Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 8 snappy pork sausages (about 450 g)
- 2 tbsp beef dripping or neutral oil
- 140 g plain/all-purpose flour (1 cup), 1/2 tsp fine salt, black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 200 ml whole milk + 60 ml cold water
- 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil (for gravy)
- 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced; 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp light brown sugar; 1 tbsp plain flour
- 150 ml red wine (optional) + 400 ml beef or chicken stock
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 200 g mixed greens (kale, spinach, or spring greens); 1 tbsp olive oil or butter; 1 garlic clove
- Lemon wedge; chopped parsley (optional)
Do This
- 1. Whisk batter: flour, salt, pepper, eggs, milk, and water until smooth. Rest 30 minutes.
- 2. Heat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan). Put a 23×33 cm/9×13 inch metal tin with dripping in to heat 10 minutes.
- 3. Add sausages to the hot tin; roast 10 minutes until starting to brown.
- 4. Quickly pour rested batter around sausages; bake 22–25 minutes until deep golden and billowy. Do not open the door.
- 5. Meanwhile, make gravy: sauté red onions in butter and oil 10 minutes; add thyme and sugar; stir in flour; deglaze with wine; add stock; simmer 8–10 minutes. Finish with Worcestershire and vinegar.
- 6. Wilt greens in oil/butter with garlic 2–3 minutes; season and add a squeeze of lemon.
- 7. Serve the toad in the hole with red-onion-thyme gravy and greens. Garnish with parsley.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic comfort: crisp, puffed Yorkshire pudding hugging juicy sausages.
- Restaurant-worthy gravy: sweet red onions, thyme, and a splash of wine for depth.
- Balanced plate: hearty bake plus a bright tangle of garlicky wilted greens.
- Dependable method: hot fat, rested batter, and exact times for maximum lift.
Grocery List
- Produce: 2 red onions, 1 garlic clove, fresh thyme, 200 g greens (kale/spinach/spring greens), lemon, parsley (optional)
- Dairy: 4 large eggs, whole milk, butter
- Pantry: Pork sausages, plain flour, beef dripping or neutral oil, olive oil, light brown sugar, beef or chicken stock, red wine (optional), Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper
Full Ingredients
Yorkshire Pudding Batter
- 140 g plain/all-purpose flour (1 cup, leveled)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 200 ml whole milk (room temperature)
- 60 ml cold water (1/4 cup)
Sausages and Pan
- 8 snappy pork sausages (about 450 g)
- 2 tbsp beef dripping (traditional) or neutral high-heat oil
- Metal roasting tin, 23×33 cm / 9×13 inch (avoid glass)
Red-Onion-Thyme Gravy
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
- 2 medium red onions (about 300 g), thinly sliced pole-to-pole
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 150 ml dry red wine (optional; sub extra stock)
- 400 ml beef or chicken stock (low sodium)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Fine salt and black pepper, to taste
Wilted Greens
- 200 g mixed greens (kale, spinach, or spring greens), shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil or 15 g butter
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Lemon wedge, to finish
To Serve (Optional)
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley
- English mustard
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make and rest the batter
In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, salt, and pepper. Make a well and whisk in the eggs. Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth and lump-free, then whisk in the water. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax gluten and increase lift. Tip: room-temperature eggs and milk help the batter rise higher.
Step 2: Heat the pan and fat
Set a metal 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) roasting tin on the center rack and heat the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan). Add the beef dripping or oil to the hot tin and return it to the oven for 10 minutes, until the fat is shimmering and just starting to smoke. A ripping-hot pan is essential for a tall, billowy pudding.
Step 3: Start the sausages
Carefully pull out the rack, add the sausages to the hot fat, and roast for 10 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned. Slide the rack back in gently to keep the fat hot.
Step 4: Bake the toad in the hole
Working quickly, pull out the rack, pour the rested batter evenly around the sausages (it should sizzle), and push the tin back in. Bake 22–25 minutes, until the pudding is deeply golden, puffed, and set. Do not open the oven during baking or it may collapse.
Step 5: Make the red-onion-thyme gravy
While the pudding bakes, heat a medium saucepan over medium. Add butter and oil, then the red onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes until soft and jammy. Stir in thyme and brown sugar; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle over the flour; cook 1 minute, stirring. Deglaze with red wine (if using), scraping up browned bits; simmer 2 minutes. Add stock and simmer 8–10 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Stir in Worcestershire and balsamic; season to taste.
Step 6: Wilt the greens
In the final 5 minutes of baking, heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add the greens with a pinch of salt; toss until just wilted (2–3 minutes). Finish with a squeeze of lemon and pepper.
Step 7: Serve
Bring the toad in the hole straight to the table while towering and crisp. Spoon over the red-onion-thyme gravy, add a pile of wilted greens, and scatter with parsley. Offer English mustard on the side.
Pro Tips
- Pan and fat must be scorching hot before the batter goes in—listen for the sizzle.
- Use a metal tin; glass cools too quickly and can inhibit rise.
- Resting the batter for 30 minutes improves lift and texture; up to 24 hours in the fridge also works.
- Do not open the oven while baking; sudden temperature drops deflate the pudding.
- For extra crisp edges, use beef dripping; for lighter flavor, use a neutral oil.
Variations
- Herbed batter: whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary into the batter.
- Onion-ale gravy: swap red wine for 200 ml brown ale and add 1 tsp grainy mustard.
- Vegetarian: use meat-free sausages and vegetable stock; add 1 tsp Marmite or soy sauce to the gravy for depth.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate leftover toad in the hole and gravy separately for up to 2 days. Reheat pudding in a 180°C/350°F oven for 8–12 minutes until hot and re-crisped; rewarm gravy on the hob with a splash of water. Greens are best fresh but can be reheated quickly in a hot pan. Batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead and chilled; bring to room temperature and whisk briefly before baking. You can also brown sausages up to 1 day ahead; keep chilled and reheat in the hot tin for 3 minutes before adding the batter.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate: 750 kcal; Protein 28 g; Carbohydrates 47 g; Fat 45 g; Saturated Fat 16 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 1500 mg. Nutrition will vary with sausage brand, fat rendered, and gravy reductions.
