Spicy Mango Sausage Pasta Salad

Spicy Mango Sausage Pasta Salad

Don’t you just love the creative options we now have for brats? The amazing amount of smoked chicken sausage varieties is fun, fun, fun.

While I’m ever hopeful that our Oregon Costco will begin to carry the Aidell’s Pineapple Bacon sausages my family feasted on in Hawaii, I am also a big fan of the Mango Jalapeño sausages.

I’ve experimented with putting the sausage in eggs, on kebabs and, of course, on a bun. My new favorite sausage dish is this spicy take on the pasta salad.

Hold on to your taste buds, this salad is going to take them for a mega-flavor ride. A little citrus, a little heat and a little sweet combine for a big bowl of yum.

Ingredients List

• 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
• 4 Aidells Mango Jalapeño chicken sausages, sliced
• 2 sweet bell peppers, thinly sliced (red, yellow or orange)
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp jalapeño, diced
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or 1 1/2 cups cheery tomatoes, halved)
• 1 can of corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Cilantro-lime Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• Juice from 2 limes
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain.

In a skillet over medium heat, brown sliced sausage. Remove sausage and set aside to cool.

Add onions and peppers to skillet and saute for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

When ingredients are completely cooled, combine all salad fixings into a large bowl and toss.

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a salad shaker and shake thoroughly, or put into a bowl and whisk together.

Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss to coat.

Chill salad for 1/2 hour or more before serving to let flavors combine.