Is there anything more comforting than the classic English dish Toad in the Hole? Golden baked sausages roasted in a light and crispy giant Yorkshire Pudding. This is one recipe that we all need a foolproof, easy version of, and here’s mine!
This is the kind of dish that we all loved as children but the pressure to come up with a perfect Yorkshire Pudding recipe can make it feel a bit daunting to attempt as adults.
Well, I am here to tell you that it’s not that difficult, you don’t have to worry about perfection here (NEVER!) and that when you find the best Toad in the Hole recipe – and the simplest – you’ll be making this homemade version over and over again.
That said, one rule I beg you to remember – keep the oven door shut! 😜
Why you’ll love this recipe
⭐️ Ultimate traditional comfort food
⭐️ A show-stopper for Sunday lunch
⭐️ Low cost and simple ingredients
About Toad in the Hole
It’s a rite of passage for everyone in the land who loves cooking to perfect Yorkshire Puddings, and indeed Toad in the Hole. So what is this strange dish, I hear non-British people cry? And why on earth is it called Toad in the Hole?
It is a dish made up of sausages cooked inside a big Yorkshire Pudding, which is usually served with vegetables on the side and onion gravy over the top. We are proud of our humble origins of Yorkshire Puddings, which date back to the 18th century and were a way for the poor to feed their families (they are made up of eggs, flour and milk).
Adding a little meat meant a whole meal was on offer, so a Toad in the Hole recipe helped to bulk up meals that had meagre meat portions. So, nothing at all to do with toads! Here’s a theory in The Culture Trip as to how that name might have come about.
What you’ll need
- Sunflower oil – Olive oil won’t work as well here as it needs to get up to a very high temperature
- Sausages – As good quality as you can afford and nice plump ones
- Milk – Semi-skimmed is fine
- Eggs – Medium sized
- Plain flour – Regular plain baking flour
- Salt – I like sea salt
How to make the Toad in the Hole recipe
1. Preheat the oven, add sausages to oil and coat. Put into cook.
2. Start the batter by whisking the flour and eggs together.
3. Add a little liquid at a time to the mixture and whisk into a smooth batter.
4. Add the batter to the sausages and cook for about 30 minutes until golden.
Hint: Do not open the oven door until the batter has been cooking for at least 25 minutes!
Substitutions
- Veggie sausages – If you want to make this as a Vegetarian Toad in the Hole, veggies sausages are fine to use. They might need slightly less cooking time, so keep an eye on them and adjust according to the timings on the pack.
Leftovers
This is best eaten immediately if you want the best results (allowing a few minutes for it to be easier to remove from the tin as mentioned below) but you can get ahead by making the batter earlier and refrigerating. You can also brown the sausages first to save time.
If you want to reheat Toad in the Hole, you can do this in the microwave or oven covered up with foil, but it may become soft in the microwave and dry out a little in the oven.
Top tips
Don’t open the oven door!
This is a well-known fact in Yorkshire Pudding-land. But I repeat: DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR until at least 25 minutes into the cooking time. If you do, your batter will sink.
Use a tin rather than ceramic dish:
This will help your batter to rise as it will reach a higher temperature. I actually think this is pretty key to the dish.
Getting your Yorkshires to rise:
Toad in the Hole needs a hot dish with plenty of oil. Using a metal baking tin and adding the batter quickly is recommended. Also, the dish needs to be large enough so that the batter can creep around the edges (at least 30cm x 25cm ideally).
What to serve with Toad in the Hole?
- Onion gravy – Easier than you think to make your own!
- Mashed potatoes
- Colcannon – Decadent and delicious
- Bubble and Squeak – The British CLASSIC
- Red Cabbage – Love this veggie side dish
- Any other steamed vegetables
FAQ
I find using a very small whisk works best if you have one, or an electric whisk. (I recommend this handheld whisk).
Add SOME of the liquid first (in this case I add the eggs first), then mix until it’s a smooth paste, and then add the milk gradually, each time making sure the mixture is smooth before adding more.
To prevent the Toad in a Hole from sticking, wait about 5 minutes after cooking before trying to remove it from the tin.
