Glamorgan sausages are essentially cheese, bread and leek "croquettes" from South Wales, and they are as good as vegetarian bangers get.
There are two cooking phases for this recipe: the first is the preparation of the leeks and putting the sausages together. This will take around 40 minutes in total and can be done days in advance. Frying takes no more than 10 minutes.
Vegetarian Leek And Cheese Sausages
I adore sausages and would happily eat them at any time of the day.
Whether it is a sausage and fried egg sandwich for breakfast, a sausage roll or Scotch egg for a light lunch and toad in the hole or sausage and mash pie for dinner, I'm all good!
But sadly, vegetarian sausages are all too often a little disappointing.
Glamorgan sausages are, for me, the standout exception to that rule, probably because they are unashamedly vegetarian and don't try to emulate meat.
Although curiously, the original Glamorgan sausage was often a meat-based banger.
But around the time of World War II, they became almost exclusively breaded cheese and leek (or onion) croquettes. They are made of cheap, filling and delicious ingredients, bread, young local cheese and either leeks or onions.
Once they are breaded, they need to rest before being fried, and if you've never had them, you are in for a real treat.
These veggie sausages are pretty easy and great fun to make. They are also a fab way to get kids involved in the kitchen with something they will love to eat!
Frequently Asked Questions
What cheese is best to use?
The type of cheese that these sausages were originally made from does not exist anymore, and Caerphilly cheese, which is often suggested, is far from easy to find here in England.
But crumbly and relatively mild cheeses like Wensleydale or Lancashire work best, in my opinion. As Lancashire is home to me, it makes sense for me to use the local cheese.
Welsh cheddar is often mentioned as an option, but for me, it is not a great choice. However, it will work.
Can I bake or air fry these sausages?
Yes, although you do not get the same crust as you would by frying them.
If I were to bake or air fry these, then I would fry the breadcrumbs that I use to coat them in a little butter until golden.
Then air fry (180C° or 350°F) or bake (200°C or 390°F) until they are piping hot all the way through. This should be around 12-15 minutes in the air fryer and around 20-25 minutes in the oven.
Do I have to use English mustard?
No, if English mustard is a little pokey for you, feel free to move to Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard.
Can I make these in advance?
Yes, absolutely! They will sit in the fridge for 2-3 days, cooked or uncooked, and can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my Glamorgan sausages with a simply dressed side salad and some piccalilli in the photos on this page. I love the strong, bold mustard flavour and crunch of piccalilli with the salty cheese and sweet leeks in these croquettes.
However, they are great with other chutneys; something as simple as Branston pickle would be great, as would a red onion chutney.
It is not unusual to see these served with mashed potatoes and some peas, although I think that the flavour of celeriac mash makes a much more interesting meal.
Chips are another great option! Both my air fryer chips, or deep-fried chip shop style chips would work wonderfully. If I were to do this, I would probably add a generous dollop of a chutney on the side, as I have done in my pictures.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 30cm or 12" frying pan.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Food processor.
- Mixing bowl.
- Stirring spoon.
- A baking tray, plates and bowls to coat the sausages in breadcrumbs.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
Glamorgan Sausages Recipe with Leeks and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Medium-Large Leek 200g or 7oz
- 25 g Butter 2 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon English Mustard
- 200 g Soft White Breadcrumbs 3-3½ Unpacked Cups
- 200 g Lancashire Cheese 14oz or 2 Cups (Wensleydale an Caerphilly also work well)
- 4-5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 20 g Fresh Parsley ½-⅔ Packed Cup
- 2 Eggs
- 2-3 tablespoon Flour
- Oil for Frying
Instructions
- Cut the leek in half and give it a wash to remove any dirt. Then cut each half into 5cm (2") lengths and finely shred each piece.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a low-medium heat, add the butter, when the butter has melted, toss in the leeks, give them a stir and cover with a lid. Sweat the leeks down for 15 minutes.
- Whilst the leeks are softening, cut the bread into chunks and blitz it into fine breadcrumbs in a food processor. Add half of the bread crumbs to a bowl, keeping the other half for later.
- Crumble the cheese into the bowl.
- Pick the leaves from the thyme stems and place them on a chopping board with the parsley, then finely chop them both. Add them to the bowl with the cheese and breadcrumbs.
- By now, the leeks should have nicely softened. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and English mustard to the pan, stir and cook for 3-4 minutes to drive off any excess moisture.
- Transfer the leeks to the bowl with the cheese and breadcrumbs and stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the leeks have cooled a little. Have a taste now and add more salt and pepper if required.
- Add an egg to the cheese mix, and use your hands to combine everything together.
- Form this mix into 6 evenly sized sausages (wet hands help with this process).Transfer the sausage to the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.
- Add the flour to a plate and rooll the sausages in it.
- Crack the other egg into a bowl and whisk until it begins to become bubbly. Then roll the sasuages through the egg.
- Roll the "sausages" through the remaining breadcrumbs to form a light coating.
- Heat enough oil in the base of a 30cm or 12" frying pan to fill it 4-5mm deep and heat it to a temperature of 170°C or 340°F, then fry the sausages until golden all over. This will take around 7-8 minutes.
