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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    Published: October 22, 2019, Modified: December 1, 2020, By: Michelle Alston

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    Vegetarian Toad in the Hole, classic comfort food! This vegetarian version of the classic is easy to make and perfect for a great Sunday lunch or weeknight dinner.

    Vegetarian sausages in Yorkshire pudding style batter with peas and sage leaves

    Who doesn't love cosy comfort food this time if the year? Warming, filling and tasty toad in the hole is an English classic. And just because your vegetarian doesn't mean you can't enjoy this classic meal too. There are plenty of options now for good vegetarian sausages that you're really spoilt for choice. We've been having vegetarian toad in the hole for Sunday lunch for some time now, it took me a while to get the batter right but once I did this has ended up being a family favourite.

    Toad in the hole is a classic English dish, first appearing in cookbooks way back in the 18th century. No one knows exactly why it's called toad in the hole, the most common theory being that the sight of the sausages poking through the batter resembles frogs peering out from a hole. The first "in a hole recipe" appeared in Hannah Glasse's 1747 book The Art of Cookery, "pigeon in a hole", using pigeon in a Yorkshire pudding style batter. Thankfully there are no records of toads ever being used to make this dish!

    step by step process for making Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    How to Make Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    1. Make the batter, add the flour to a large mixing bowl then add the eggs and slowly whisk in the milk. Leave the batter to rest for as long as you can.
    2. Cook the sausages, so this is different from your regular toad in the hole, traditionally made with meat sausages. Vegetarian sausages won't release much fat when you cook them so I have found that frying them up is a better option.
    3. Heat the oil, add about two tablespoons of oil to a large baking tray then put that in a preheated oven and leave it to get good and hot.
    4. Add the sausages, carefully take that hot tray out of the oven then add the sausages to the tray. Pour the batter over and around the sausages then put it straight back in the oven and bake.
    Vegetarian sausages in Yorkshire pudding style batter with sage leaves
    Vegetarian sausages in Yorkshire pudding style batter and sage

    Tips for Making your Best Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    • Rest the batter, the longer you leave that batter to rest the better. Overnight would be amazing but I have had great results with resting it for an hour. You could also get away with 30 minutes if you're short on time.
    • Heat the oil, as I've mentioned above, vegetarian sausages don't release much fat, so the traditional way of cooking the sausages in the tray and adding the batter doesn't give the best results. So, you will need to heat the oil in the oven dish first, then add the sausages and then the batter. The batter needs to hit hot oil to get that crisp risen Yorkshire pudding effect.
    • The sausages, there are so many vegetarian sausages on the market now so just go with your favourite ones for this. I use a Lincolnshire style vegetarian sausage, which we've found tastes great in toad in the hole.
    • Herbs, I add fresh thyme and sage leaves to my batter but rosemary works very well too. I've made this with and without herbs and to honest the batter with the herbs always tastes better.

    Making Ahead and Storing

    You can make the batter a day in advance, I recommend doing that. The finished dish is best served immediately, I don't recommend freezing this. If you have any leftovers I would keep it in the fridge for a day and reheat it in the oven, bear in mind that it won't be as good as when it was first cooked.

    How to Serve Toad in the Hole

    We usually have this at the weekend and I serve this with broccoli, carrots, mashed potatoes and onion gravy. If we have it during the week I serve it with peas and mash. I always serve it with gravy so go with your favourite gravy for this one.

    Need more cosy comfort food ideas?

    • Vegan Sausage Casserole
    • Beetroot and Goat's Cheese Tart
    • Butter Bean Stew with Sweet Potato 
    • Vegetarian Chilli 
    • Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
    • Creamy Vegetable Pot Pie
    Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    Vegetarian Toad in the Hole

    Vegetarian Toad in the Hole, classic comfort food! This vegetarian version of the classic is easy to make and perfect for a great Sunday lunch or weeknight dinner.
    5 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: British, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    resting time: 1 hour
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 427kcal
    Author: Michelle Alston

    Ingredients

    • 1 scant cup plain/all-purpose flour (100g)
    • 2 large eggs
    • ⅔ cup semi-skimmed milk (150ml)
    • 2 ½ tablespoon light olive oil
    • 8 vegetarian sausages
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
    • 5 or 6 fresh sage leaves
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
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    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 220C/392F. 200C fan.
    • Add the flour to a large mixing bowl, make a well in the centre then add the eggs.
      Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth batter. Cover the batter and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour, 30 minutes at the very least.
    • Heat ½ a tablespoon of oil in a pan and cook the vegetarian sausages until golden.
    • Add 2 tablespoon of oil to a large roasting dish, put the dish in the oven until the oil is piping hot.
    • Take the batter out of the fridge, then whisk in the thyme, salt and pepper.
      Take the hot dish out of the oven, add the sausages to the dish then pour the batter in between and over the sausages.
      Drop the sage leaves randomly around the batter.
      Return the dish to the oven then cook for 30 minutes or until the batter has turned golden brown and has risen.
      Serve immediately with mash onion gravy and vegetables.