The batter is more likely to lift in one piece instead of trying to hack it out as soon as it’s cooked!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Toad in the Hole {Foolproof Recipe!}
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 8 Sausages About 450g
- 150 g Plain flour
- Pinch Salt
- 3 Eggs
- 200 ml Semi-skimmed milk
- 50 ml Water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220c.
- Add the oil and sausages to an oven proof dish and stir to coat everything with the oil. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the flour and salt with the eggs until you have a very smooth, very thick paste.
- Add about a third of the milk, whisk until smooth, add the rest, along with the water and again whisk until totally smooth.
- Remove the dish from the oven and then pour in the batter around the sausages.
- Return to the oven and reduce the temperature to 200°C. Cook for 30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN until at least 25 minutes has passed! Serve immediately when crisp and golden.
Notes
Serve with How about my Simple Onion Gravy recipe?Oven door: DO NOT OPEN it until at least 25 minutes into the cooking time or the Yorkshire pudding it will sink. Tin: Try to use a metal tin rather than ceramic dish as this will affect the cooking temperature. It needs to be large enough so that the batter can rise and creep around the edges (at least 30cm x 25cm ideally). Add the batter quickly: This will help it to rise. To serve: Best served with mashed potatoes, onion gravy and vegetables.
Bonnie Phillips says
Just made this and it’s going down a treat as I type! I used chipolatas and they were no match for the batter, it just flung them out of the dish or to the sides of the tray haha So next time I’ll go for proper sausages 👍🏽
Hayley Lawrence says
Most successful toad in the hole recipe I’ve ever followed. All round winner at dinner
Rachel says
It worked! I used a ceramic dish by mistake but it still came out perfect – clean plates all round! Thank you!
James says
Wow after getting average results from other websites, I saw the 5 starts on here and thought I’d give this one a go. Hands down the best TITH I’ve ever made. I was wondering what the difference is since they all have more or less the same recipe and I think it must be adding a bit of water to the batter, which the others don’t do. The batter rose beautifully and stayed up. I’m sticking with this recipe for the rest of my life. Cheers!
James says
Wow after getting average results from other websites’ recipes, I saw the 5 stars here and thought I’d give this one a go. Hands down the best TITH I’ve ever made. I was wondering what the difference is since they all have the same ingredients and I think it must be adding a bit of water to the batter, which the others don’t do. The batter rose beautifully and stayed up. I’m sticking with this recipe for the rest of my life. Cheers!
Ann says
I looked at several recipes to understand the egg : flour: milk proportions right as well as the technique since I know Yorkshire puddings can be finicky. Loads of recipes said to rest the batter anywhere from 30m to 4h to overnight, some had extra ingredients in the batter, etc etc. This was the most straightforward, least faffy recipe – it turned out PERFECTLY and is Yorkshire boyfriend approved!!! I might add a little more salt or some fresh thyme into the mix next time but overall, delicious!
Mary Gowans says
At 56 I’ve finally found a TITH recipe that works. So easy to make and definitely foolproof. Thank you once again for providing me with a recipe that went down a treat
Kath says
I’ve been after a good recipe for this for ages, and this worked beautifully! Easy to follow recipe, perfect ratio of batter to sausages, really tasty. I will do this again.
Naomi says
I make toad in the hole frequently as its a family favourite but following a different recipe. It always end up okay but not great.
Decided to look for another recipe and adding the water and milk gradually and also by not opening the door for 25mims was a game changer.
Fluffy and yummy. Will never need to look again thank you 🥰
Esther says
Absolutely Amazing! I have attempted toad in the hole many times and failed but nailed it tonight following this recipe!
My daughter enjoyed helping me make it and we made a meat and veggie one and they were both gobbled up really quickly. Thank you so much – this is our new favourite meal.
Sarah says
Definitely an easy recipe where the Yorkshire pudding batter rises perfectly. Win win 👍🏼
Lesley Cassie says
Wow at long last I have managed to make a perfect Toad in the Hole!! Love your meal plans too 😍
Jo says
Soooo easy! Thanks for this magic recipe
Lindsey says
First time success and totally delicious x everyone loved it!
Janine says
Toad in the hole worked beautifully.