The best vegetarian and vegan sausage rolls, tried and tested

Score: 83/100

Our testers really enjoyed this vegetarian roll, which combines subtly sweet, caramelised onions with sharp, salty mature cheddar, all wrapped up in a buttery, cheesy pastry. Serve hot with salad for a tasty midweek lunch.

Score: 80/100

With a classic Mediterranean combination of spinach and feta cheese, our panel felt this Gail's lunchtime menu staple was well-seasoned but not too salty, with notes of onion and nutmeg.

The multiple layers of crispy, flaky pastry were also a hit. A light, refreshing choice for the warmer months.

Score: 74/100

Our testers felt the sweet chilli and tangy cheese here was an intriguing flavour combination – though they loved the sweet chilli flavour, some felt the cheese was a little sharp.

The pastry has a good number of layers and while some of the filling spilled out of the sides during cooking, we think chilli fans will overlook that small niggle.

Score: 79/100

This sausage roll tastes convincingly meaty, with umami notes and a hint of sweetness. Our testers also highlighted the soft, flaky pastry, which contrasted nicely with the firm texture of the filling. A good alternative to its pork counterpart.

Score: 76/100

Ideal for those who want their vegetable sausage roll to taste like vegetables – rather than replicating the flavour of meat. This option from Caffé Nero is bursting with the flavours of butternut squash, sweet potato and onion, along with rosemary and oregano.

Testers enjoyed the very flaky pastry and the chunks of vegetable offered a good texture and flavour, resulting in a tasty vegan lunchtime option.

Score: 75/100

The one that broke the internet when it launched in 2019. Testers enjoyed the enticing aromas of the freshly baked, rich, buttery pastry from Greggs’ famous vegan sausage roll.

The flavour of the pastry was also a hit with our testers – it tastes decadently buttery despite being vegan. Though the filling was milder in comparison – lightly seasoned with salt, pepper and onion – it did have a convincing “meat” texture, which our panel enjoyed.

Score: 74/100

This vegan roll didn’t have the typical fake meat aroma, which our testers appreciated. Instead, it’s well-seasoned with herbs and black pepper.

The pastry is a little dense and bready, but the ‘sausage’ has a meat-like texture. This is a hearty option – ideal for dunking in your favourite sauces.

Score: 74/100

This vegan sausage roll boasts well-balanced flavours of sweet onions, peppers and paprika. While the red onion chutney is sweet, our panel found it was balanced by the spices. The pastry is quite soft, but the filling has a good bite to it.

Score: 74/100

The herby seasoning of these vegan sausage rolls – bursting with parsley, sage and nutmeg – was the highlight for our testers, although some found the umami flavour of the filling a little on the sour side.

Score: 74/100

Topped with a sprinkle of pleasingly crunchy seeds and spices, testers loved the aromatic aromas of fennel, turmeric, spiced potatoes and spinach in these vegetarian rolls.

The filling was slightly less punchy in flavour; however, it did have delicious notes of nigella seeds, fennel and onion with a light amount of heat that our panellists enjoyed. Dip in a vegan raita for a winning flavour combination.

Score: 73/100

Testers enjoyed the herby flavours of thyme and sage in this meat-free sausage roll, which had a good amount of salt and pepper seasoning.

Our panellists also liked the varied texture, which they found reminiscent of real sausage meat, although the pastry was missing that buttery flavour a little.