This post is sponsored by Dragon Wales.
A quick and easy vegetarian recipe for traditional Welsh Glamorgan sausages, made using Dragon’s Handcrafted Cavern Emerald leek-blended Cheddar cheese to save time on cleaning, cutting and cooking leeks. On the table in just one hour, and delicious served with Dragon’s Piccalilli Pickle!
Despite having written about Welsh food for the best part of 13 years, I still squeal with excitement when I see Glamorgan sausages listed on a restaurant menu anywhere in Wales; let alone elsewhere in the UK!
Closer to a veggie Welsh rissole or croquette than a traditional sausage, Welsh Glamorgan sausages (or “Selsig Morgannwg”), don’t actually contain any meat at all. Made using a combination of breadcrumbs, Glamorgan cheese (derived from the now near-extinct Glamorgan cattle), leeks, mustard and eggs, these traditional Welsh vegetarian* sausages are actually incredibly easy to make yourself at home.
*Welsh Glamorgan sausages are vegetarian, provided that the cheese used to make them isn’t made using animal rennet.
Contents
What is the history of Glamorgan sausages?
A popular treat during World War Two – when meat was rationed – these Welsh veggie sausages are incredibly easy and cheap to make, especially if you’ve got leftover bread to use up. However, their roots stretch back to the 1850s, when George Borrow raved about eating Glamorgan sausages for breakfast in Wild Wales.
According to a recent article on Welsh food and drink published in National Geographic Traveller magazine – citing a 1700s recipe calling for pork, cloves and ginger – earlier forms of Glamorgan sausage may have contained meat. However, it’s not clear whether these meat-based sausages were Glamorgan sausages per se, or whether they were referred to as such simply because they originated from the south Wales county of Glamorgan.
Ingredients
A basic Welsh Glamorgan sausage recipe calls for cheese, breadcrumbs, mustard, fresh herbs (usually parsley, thyme and/or sage), leeks and eggs. However, as my recipe uses Dragon Handcrafted Cavern Emerald Welsh Cheddar blended with leeks, you can omit the fresh leeks.
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make my Glamorgan sausages:
- Dragon Cavern Emerald Cheddar cheese
- Dragon Welsh Salted Butter
- Breadcrumbs
- Fresh parsley
- Mustard powder
- Black pepper
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Salt
- Plain flour
However, recipes differ in terms of what kind of cheese, breadcrumbs and mustard are used, while cooking methods also vary.
Ingredient substitutions
Cheese
Classic Glamorgan sausage recipes used Glamorgan cheese, but as this is no longer produced, Caerphilly cheese is commonly used instead. A descendant of Glamorgan cheese, the crumbly texture and distinct flavour lends itself well to Glamorgan sausages. Alternatively, some recipes call for Cheddar cheese.
I’ve used Dragon’s Handcrafted Cavern Emerald – a Welsh slate cavern-aged Cheddar, blended with dried leeks. This sharp, creamy Cheddar works wonderfully in Glamorgan sausages and, as it already contains leeks, it reduces preparation time too. You can buy this cheese direct through Dragon’s website, or from local stockists and independent supermarkets throughout the UK.
Breadcrumbs
Always aim to use fresh, rather than dried breadcrumbs. I’ve used white breadcrumbs in my Glamorgan sausages recipe, but feel free to experiment with wholemeal, granary, sourdough, or whichever kind of bread you like.
Mustard
I’ve tested this recipe using dry mustard powder, Dijon mustard, English mustard, and wholegrain mustard. Personally, I find that dry mustard powder makes for a more subtle flavour, allowing the tangy notes in the leeks and cheese to shine through.
However, you can substitute the dry mustard powder with English mustard; stir it into the beaten egg yolks and milk, rather than adding it to the breadcrumb mixture.
Ingredient additions
Some Welsh Glamorgan sausage recipes also call for the addition of Welsh Laverbread, like the recipe shared by respected Welsh food writer, Nerys Howell in National Geographic Traveller (November 2023).
Variations
Coated vs. uncoated
Some Glamorgan sausage recipes skip the breadcrumb coating, and simply advise pan-frying the sausages directly after chilling. However, I much prefer the crispiness that the breadcrumb coating gives. Uncoated Glamorgan sausages also tend to lose their shape during cooking, becoming somewhat soggy.
Baking vs. frying
Some cooks prefer to shallow-fry their Glamorgan sausages for 5-6 minutes or so, before placing them into an oven preheated to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. This helps to ensure they cook thoroughly throughout. However, if you keep the pan at a low heat and fry the sausages slowly, turning regularly to avoid burning, there’s no reason why you can’t simply pan-fry them on the stove for around 15 minutes instead.
