British recipes
Easy British Recipes: Bangers and Mash, Shepherd's Pie and Bakes
British home cooking is about comfort and simple things done well: sausages browned slowly, gravy built on properly caramelized onions, potatoes mashed with butter and warm milk, and baking that leans on butter, brown sugar and dried fruit. Many dishes belong to the calendar, from hot cross buns and roast lamb at Easter to shortbread at Christmas.
The recipes here suit a weeknight as well as a holiday table. Bangers and mash with onion gravy is ready in 55 minutes, and shepherd's pie, made here with ground beef as many home cooks do (the lamb version is the traditional one), can be assembled a day ahead or frozen. Sticky toffee pudding bakes in one square pan, and the shortbread needs little more than butter, sugar, flour and a little cornstarch. For a weekend project, try the hot cross buns or a garlic and rosemary roast leg of lamb, roasted to 63°C (145°F) and checked with a thermometer.
6 recipes · Updated
Quick answer
Savour's British recipes include bangers and mash with onion gravy (55 minutes), Scottish shortbread cookies (55 minutes including chilling), sticky toffee pudding (65 minutes) and shepherd's pie with ground beef (1 hour 25 minutes including resting). A garlic and rosemary roast leg of lamb takes 2 hours 10 minutes including resting, and hot cross buns about 3 1/2 hours including rising.
- Recipes
- 6
- Average total time
- 1 hr 41 mins
- Quickest
- Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy (55 mins)
- Rated Easy
- 5 of 6
- Average calories
- 470 per serving
- Newest
- Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
All British Recipes (6)
Frequently Asked Questions
What pantry staples do I need for British cooking at home?
All-purpose (plain) flour, butter, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch cover most of the baking here, along with yeast, dried fruit and mixed spice for hot cross buns. For savoury dishes, keep onions, floury potatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and frozen peas on hand, plus fresh rosemary and garlic for roast lamb.
Which British recipe should I make first?
Start with bangers and mash with onion gravy. It takes 55 minutes, uses everyday ingredients and teaches you to make a proper onion gravy. Shepherd's pie is another easy family dinner, and you can assemble it a day ahead. If you would rather bake, the shortbread is a good place to begin, since it needs only a handful of ingredients and no special equipment beyond a cookie cutter.
What can I use instead of British ingredients like double cream, black treacle and self-raising flour?
Use heavy cream with at least 35% fat in place of double cream, and molasses in place of black treacle. For self-raising flour, use 175 g all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, which is how the sticky toffee pudding is written. Russet potatoes stand in well for Maris Piper or King Edward in mash, and pumpkin pie spice is the closest swap for mixed spice in hot cross buns.
Which British recipes can I make ahead?
Shepherd's pie can be assembled and refrigerated unbaked for up to 1 day, then baked from the fridge at 200°C (400°F) for 35-40 minutes until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F); it also freezes, baked or unbaked, for up to 3 months. Sticky toffee pudding can be baked up to 2 days ahead and reheated, with the sauce kept in a separate jar. Shortbread keeps in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, and hot cross buns freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the buns at room temperature and warm or toast them before serving.