Cheese & Mushroom Sausages

These cheese and mushroom sausages are a clever vegetarian take on the British banger, using instant mashed potato as the binder for a filling of finely chopped mushrooms, scallions, and parmesan. Shaped into thick logs and pan-fried until golden, they stand in convincingly for the real thing on a plate of mash and peas.

The instant potato mix is what makes this work. Fresh mashed potato is too wet and falls apart in the pan, but instant potato made with a careful 700ml of boiling water has the right firmness to hold its sausage shape through the fry. Cool it before mixing in the mushroom mixture, hot potato sweats and turns the mixture sticky.

Finely chopping the mushrooms and onions in a food processor, then briefly sauteing them, drives off moisture before they go into the potato. Wet mushroom equals saggy sausage.

Pro Tips

• Use the exact 700ml water ratio for the potato. Too much liquid and the sausages won’t hold shape, too little and they’re crumbly.
• Cook the mushroom mixture until truly dry, not just wilted. The pan should look dry of liquid before you fold it into the potato.
• Wipe the frying pan clean between cooking the mushrooms and frying the sausages. Mushroom liquid in the pan steams the sausages instead of crisping them.
• Turn the sausages only once during the fry, with a wide spatula. Multiple flips break the golden crust before it sets.

Variations

• Add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped thyme or sage to the mix for an English Sunday-roast feel.
• Use grated mature cheddar instead of Parmesan for a sharper, melt-friendly version.
• Roll the sausages in seasoned flour or breadcrumbs before frying for an extra crispy outer crust.