Home ยป By Course ยป Main Dishes ยป Toad in the Hole

Toad in the Hole

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

Toad in the Hole features roasted sausages enveloped in a giant, deliciously crispy Yorkshire pudding and served drizzled with onion gravy.ย  It’s quintessential British comfort food at its absolute best!

Serve this toad in the hole with our wildly popular homemade Onion Gravy!

toad in the hole recipe best authentic british sausages yorkshire pudding

Living in England for nearly 7 years gave me ample opportunity to sample a great many traditional British dishes, both sweet and savory.ย  And believe me, I took advantage of those opportunities!ย  But of all the dishes I enjoyed, for pure comfort food nothing will ever top English Sunday roast with Yorkshire Pudding, Bangers and Mash, and Toad in the Hole!

What is Toad in the Hole?

Toad in the hole is a traditional British dish that features sausages that are cooked in a batter made of flour, eggs, and milk.ย  The sausages are laid in a baking dish, the batter is poured over them, and they are baked until the batter becomes a puffy and golden brown.ย  It is essentially sausages baked in a huge Yorkshire pudding.ย  It is a popular British comfort dish and is served as either a main course meal or as part of a traditional English breakfast.

For you sausage-making enthusiasts, be sure to check out my recipe for homemade British Bangers!

Where Did Toad in the Hole Originate?

The origin of its name is unclear and debated but it certainly is an interesting one!ย  Some have suggested it’s because the sausages resemble a toad sticking its head out of a hole.ย  What we do know is that it has been around since at least the mid 1700’s. ย It was noted that virtually anything could be baked up and disguised in this big Yorkshire pudding. ย The idea was clever and served as an ideal way to use up leftovers and tougher scraps of meat that would otherwise have been thrown away, though fine cuts of beef were also used and served in pubs and at home.ย  Nevertheless, the upper crust of old English society snubbed and reviled the dish, considering it vulgar, uncivilized, and an affront to British cuisine!

It wasn’t until the advent of the industrial revolution of the 19th century, when such values as frugality and time-management dominated, that toad-in-the-hole garnered respect as a working man’s dish and would join the ranks of other traditional English dishes that we enjoy today.

toad in the hole recipe best authentic british sausages yorkshire pudding

As noted by the author of Homo Gastronomicus, “Along with โ€˜bubble and squeakโ€™ and โ€˜angels on horsebackโ€™ it captures that sense of playful eccentricity associated with British cuisine that we’ve all come to love. ย Indeed, the innocent referentiality of the name โ€“ โ€œtoad-in-a-holeโ€ โ€“ evokes that syrupy Dickensian nostalgia for the good old days, when kids still played together in the garden and before our imaginations were stifled by the bottom-line. ย [Toad-in-the-hole] is your protein and your carb-heavy side rolled into one, baked to perfection, and doused in gravy. ย It requires only one plate, and there’s virtually always extra enough for a second helping. ย What’s not to love?”

I couldn’t agree more!

toad in the hole recipe best authentic british sausages yorkshire pudding

Toad in the Hole Recipe

Let’s get started!

This toad in the hole recipe can be prepared in either a casserole dish or a cast iron skillet, whichever you prefer.

Prepare the batter first as it needs to sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature:

Combine the flour and mustard powder in a mixing bowl. ย Traditionally, the batter is cooked with beef drippings added to the casserole dish. ย As you likely don’t keep those on hand, we’re going to cheat and just add a little powdered beef bouillon instead of salt.

Add the eggs and milk and whisk for a few minutes or until the batter is perfectly smooth and airy. ย Let is sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before using.

mixing eggs flour milk in bowl

While the batter is sitting prepare the sausages.

British bangers are ideal. ย Made with pork, mild seasonings, onions, and breadcrumbs, their texture and flavor is marvelous. Check with your local butcher. ย If you can’t find bangers, use any other good quality sausages in casings.ย  Alternatively, you can try your hand at making your very own homemade British bangers from scratch!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. ย Rub the sausages with extra virgin olive oil and place them in a medium-sized, greased, casserole dish (about 8×11 or so) or 12-inch cast iron skillet.ย  Be sure to grease the sides to prevent the batter from sticking later on. ย Roast the sausages uncovered for about 10 minutes on each side or until nice and browned.

