Traditional Bangers And Mash Should Be A Fall Comfort Food Staple

When the leaves begin to change colors and the temperature drops, our desire for comfort food suppers also increases. A pot pie, lasagna, or one-pot meal all sound divine, but really, we'd go for anything that brings back a feeling of nostalgia. For many from the U.K., nothing beats bangers and mash for a soothing fall staple.

While the name of the dish is a reference to sausages and mashed potatoes, the kind of sausage that's typically used across the pond is different from what is eaten in the U.S. Recipe developer Catherine Brooks explained to Mashed, "A traditional British pork sausage [that] is typically made with a high percentage of pork meat and spices such as sage, onion, nutmeg, and pepper," and its closest counterpart "in the U.S. would be a mild Italian sausage."

Luckily, Brooks is no stranger to improvisation when it comes to cooking, and created a recipe for traditional bangers and mash for Mashed that doesn't require you to take a trip out of the country. But while you have the option to use bratwurst, kielbasa, or any kind of sausage your heart desires, the most important aspect is that it's high-quality with little to no fillers.

Catherine Brookes' recipe "features all the components you'd typically expect to see on a plate of bangers and mash," and though she oven bakes the sausages, some prefer their sausages pan-fried. If you do opt to bake them, Brookes recommends "using the parchment paper to prevent the sausages from sticking to the pan. They do form a nicely browned outer skin which can have a tendency to stick to the pan otherwise."

While the sausages are obviously a vital piece of bangers and mash, the mash part shouldn't be overlooked. Russet, golden, or any kind of potato utilized in the recipe will work — whatever you prefer for mashed potatoes is what you should use.

The recipe may not be called bangers and mash and onion gravy, but for many, like Brookes, it's the gravy that really ties the dish together. "The combination of meaty pork sausage, creamy mash, and savory onion gravy is so delicious!" she gushed. The gravy is poured liberally over the potatoes and sausages, and customarily peas are served alongside.

Unfortunately, unlike your fall soups and pot pies, bangers and mash can't be put in the freezer to have whenever the desire for the dish arises. But Brookes assures us that it "can be stored in the fridge for up to three days and reheated."