, lamb or beef. The meat isn't as important as the fact that they're sausages in casing which often makes them "bang" or pop when they're cooking. The mash is mashed potatoes.
Bangers and mash are very often served with a gravy and sometimes peas as well. My very favorite type of gravy is onion gravy!
I've tweaked and tweaked this recipe until I have it exactly like I want it- nice and thick with a rich, deep flavor! If you like your gravy a little on the thinner side, you can decrease the amount of flour you add and/or add an extra splash of the red wine.
How Do You Make Onion Gravy?
The bangers and mash are the easy part of the recipe because you really just buy the savory sausages pre-made and cook according to directions and then use your favorite homemade mashed potato recipe. Those two parts of the recipe are pretty standard and normal for people who are comfortable in the kitchen.
But the real focus of this recipe is the homemade onion gravy! From scratch gravy is always a winner and since I always add onions wherever possible, this combination is a staple at our house.
Ingredients for Onion Gravy:
- unsalted butter
- onions
- brown sugar
- flour
- red wine
- thyme
- beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt
- yellow mustard
- pepper
- balsamic vinegar
That might look like a lot of ingredients, but it's also the reason why it has such a rich and heart flavor, so make sure you don't skip anything!
The first step is to peel and slice your onions. I like my onions sliced very thinly, but you can also dice them if you prefer smaller pieces.
I use a cast iron pan whenever I caramelize onions. It gives them a very even heating temperature across the entire pan and results in a deeper caramelization than if you just use a regular non-stick skillet.
Place your cast iron skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add your butter and once it's melted, then add your sliced onions and brown sugar. I prefer brown sugar when I'm caramelizing onions but you can also use white, granulated sugar if that's all you have on-hand.
Let the butter, onions and sugar until they are a deep golden color. This will all come down to personal preference but I like mine VERY caramelized, almost burnt. Other people will want them a lighter golden brown. Usually about 30 minutes is a good point to remove them. Just make sure that you stir them fairly frequently while they're caramelizing so that they don't burn and they cook evenly.
Next you want to add in your flour and mix really well so there are no clumps left. The flour is what will help thicken up your gravy as it cooks.
Next add in your red wine and thyme. As you're stirring in your red wine, make sure you're scraping along the bottom of the pan.
You want to deglaze the pan and scrape up any of the tidbits that may be sticking to the bottom. Those are the flavorful good parts, so make sure you're stirring well!
Bring your mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add in the beef broth, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Bring it to a boil and then reduce it to a slow heat and cover it. You want to simmer it for about 20 minutes at this point.
After about 20 minutes, remove the lid and stir well. Make sure it's nice and thickened. You can add additional salt and pepper if you feel it needs it, but it should be good to go at this stage.
To serve, pile hot mashed potatoes on a plate, top with cooked sausages and pour that onion gravy right over it.
It isn't the most appetizing looking dish, but the smell in your house will be amazing! And the taste will be even better! It's some serious comfort food!
Looking for more Dinner/Lunch recipes
Looking for a delicious and healthy meal to bring to work? Here are some lunch and dinner recipes that will fit the bill!
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Simple Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
- Crispy Chilli Chinese Beef
- Instant Pot Chuck Roast
- Roast Beetroot Salad
- Pressure Cooker Carnitas
- Venezuelan Arepas Recipe
Irish Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 5 Sausages cooked according to package
- 16 oz Mashed Potatoes prepared
Onion Gravy
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 large Onion
- 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Flour
- ¼ cup Red Wine
- 1 tsp. Thyme dried
- 2 cups Beef Broth
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 tsp. Salt 1
- 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and brown sugar and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until they are caramelized or a golden brown color.
- Add the red wine and herbs and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook covered for about 20 minutes or until thickened.
- To serve, place hot mashed potatoes on a plate, top with cooked sausages and pour onion gravy over the top.
In conclusion, Irish Bangers and Onion Gravy is a delicious, hearty dish that is perfect for a winter meal. The flavors of the Irish sausage and onions are enhanced by the gravy, making it a truly satisfying dish. If you're looking for a traditional Irish meal to make at home, this is a great option.
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