Smoked Andouille Sausage and Cream Cheese Rolls

Let me give you a little peek into Mardi Gras season down here in Louisiana.  Mardi Gras is a celebration MARATHON and y’all well know that the best part of any marathon is the carb loading.  We take our sustenance very seriously this time of year as we need sustained energy to walk the parade route searching for friends, jumping for beads, and otherwise horsing around well past sunset.

Think of these rolls as generous Mardi Gras appetizers, a potluck brunch WOWER (technical term for when you impress everyone before noon), or an offering for your friend who “just isn’t into sweets” (hmm… sus).

It’s a pan of Mardi Gras love from me to you sponsored by our friends at Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage!  And if you’re not in the mood for a baking project, this Feed Your Krewe Jambalaya will fill with your belly with Mardi Gras vibes all the same.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this sausage roll recipe:

•  a batch of potato roll dough rested overnight in the refrigerator.  I’ll tell ya – boiling and smashing a potato for this dough is one million times worth the effort. These rolls will be so soft and tender they’re truly BEYOND.

•  Zatarain’s Andouille Smoked Sausage or Zatarain’s Cajun Smoked Sausage – perfectly seasoned and spiced pork sausage.

•  finely chopped trinity: onions, pepper, celery

•  kosher salt

•  the sausage has a perfect amount of spices, but thyme is also nice

•  softened cream cheese and fresh parsley for the filling

•  minced garlic, melted butter, and fresh parsley for topping

•  creole mustard, honey mustard, and ketchup if you’re a person who likes a dip.

To make the filling, first cut Zatarain’s Andouille Smoked Sausage into large chunks and use a fork to smash it into small bits.  This is the fastest way I’ve found to coarsely mince the sausage.

Add the sausage bits and trinity to a hot skillet over medium heat and saute until well browned and fragrant.

While the sausage mixture cools, stir together softened cream cheese and a small handful of finely chopped parsley.

This will be the cheese layer to this sausage roll recipe.  Praise be the cheese layer.

This gorgeous yeasted potato roll pastry dough has been resting in the refrigerator overnight in a large bowl.

The overnight rest allows the flavors of the dough to develop and lets the dough rise slowly.  I particularly like an overnight chilled rest because it makes the dough really easy to work with.  Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and knead for a few turns before rolling out.

Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 10×16-inches.  The dough will be about 1/2-inch thick.

Spread the dough with the softened herbed cream cheese, leaving about 1/2-inch dough plain on all sides. Top the cream cheese with the cooled sausage mixture.

From the long end, roll the dough into a tight coil, ending the roll seam-side down to allow the weight of the roll to seal it closed.

Use a sharp knife to cut the giant log into 12 equal portions.

These rolls will be nice and cozy on a rimmed baking sheet though I prefer the rectangle shape and sides of a traditional 9×13-inch pan.

Allow the rolls to rest and rise at room temperature while the oven preheats to 375 degrees F.

Bake these babies to golden brown and sizzling.

You’ll know they’re about done when they smell UH-MAZING.

While the rolls bake, melt together butter and garlic and stir in fresh parsley.

It’s garlic butter people – we’re goin’ out with a bang.

Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese because more is more and we’re talking about cheese here.

And those are your homemade sausage rolls. The rolls that will win you friends and influence along the Mardi Gras parade route. The roll you should wrap and stash in your pocket before you hit the streets on Fat Tuesday.

The potato roll dough bakes up tender and stretchy.  The rolls taste like a perfect combination of salt and spice with fresh herbs along with the savory Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage.

They’re currently my pride and joy, nbd.

Please leave any baking questions below. Rate and comment if you make this recipe and share your success with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

xo

Smoked Andouille Sausage and Cream Cheese Rolls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes + overnight
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours + overnight
• Yield: 12 rolls 1x
• Category: breakfast, brunch

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Ingredients

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For the potato dough:

• 1 cup (175 grams) unseasoned warm or room temperature mashed potatoes, lightly packed (about 1 medium to large potato), boiling water reserved
• 2 ½ teaspoons (1 pack) active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water (about 105 degrees) (cooled water that the potatoes were boiled in if possible)
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
• Scant ¾ cup lukewarm water (water that the potatoes were boiled in if possible)
• 4 ¼ cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more if necessary

For the filling:

• 1– 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1– 14 ounce package Zatarain’s Andouille Smoked Sausage
• ½ cup chopped trinity (mostly onions, a little celery and bell peppers)

For the topping:

• • 4 tablespoons (1/2 a stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. First cook the potato. I find it easiest to peel, quarter and boil the potato to softened. Remove the potato pieces and mash while still warm. Reserve the cooking water.
2. To make the roll dough, in a small bowl stir together yeast and warm potato water with a pinch of the granulated sugar. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes until the yeast foams and froths.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hood or in a large bowl to mix by hand combine the yeast mixture, eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 6 tablespoons butter cubes, mashed potatoes, water, and flour. Whether bringing together on a mixer or by hand, roughly combine the ingredients with a spatula.
4. If using a mixer, place on low speed with a dough hook and knead together. If mixing by hand, begin to knead the dough until all the ingredients are cohesive and the dough begins to smooth. The dough should be soft, pliable, bounce, and rather smooth. If there are a few potato bits or chunks in the dough, don’t worry – they’ll bake to smooth. If you find the dough is too sticky, stop the mixer and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Return to the dough and add up to ½ cup more flour. Dough should be soft but not very sticky.
5. Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
6. The next morning, make the filling. In a small bowl stir together softened cream cheese and parsley. Keep at room temperature.
7. On a cutting board, slice andouille into large 3-inch chunks. Use a fork to mash the sausage into crumbled, casing and all. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute crumbled sausage and chopped trinity until the sausage and onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl to cool slightly.
8. To assemble the dough, remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead for 8-10 turns on a lightly floured counter. While the dough is still chilled, roll it to a 10×16-inch rectangle on a well floured counter. The dough may be a little tough to roll chilled but it will eventually relax and stretch to a ½-inch thick rectangle.
9. Spread with the prepared softened cream cheese. Sprinkle with the browned sausage mixture. Roll into a tight coil starting on the longest side. Slice into 12 rolls with a sharp knife and place in a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
10. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until risen and golden brown, 28-30 minutes.
11. While the rolls bake, in a small saucepan over how heat melt together butter and garlic until fragrant and the garlic has softened, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
12. Remove rolls from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before brushing generously with garlic butter. Serve warm. Rolls are wonderful the day they are made. Store, covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Rolls can be reheated in foil in a 200 degree oven for 15 minutes of until warmed to the center.

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