You Don’t Have That With a Roast? The Regional Extras Britain Swears By

The great British Sunday roast (Sunday Dinner in Yorkshire) — an institution, a legend, an icon (at least in the UK) — comes in many guises. The grassroots elements tend to be the same up and down the country: some kind of roasted meat, roast potatoes (absolutely non-negotiable), a few basic vegetables and, of course, lashings of rich gravy. You simply can’t call it a roast if any of these bits are missing.

However, I found myself pondering what my cousin — who resides on the wrong side of the Pennines — would have made of our spread at a family gathering in Yorkshire over the weekend.

To start, my son-in-law served up huge, cloud-like Yorkshire puddings with mushy peas and mint sauce. I can already hear the cries of disdain: mushy peas? And surely mint sauce should only be served with lamb? Not at our table.

For mains, we were treated to roasted ham and turkey with all the trimmings: cauliflower cheese, sprouts with bacon, honey-roasted parsnips and, of course, roast potatoes. Yorkshire puddings also made a second appearance — this time swimming in meat gravy — alongside the pinnacle of Yorkshire extras: raw onions bathed in vinegar, served proudly on the side.

Riddle me this, I hear you cry. It’s true — we have raw onions in vinegar with our roast lunch. You might be appalled by the idea, but nothing — and I mean nothing — could be more appalling than one of my stepdaughter’s (now ex, thank God) boyfriends pouring salad cream over my perfectly cooked roast beef dinner. A travesty, if ever I’ve seen one.

So, while pondering what other folk in different regions scoff on with their Sunday roast, I did a spot of research — and honestly, I cannot believe onions in vinegar cause such a stir when compared to some of these abominations, frankly. From God’s Own County — and the home of the legendary Yorkshire pudding — I found myself thinking: what on earth are these people playing at?

With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the regional sides and extras that turn up alongside Sunday roasts around the UK — for better or worse.

Bread Sauce (Mostly the South)

A warm, milky, clove-scented sauce made from breadcrumbs, bread sauce is deeply loved in the South, particularly at Christmas. To the uninitiated, it looks suspiciously like baby food. Devotees insist it’s comforting; sceptics remain unconvinced.

Apple Sauce With Absolutely Everything

In some households, apple sauce isn’t reserved for pork — it’s liberally applied regardless of the meat on the plate. Turkey? Apple sauce. Beef? Apparently so. Lamb? Don’t ask questions.

Stuffing as a Main Side Dish

Across parts of the Midlands and beyond, stuffing is treated less as an accompaniment and more as a full-blown side dish, served in heroic quantities no matter what meat is on offer. Sage and onion with beef? Bold.

Sweetcorn on a Roast

This one caused genuine outrage during my research. Sweetcorn. On a Sunday roast. Bright, sweet and cheerfully yellow — yet utterly bewildering next to gravy.

Pasta on the Plate

I can’t even bring myself to post an image of this abomination.

Believe it or not, some families add pasta to a roast dinner — usually plain or lightly buttered. Less tradition, more “we had some left over”, but it exists.

Yorkshire Puddings as Dessert

I can’t even.

In certain parts of the country, Yorkshire puddings are treated as a sweet course, filled with jam, sugar or golden syrup. A practice best approached with caution — and silence from Yorkshire.

Salad Cream (Yes, Really)

I had hoped this was an isolated incident. It is not. Salad cream drizzled over roast meat and potatoes appears more often than anyone would like to admit. Sharp, yellow and wholly unnecessary.

Bread and Butter on the Side

In some households, a roast dinner arrives with sliced white bread and butter, used to mop up gravy — or, more alarmingly, to make a sandwich mid-meal.

So, when faced with raised eyebrows over raw onions in vinegar, I can’t help but feel quietly vindicated. Sharp, cleansing, and cutting through rich meat and gravy, they suddenly seem positively sensible compared to sweetcorn, pasta, or salad cream-based chaos.

The great British Sunday roast may be a national institution, but the extras reveal where you’re from — and possibly how much judgement you’re willing to endure at the dinner table.

And if you’re wondering: yes, we’ll still be having onions in vinegar with Christmas dinner. Non-negotiable. 🎄

Joanne Brook-Smith is a writer and editor with two decades of publishing experience. She launched Crave Magazine during the Covid period to create a fresh, inspiring space for food, travel and lifestyle content.