Recipe Snapshot
- Dish: Puff pastry sausage rolls with tomato-balsamic glaze and provolone
- Servings: 24 pieces
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Main Ingredient: Italian turkey sausage
- Method: Sausage is pre-baked, wrapped in puff pastry with cheese and glaze, then baked until golden.
- Effort Level: Simple
A Versatile Puff Pastry Appetizer
If you’re looking for a dependable, all-around appetizer for just about any occasion, this recipe for puff pastry sausage rolls is it. Made with turkey sausage, they’re light enough to serve before a meal but still substantial enough to hold their own on a platter of finger foods. Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or putting together a casual snack spread, they fit easily into just about any menu.
What sets this version apart is the extra attention to flavor and technique. Brushing the sausage with a mixture of tomato paste and balsamic vinegar adds savory depth and a subtle tang, while a layer of grated provolone ties everything together as it bakes. Pre-cooking the sausage keeps the puff pastry crisp and flaky, giving you sausage rolls in puff pastry that are consistently golden, well-seasoned, and easy to serve straight from the oven.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
ITALIAN TURKEY SAUSAGE: Using Italian turkey sausage keeps these puff pastry sausage rolls lighter than versions made with pork, while still delivering plenty of flavor. Italian chicken sausage is a good substitute, but avoid fully cooked sausages. They won’t yield the same tender texture.
PUFF PASTRY: Frozen puff pastry should be fully thawed but still cool before rolling. If the dough becomes too soft, it won’t puff properly in the oven. Resist the urge to over-roll; smoothing the creases is all that’s needed.
TOMATO PASTE AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR: This simple combination adds savory depth and a subtle sweetness that balances the richness of the sausage and pastry. Tomato paste provides concentrated umami, while balsamic vinegar adds brightness without overpowering the other flavors.
PROVOLONE CHEESE: Provolone melts smoothly and has a mild, slightly tangy flavor that complements both the sausage and the buttery puff pastry. Stronger cheeses like Parmesan tend to dominate; if you substitute, choose something that melts well and has a mild flavor.
Prep Overview
How to Make Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Start by removing the sausage from its casings and shaping it into even logs before baking. Cooking the sausage first ensures it’s fully done and allows excess fat and moisture to cook off, which is key to keeping the puff pastry crisp later. Once baked, the sausage is cooled to room temperature, an important step that prevents the pastry from softening during assembly.
While the sausage cools, the puff pastry is rolled just enough to smooth the creases and cut into strips. A thin layer of grated provolone is added first, followed by the sausage brushed with a tomato paste and balsamic mixture. This layering adds flavor without making the filling heavy and helps distribute seasoning evenly inside each roll.
After rolling and sealing the pastry, the sausage rolls are sliced into bite-sized pieces, brushed with egg wash, and lightly seasoned before baking at a higher temperature.
The hot oven allows the puff pastry to expand quickly, creating flaky layers and golden edges. The result is a batch of puff pastry sausage rolls that are crisp on the outside, well-seasoned inside, and easy to serve warm from the oven or shortly after baking.
More Puff Pastry Appetizers
If you’re serving these puff pastry sausage rolls as part of a larger spread, a few other puff pastry appetizers fit right in. Mushroom Puffs feature a savory, cheesy mushroom filling baked into flaky pastry; Spinach Pinwheels combine puff pastry with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and fontina for a lighter, make-ahead option; and Brie Bites with Cranberry balance creamy brie with jalapeño-spiked cranberry jam for a sweet-savory finish that works well for holidays or entertaining.
Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 links sweet Italian turkey sausage
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup finely grated provolone cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- All-purpose seasoning blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil lightly coated with nonstick spray.
- Using a sharp knife, slit the sausage casings lengthwise and remove them. Place the sausages on the prepared baking sheet and, using your fingers, reshape them into three uniform lengths, each about 1/2-inch in diameter and approximately 12 inches long. Bake until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the sausages from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes (this prevents the butter in the puff pastry from melting during assembly). Meanwhile, stir together the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Line the baking sheet with fresh parchment or foil sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Unfold the puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Roll gently (just enough to smooth the creases) into a 10 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut the pastry lengthwise into three equal strips and divide the grated provolone evenly down the center of each strip.
- Lightly brush the tops of the cooled sausages with the tomato paste mixture. Place one sausage, sauce side down, about 1/2 inch from the edge of each pastry strip. Brush the exposed side of each sausage with the remaining tomato paste mixture.
- Roll the pastry around each sausage, lightly moistening the edge with water if needed, and press firmly to seal. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Cut each roll into 8 equal pieces and arrange them on the baking sheet, spacing them about 1-1/2 inches apart. Brush each piece with the beaten egg, then sprinkle lightly with dried oregano and all-purpose seasoning.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
