Pasta salads are fun to eat and easy to prepare. Cook up a pound of pasta, splash on some dressing, toss in some fixings, and enjoy! Taylor and I know that a pasta salad is a great addition to any tailgate, cookout, or well-stocked refrigerator.
Cooked, crumbled breakfast sausage, spicy pepper jack cheese, and a zippy Dijon vinaigrette are the foundation of this hearty hot weather pasta salad. Pasta Salad with Sausage and Pepper Jack can be prepared a day in advance and tossed just prior to serving. Feel free to use your favorite bulk sausage (chicken, turkey, etc.) and switch up the cheeses, vegetables and pasta shapes. With one pound of pasta and your pantry, who knows what creations you will come up with!
Pasta Salad with Sausage and Pepper Jack
Serves 8 to 10
1 pound Mezze Penne pasta, cooked al dente and drained
1 pound hot bulk breakfast sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 cups sliced scallions, white and green part
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup small dice red bell pepper
1/2 cup small dice yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons grape seed oil (or other neutral flavored vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 red pepper flakes (optional and to taste)
1. Put the cooked pasta into a large bowl. Add the sausage, cheese, scallions, Parmesan and parsley. Toss the pasta to mix the ingredients. Add the bell peppers, olive oil, vinegar, grape seed oil, and mustard. Toss the salad until well blended. Add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss the pasta until the salad is well blended. Refrigerate the pasta salad until ready to serve. Toss the salad prior to serving.
©Recipe Sally James Mathis
©Photography Taylor Mathis
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