Bangers and mash
 Bangers and mash, served with peas and gravy | |
| Alternative names | Sausages and mash |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Main ingredients | Mashed potato, sausages |
Bangers and mash or sausages and mash is a traditional British dish consisting of sausages and mashed potato. The dish is usually served with onion gravy, and may also include fried onions and peas.[1][2][3]
This dish, even when cooked at home, may be thought of as an example of pub grub, meaning it is relatively quick and easy to make in large quantities.[4]
In 2009, the dish was listed as Britain's most popular comfort food in a survey commissioned by TV channel Good Food.[5]
Etymology
Although it is sometimes stated that the term banger has its origins in World War II, it is recorded in use at least as far back as 1919.[6] The term is said to have originated from the fact that sausages produced during the meat rationing of World War I were made with such a high water content that they were liable to explode when cooked.[4]
History
Although the Romans introduced sausages to Britain as early as the 4th century[7] and potatoes arrived from the Americas in the late 16th century[8], they were not paired as a singular meal until the Industrial Revolution.
The dish began to become especially popular among working class people due to its low cost and high caloric density. In 1747, Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy featured instructions for sausages served with potatoes.[9][10] However, the dish did not reach its status as a national staple until World War I.
See also
- List of sausage dishes
- List of meat and potato dishes
References
- ^ "Bangers and mash with onion gravy and peas". BBC Food. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
- ^ "Bangers with herby mash and onion gravy". BBC Food. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
- ^ Lindsey, Bareham (14 July 2016). Dinner tonight : 200 dishes you can cook in minutes. London: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 9781784721213. OCLC 957647044.
- ^ a b "Bangers and Mash". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Bangers and mash most popular comfort food as Britons eat more during credit crunch". The Daily Telegraph. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ "banger, n.4". The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. OED Online. Oxford University Press. 6 April 2007. (subscription required)
- ^ House, Thompson (20 December 2017). "Bangers and Mash: a History". Thompson House. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ^ "The History of Potatoes in Britain". Historic UK. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ^ Glasse, Hannah (1747). The art of cookery, made plain and easy : which far exceeds any thing of the kind ever yet published ... Getty Research Institute. London : Printed for the author, and sold at Mrs. Ashburn's, a china shop, the corner of Fleet-Ditch.
- ^ "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy". Jane Austen's World. Retrieved 26 April 2026.