Ah, Irish bangers and mash, a dish that warms the heart and fills the stomach with a satisfying blend of meat and potatoes. But what happens when we put a spin on this classic recipe by using bratwurst and adding a rich Guinness onion gravy? Well, let me tell you, it's an absolute game-changer!
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Why you'll love it
- Easy dinner for a busy weeknight or perfect for company on the weekend
- Inspired by the Irish and perfect for Saint Patrick's Day
- Comfort food that's hearty with unique flavor - the entire family will love it
Ingredients
Bratwurst - Now, I know what you're thinking, "That's not Irish food!" And you're right, it's not. But trust me on this, the juicy, flavorful bratwurst is the perfect match for the creamy mashed potatoes. It's also easy to find and is similar to Irish sausage, which is also made with pork. If you can get Irish sausage in your area, by all means use that.
Onion - I like yellow or sweet yellow onions. Red onion is another food option. You'll need a large onion.
Flour - all purpose flour to make the Guinness gravy. Choose a gluten-free thickener if needed.
Guinness beer - this is going to be used to make the rich onion gravy. This beer is found in the bottle and can. If you prefer something milder in taste, try a brown ale or amber lager. You can also reduce the amount of beer or use just beef broth if you want a less intense flavor.
Beef broth - homemade, canned, or from the carton.
Butter, olive oil - for cooking onions and sausages.
Mashed potatoes - this is the "mash" in bangers and mash. We prefer gold potatoes but russet potatoes are also a good choice. You'll also need some butter and milk.
Salt and black pepper - to taste
Equipment
Instructions
To make the bratwurst, start by heating a pan with a bit of oil over medium heat and cooking the sausages until they're nicely browned on the outside and mostly cooked through on the inside.
You can also grill them if you prefer, but there's something about the sizzling sound of the pan that makes this dish even more comforting. Set aside on a plate while you make the mashed potatoes and stout gravy.
To make the Guinness Stout Gravy, add some butter to the pan the sausages were cooked in. Add the sliced onions and season with some salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until they're softened and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for a minute or two.
Add the beer to deglaze the pan then pour in the beef broth. Stir to combine well with the onion mixture. Add cooked sausages to gravy and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
To make the mashed potatoes, peel and cut potatoes into one inch pieces. Boil in salted water until tender when pieces with a fork. Drain and return cooked potatoes to the pan. Mash then add the melted butter and warmed milk. Whip with a wooden spoon to your preferred consistency, adding more milk as needed.
Check out my Air Fryer Mashed Potatoes or my Popeye's Copycat Mashed Potatoes to round out this meal!
To serve, place a generous scoop of mashed potatoes on a plate then place a bratwurst on top of the mashed potatoes. Smother everything in the rich, savory stout onion gravy. Garnish with a bit of fresh parsley or green onions and voila! You've got yourself a delicious, hearty Irish Bangers and Mash meal inspired by the classic recipe.
Kitchen tips
- Add some fresh herbs like a thyme sprig to the gravy.
- Slightly caramelize onions for best results.
- Worcestershire sauce is another possible flavor addition to the gravy.
- Any good quality pork sausage or even some chicken sausage can be used in place of bratwurst.
- Pre-cooked sausage can be used. Cook according to package directions.
How to store and reheat
Store sausages, mashed potatoes, and gravy separately in air tight containers in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or stove top and reassemble.
Freeze food items separately in freezer safe containers for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Quick facts
According to Britannica, the English term bangers may have come about during WWI as meat shortages caused sausages to be made with fillers like water, which caused them to explode when cooked.
Bangers and mash simple means sausages and mashed potatoes. The classic pub dish is often topped with a savory brown onion gravy.
What to serve with Irish bangers and mash?
- Green peas
- Stout Gravy Recipe
- Champ - creamy mashed potatoes with green onions.
- Irish Colcannon - Champ with cabbage added.
More Irish recipes
📖 Recipe
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Irish Bangers and Mash with Guinness Onion Gravy
Ingredients
Bangers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 bratwurst sausages, uncooked or Irish sausage
Guinness Onion Gravy
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion medium or large
- 3 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup Guinness stout beer
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Mash
- 2.5 lbs gold potatoes diced into one inch pieces
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¾ cup milk, whole more or less as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To cook the bratwurst:
- Start by heating a pan with oil over medium heat and cooking the sausages until they're nicely browned on the outside and mostly cooked through on the inside. Set aside on a plate while you make the mashed potatoes and stout gravy.
Guinness Onion Gravy
- Add 2 tablespoon butter to the pan the sausages were cooked in to melt. Add the sliced onions and season with some salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until they're softened and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for a minute or two.
- Add ½ cup beer to deglaze the pan then pour in the 1.5 cups beef broth. Stir to combine well with the onion mixture. Add cooked sausages to gravy and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
Mash
- Peel and cut potatoes into one inch pieces. Boil in salted water until tender when pieced with a fork. Drain and return cooked potatoes to the pan. Mash then add the melted butter and warmed milk. Whip with a wooden spoon to your preferred consistency, adding more milk as needed.
- To serve, place a generous scoop of mashed potatoes on a plate then place a bratwurst on top of the mashed potatoes. Smother everything in the rich, savory stout onion gravy. Garnish with a bit of fresh parsley or green onions and voila! You've got yourself a delicious, hearty meal inspired by the classic bangers and mash!
Louise Corderman
Wonderful, as so many simple things are, definitely might change our St Pat's day dinner to this!
Nikole Berg
I'd love for you to give it a try Louise! Happy St Pats Day!
Erin Kiernan-Johnson
This dish is outstanding and pretty easy to make! Made for a change from the usual corned beef dinner for St. Patty’s and it was SO delicious!! So I made it again tonight at my son’s request. Definitely a keeper!