    Notes

    • Nutritional Information is approximate and is calculated using an online tool. It will vary depending on the sausages you use.
    • The batter, you will get the best results from leaving the batter to rest for as long as possible. An hour at least overnight is optimal however I have had good results from leaving it to rest for 30 minutes.
    • Sausages, try to get the best vegetarian sausages you can find. We like Linda McCarthy's Lincolnshire sausage for this.
    • Heating the dish, it's really important to heat the dish with the oil in it before you add the batter. The heat will expand the oil which will spread around the dish. When the batter hits the hot oil it will start to cook immediately so get it in the oven as quickly as possible.
    • Freezing, I don't recommend freezing this dish. You stand the change of burning the batter and the sausages. You can make the batter the day before and you can cook the sausages beforehand too if you need to.
    • Can I make this vegan? I haven't tested this recipe to be vegan, the BBC have a good vegan toad in the hole which you can find here.
    • Can I make this gluten-free? Yes, use gluten-free flour, and make sure the vegetarian sausages are gluten-free too.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.4g | Protein: 22.4g | Fat: 22.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did you Make this Recipe? Save it Today!Mention me on Instagram at @thelastfoodblog or tag #thelastfoodblog!
    Vegetarian Toad in the Hole
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    Stuffed Pasta Shells with Spinach & Ricotta »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karen

      December 07, 2022 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      I used Quorn sausages, just quickly browned, this dish was really light and fluffy, I left the mix for only half an hour, it was delicious.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        December 15, 2022 at 12:12 pm

        Thanks so much, Karen. I'm so glad you liked it 🙂

        Reply
    2. Liz

      April 05, 2022 at 9:18 pm

      5 stars
      The whole family (even the meat eaters!) really enjoyed this. Simple to make and very tasty.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        April 08, 2022 at 10:44 am

        Thanks so much Liz, I'm so glad you all enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Julie Vernon

      September 28, 2021 at 4:55 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Used Aldi plant based sausages. Also added some roasted butternut squash and red onion to the tray with sausages before pouring batter over. A winner!

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        September 30, 2021 at 11:39 am

        Thanks so much, Julie. I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    4. Alice

      December 01, 2020 at 7:36 am

      Looks good, although I do think there's a serious typo: FOURTEEN teaspoons of black pepper???

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        December 01, 2020 at 7:57 am

        Hi Alice, thanks so much for bringing this to my attention, you are absolutely right it is a serious typo. I have updated the recipe now with the correct number of teaspoons of black pepper, which is 1/4 of a teaspoon. Best wishes, Michelle.

        Reply
    5. Ruth Silver

      May 12, 2020 at 6:23 pm

      The best Vegetarian Sausages are Richmond meat free. I did not have fresh sage or Tyme so used mixed herbs just as good.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        May 13, 2020 at 10:09 am

        Hi Ruth, I'm glad it worked put well with the mixed herbs. I've heard great things about those Richmond sausages but haven't been able to get any! They must sell out very fast!

        Reply
    6. Molly Kumar

      October 23, 2019 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      This looks absolutely delicious and I'm so happy to find a vegetarian recipe for Toad in the Hole.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 23, 2019 at 6:18 pm

        Thanks so much Molly x

        Reply
    7. Sasha

      October 23, 2019 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      I love love love toad in the hole! It's one of the best comfort foods. I need to give it a try with veggie sausages- I bought some frozen vegan ones from sainsburys a while back and was really impressed! Your version looks absolutely divine. And I'm relieved to know that there have never been actual toads in toad in the hole 🙂

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 23, 2019 at 6:18 pm

        Thanks so much Sasha, there are so many great veggie sausages out there now it's really easy to make this with good veggie sausages!

        Reply
    8. Katie Crenshaw

      October 23, 2019 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      How cool is this? I never thought to make a vegetarian version of Toad in the Hole! Brilliant. This will be fun for meatless Mondays!!! The recipe looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 23, 2019 at 6:17 pm

        Thanks so much Katie, I hope you enjoy it x

        Reply
    9. Danielle Wolter

      October 23, 2019 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      Oh my, this looks incredible. I've never tried making toad in the hole before, and am loving this vegetarian version!

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 23, 2019 at 6:15 pm

        Thanks so much Danielle x

        Reply
    10. Dannii

      October 23, 2019 at 9:03 am

      This was one of my favourite meals as a kid. So comforting.

      Reply
    11. Chris Collins

      October 23, 2019 at 9:02 am

      5 stars
      Toad in the hole is my absolute favourite! Can't wait to try the veggie version 🙂

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 23, 2019 at 9:06 am

        Thanks so much Chris, I hope you enjoy the veggie version 🙂

        Reply
    12. Megan Ellam

      October 23, 2019 at 8:40 am

      5 stars
      Damn! This looks so good, and I am a huge sage fan. We have loads in the garden at the moment so I am thinking this could be a winner this weekend. Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Michelle Alston

        October 23, 2019 at 8:49 am

        Thank you so much Megan! I hope you enjoy it x

        Reply

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