Italian Sausage Sandwich Salad

Grilled bread topped with a juicy combination of sausages, peppers, onions and salad greens hits that delicious spot between a salad and an open-faced sandwich. When grilling the different components, know that they all take slightly different times and plan accordingly: the vegetables take the longest, the sausages a little less, and the bread is the quickest.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
  • 3 bell peppers (mix of colors), seeded and sliced
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (12-ounce) package Applegate Organics® Sweet Italian Sausage
  • 4 to 8 slices country bread
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Instructions

  1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the oil, vinegar, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a jar, seal, and shake until well combined. Set aside.
  2. Preheat a cleaned grill to medium-high heat.
  3. Combine the sliced peppers and onions in a grill basket or on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  4. Grill the peppers and onions, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown in spots, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the grill.
  5. Meanwhile, grill the sausages until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from the grill and slice.
  6. Grill the bread, flipping once, until golden and toasted, about 4 minutes. Remove from the grill.
  7. Lay a slice or 2 of toasted bread on each of 4 plates. Top with the romaine, peppers, onions and sausages. Drizzle the dressing over everything. Serve at once.