Alternatively, you can also air-fry your Glamorgan sausages for around 12 minutes on 180°C; just bear in mind that they won’t be quite as golden or crispy, and they may lose their shape during cooking.
Instructions
1. Combine cheese, 100g breadcrumbs, parsley, mustard powder, and pepper.
2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites, reserving the whites.
3. Beat the yolks together with the milk, and stir into the breadcrumb mixture. Aim for a dough-like texture, with a sticky (as opposed to sloppy) consistency.
4. Divide the mixture into eight pieces, and use your hands to roll each into the shape of a sausage, roughly around three inches long. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Season the plain flour with the salt, and coat each ‘sausage’ in the seasoned flour.
6. Whisk the egg whites together until slightly frothy, and coat each sausage.
7. Roll each sausage in the remaining 75g breadcrumbs.
8. Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet and, once hot, shallow fry the sausages at a low heat. Cook them for two minutes per side, turning each sausage with a pair of tongs around four times until golden all over. Repeat to ensure they’re cooked through (cooking the sausages for a total of 16 minutes).
9. Serve with Dragon Piccalilli Pickle, and a crisp side salad.
Easy Welsh Glamorgan sausages
Equipment
- 1 non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 175 g Dragon Cavern Emerald grated
- 175 g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- Plain flour for coating
- 50 g Dragon Welsh salted butter for frying
- 110 g jar Dragon Piccalilli Pickle to serve
- fresh salad to serve
Instructions
- Combine cheese, 100g fresh breadcrumbs, parsley, mustard powder, and pepper.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites, reserving the whites. Beat the yolks together with the milk, and stir into the breadcrumb mixture.
- Divide the mixture into eight pieces, and use your hands to roll each into the shape of a sausage, roughly around three inches long. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Season the plain flour with the salt, and coat each ‘sausage’ in the seasoned flour.
- Gently whisk the egg whites together until slightly frothy and coat each sausage, before rolling each one in the remaining 75g breadcrumbs.
- Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet and, once hot, shallow fry the sausages at a low heat. Cook them for two minutes per side, turning each sausage with a pair of tongs around four times until golden all over. Repeat to ensure they’re cooked through (cooking the sausages for a total of 16 minutes). Serve with Dragon Piccalilli Pickle, and a crisp side salad.
Notes
- Don’t be tempted to skip chilling your Glamorgan sausages; this really helps to bind the ingredients together.
- You can also cook your Glamorgan sausages in the air-fryer for 12 minutes at 180°C, but they won’t be quite as crisp or golden.
- Try adding the mustard powder to your food processor along with the bread, when making your breadcrumbs; this is a great way to ensure it gets mixed through thoroughly.
- You can replace the mustard powder with one teaspoon of English mustard if you prefer, but you’ll need to stir this into the egg yolks and milk, rather than adding it to the breadcrumbs.
- When shallow-frying your Glamorgan sausages, be sure to keep a close eye on them, and don’t let them burn. If you prefer, you can pop them into an oven at around 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 for 10 minutes or so, after browning them off in the pan.
- Glamorgan sausages will stay fresh for 1-2 days in the fridge, or freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months. Cook from frozen in 15-20 minutes at 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
Nutrition
What to serve with Glamorgan sausages
The question of how best to serve your Glamorgan sausages ultimately depends on how hungry you are, and what time of day it is.
Paired with Dragon’s Piccalilli Pickle and a crisp side salad, they make for a delicious light lunch or snack. Alternatively, many people (George Borrow included!) like to enjoy Glamorgan sausages as part of a traditional Welsh breakfast. Often, they’ll be used to substitute meat-based sausages and/or bacon on a vegetarian breakfast.
Personally, I love to eat Glamorgan sausages served with fried egg and baked beans for a comforting, filling meal. And, if you have any Glamorgan sausages leftover, you can freeze them and defrost them to snack on, or to enjoy on seasonal autumn cheese boards or festive grazing platters, for example.
This post is sponsored by Dragon Wales.
These look really unusual. I love trying different foods, especially local cuisine. I try and make a point of trying at least one local dish when I’m travelling.
Thanks, they are lovely. I love trying foods from different cuisines too 🙂
My husband loves Glamorgan sausages and this recipe looks delicious. Will have to have a go making them for him
Thank you! Hope he enjoys them if you decide to make them for him; they’re so quick and easy to do.