In this British Toad in the Hole recipe, browned pork sausages are baked within a soft and fluffy Yorkshire pudding batter. Based on just that, you can probably already tell it's going to be exactly what you need if you're craving something cheap, comforting, and deliciously homemade.
When I lived in the United Kingdom (where I met my husband), I was exposed to many new and exciting foods like the chicken pasty pie, Full English breakfast, British baked beans and this dish with a peculiar name: Toad in the Hole.
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What is Toad in the Hole?
If you've never heard of it before, toad in the hole is a traditional British dish consisting of a savory Yorkshire pudding batter baked with bangers (sausages) in it. The toad in the hole origins are a bit murky but generally date somewhere around the mid-18th century, created as a way to have a cheap dinner.
Ingredients
- flour - just an all-purpose flour will do
- milk - use regular cows milk (I use whole milk)
- melted butter - you can also use lard, roasted beef drippings, duck fat or bacon grease
- mustard powder - this is ground yellow mustard seeds and has a sharp taste (so you don't need a lot)
- British sausages - or your favorite pork sausages (just make sure they aren't super small or overly large - you want something in the middle)
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
More on choosing Your sausages. You can also try using different meats, especially since some of the earliest takes on this dish used beef as their protein of choice. Bangers are English breakfast sausages used in the popular bangers and mash dish. They are typically a combination of pork and seasoned breadcrumbs but can also be made with lamb or beef.
You can use any pork or beef sausage. I've tried this recipe with wieners and that was a sufficient substitute. It would make sense to use breakfast sausages if serving this dish for breakfast and wieners if serving it for dinner.
For something a little different, you could try chicken or turkey sausages.
How to Make Toad in the Hole
Step #1. Prepare batter. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Crack the eggs over the flour. Add the milk, melted butter and mustard powder.
Step #2. whisk. Whisk until smooth with a hand mixer or whisk.
Step #3. Cover. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand for 1 hour.
Step #4. Prep casserole dish. Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Grease a casserole dish with the canola oil and put it in the oven for 5 minutes to preheat it.
❤️ Another casserole recipe I think you will love is my cheesy tuna casserole.
Step #5. Brown sausages. Meanwhile, heat a skillet to medium-high, add a touch of oil and brown the sausages.
Step #6. Transfer sausages. Place browned sausages into the pre-heated baking dish.
Step #7. Bake. Pour the batter into the baking dish, over the sausages. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and risen.
👩🏻🍳Chef's Note: Try not to open the oven while baking for at least the first 20 minutes or it might not rise properly. Keep an eye on it.
Step #8. Serve. Serve the Toad in the Hole.
Serving Suggestions
While toad in the hole is quite good on its own, its real potential shines when you use it as a jumping off point for other elements of a meal. One popular addition would be to serve it with onion gravy, adding an extra punch of flavor and some savory sauce to go with it. You can also serve it with fried onions and peas.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: In order to store leftovers, you need to let it cool first. Transfer it to a covered container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Make sure to cover it well with plastic wrap and into a freezer bag.
- Reheat: It can be reheated in the oven from frozen. Cover it with foil and pop it in the oven at 350ºF for about 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. If desired, you can remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes to let the Yorkshire pudding get nice and crispy again. If you reheat it in the microwave it can become soggy.
Pro Tip
It's important to let the batter rest, so don't skip this step! This allows for the Yorkshire pudding to rise properly and will result in a more airy texture.
Toad in the Hole FAQs
While the British toad in the hole consists of sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding batter, the American version, which is a piece of toast with an egg cooked into the middle, is actually called Toad in a Hole.
If you're dealing with a soggy middle, it means it's likely not cooked completely. Another reason is you might be putting too many sausages in the dish.
It should be smooth and similar to the consistency of heavy cream.
❤️More Cooking Tutorials You Will Love
If you tried this classic British Toad in the Hole Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
British Toad in the Hole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 5 British sausages - pork sausages
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Crack the eggs over the flour. Add the milk, melted butter and mustard powder.
- Whisk until smooth with a hand mixer or whisk.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Grease a casserole dish with the canola oil and put it in the oven for 5 minutes to preheat it.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet to medium-high, add a touch of oil and brown the sausages.
- Place browned sausages into the pre-heated baking dish.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish, over the sausages. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and risen. Do not open the oven while baking for at least the first 20 minutes or it might not rise properly. Keep an eye on it.
- Serve the Toad in the Hole.
Notes
- Serving: One popular addition would be to serve it with onion gravy, adding an extra punch of flavor and some savory sauce to go with it.
- Pro Tip: It's important to let the batter rest so that the Yorkshire pudding rises properly and has a more airy texture.
- Fridge storage: In order to store leftovers, you need to let it cool first. Transfer it to a covered container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer storage: You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Make sure to cover it well with plastic wrap and into a freezer bag.
- To Reheat: It can be reheated in the oven from frozen. Cover it with foil and pop it in the oven at 350ºF for about 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. If desired, you can remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes to let the Yorkshire pudding get nice and crispy again. If you reheat it in the microwave it can become soggy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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