Pull those that sizzling hot casserole dish/cast iron skillet out of the oven (be careful!).ย  Do not drain the grease from the sausagesย  – it is traditionally left to contribute to the flavor and texture of the batter.

roasting sausages in the oven

Immediately pour the batter over the sausages.ย  ย Sprinkle the fresh herbs over the top.

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the pudding has risen and is browned.

Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10 minutes or until the center is cooked through. (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN during the first 20 minutes or the batter will not rise properly.)

toad in the hole recipe authentic traditional british english

Remove from the oven and serve immediately with our delicious homemade onion gravy and your choice of vegetable.

Enjoy!

toad in the hole recipe best authentic british sausages yorkshire pudding

For more delicious British recipes be sure to try our:

toad in the hole recipe best authentic british sausages yorkshire pudding

Toad in the Hole

Roasted sausages enveloped in a giant, deliciously crispy Yorkshire pudding and served drizzled with onion gravy. It's quintessential British comfort food at its best!
5 from 120 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine British, english
Servings 4 servings
Calories 589 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 British bangers or other quality mild sausages in casings
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules or bouillon base
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Homemade Onion Gravy , for serving (click link for recipe)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
    To make the batter, combine the flour, beef bouillon and mustard powder in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and milk and whisk continuously for a few minutes or until the batter is perfectly smooth and airy. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
  • While the batter is resting, rub the sausages with olive oil. Grease a medium sized casserole dish (about 8x10 inch) or 12 inch cast iron skillet and place the sausages in it.
    Roast the sausages for about 10 minutes on each side until browned.
  • Carefully remove the casserole dish and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. The fat from the sausages is traditionally left in to contribute flavor and texture to the batter.
    While the casserole dish is still very hot, pour the batter over the sausages. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the Yorkshire pudding has risen and is browned. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until the batter is cooked through. (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN during the first 20 minutes or the batter will not rise properly).
    Serve immediately with homemade onion gravy and your choice of vegetables.

Nutrition

Calories: 589kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 25gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 214mgSodium: 970mgPotassium: 453mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 117mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Toad in the Hole, Yorkshire Pudding
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 22, 2013

toad in the hole recipe authentic traditional British English bangers sausages yorkshire pudding

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

Read more about me...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




5 from 120 votes (113 ratings without comment)

65 Comments

  1. Expat here living in Thailand. This is one of several dishes I miss and one that my mum used to make regularly. This brought back memories and was a taste of home.

  2. The direction to beat the batter for several minutes is absolutely wrong. Like all quick breads, overmixing is a big no no. Beat together the eggs and milk, then add the flour and salt and stir until just mixed–a few lumps of flour is acceptable. Also, the 12″ cast iron pan is too large. The recipe would work better in a 10″ fry pan.

    1. Hi Sandra, sorry that is absolutely incorrect. You clearly haven’t tried this recipe and are speaking theoretically. Whisking a Yorkshire pudding batter until it’s very smooth and aerated is imperative to achieving the right texture and proper rise. There should definitely be no lumps remaining. 12″ is the perfect size for this volume of batter though you can certainly use a 10″ if you prefer it to be thicker.

  3. I have made this recipe several times since you first posted it and my England-born husband loves it. Question: the original posting had a quick version of an onion gravy recipe which i believe was butter, onion, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 2c of beef stock. Do i have that right? The onion gravy that you have a link to here is phenomenal but it’s a weekend recipe for sure.

    1. Thank you, Kim! I totally forgot that I “upped” the simplified version a while back – I’m sorry! :) Yes, I believe you’re right about the original version. You don’t need to caramelize the onions for quite as long but do let them start to get brown. Then add the flour and let it cook for a couple of minutes with the onions to eliminate the flour flavor. After that a good beef broth/stock will do the trick (for store-bought I like Better Than Bouillon) and a dash of balsamic vinegar and pinch of thyme (optional) won’t hurt either :)

  4. It was quite good, but it tasted a little dry. Based on my own Yorkshire pudding, which is more custardy in the center and buttery. I think the next time I make it, I will add more fat after the sausages are out, and add some beef drippings. Overall, it was good, albeit a bit crisp.