My husband is from Minnesota, which means he is legally required to love sausage and to feed us some form of it at least once a week. It's practically written into our marriage vows at this point! So when I pair his beloved smoked sausage with pasta salad? Let's just say the man thinks he's died and gone to heaven.

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This BBQ Smoked Sausage Pasta Salad takes everything you love about a classic potluck pasta salad and gives it some serious attitude - smoky BBQ-seasoned sausage, sharp cheddar, and just enough sriracha to make things interesting. It's the pasta salad that finally gives the meat-and-potatoes guy in your life something to get excited about.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's bold, not boring. BBQ seasoning and sriracha take this pasta salad way beyond mayo-and-noodles territory.
• It feeds a crowd. This is party-size, so it's perfect for potlucks, cookouts, and game day spreads.
• It's make-ahead friendly. Chill it for an hour (or overnight) and it's ready when you are.
• Pantry-friendly ingredients. Nothing fancy here - just real, satisfying comfort food.

Tools You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large skillet
• Large pot
• Colander
• Large bowl
• Silicone spoon and spatula
• Small bowl
• Whisk or spoon

Ingredients

• 14 oz beef smoked sausage ring
• 1 tablespoon barbecue rub (this is the seasoning we use)
• 1 lb rotini noodles
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup sliced black olives
• 8 oz cheddar, cubed
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup Italian dressing
• 1-2 tablespoon sriracha sauce (depending on your preferred spice level)

Directions

Step 1: Cook the sausage. Cut the sausage into ½-inch slices, then cut the slices in half so you have half-moon pieces. Add them to a skillet and sprinkle the barbecue seasoning over the meat. Cook over medium heat, tossing occasionally, while the noodles cook.

Step 2: Cook and cool the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for about 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain in a colander and run cold water over the noodles for a few minutes, tossing with a spoon to help them chill evenly. Dump the cooled noodles into a large bowl.

Step 3: Prep your mix-ins. Cut the tomatoes, onion, olives, and cheese while the noodles cool.

Step 4: Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, and sriracha. Pour over the noodles and stir well to coat.

Step 5: Combine everything. Add the cooked sausage, tomatoes, onion, olives, and cheese to the bowl. Toss until everything is well combined.

Step 6: Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.

Tara's Tips

• We use Bad Byron's Butt Rub for the sausage - it adds that smoky, slightly sweet BBQ flavor that makes this salad stand out.
• Want more heat? Add an extra splash of sriracha to the dressing before mixing it in.
• A large mixing bowl with a lid makes chilling and transporting this salad so much easier.

Yield: 12

BBQ Smoked Sausage Pasta Salad

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This smoked sausage pasta recipe combines BBQ rub, sriracha heat, sharp cheddar, tomatoes, red onion, and black olives tossed in mayo and Italian dressing.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 27 minutes

Ingredients

• 14 oz beef smoked sausage ring
• 1 tablespoon barbecue Rub
• 1 lb rotini noodles
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup sliced black olives
• 8 oz cheddar, cubed
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup Italian dressing
• 1-2 tablespoon sriracha sauce (depending on your preferred spice level)

Instructions

1. Cut the sausage into ½ inch slices, then cut the slices in half (so you have a half moon). Add them to a skillet and sprinkle the barbecue seasoning over the meat. Cook over medium heat, tossing as it heats while the noodles cook.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles and cook for about 10-12 minutes, until noodles are tender. Pour into a colander in the sink to drain the water  and run cold water on the noodles for a few minutes. I like to toss the noodles with a spoon while the water is running on them to chill all of the noodles. Dump cooled noodles into a large bowl.
3. Cut the tomatoes, onion, olives, and cheese.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, Italian dressing and sriracha together in a small bowl and pour over the noodles. Stir well to coat the noodles.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss to combines.
6. Cover and chill for 1 hour, or until ready to serve.

Notes

Storage: refrigerate, mix before serving

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 353Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 608mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g

Serving Ideas

This pasta salad is a natural pairing with anything off the grill - try it alongside Fresh, Bright, and So Easy Feta and Artichoke Greek Pasta Salad (my favorite!) or keep the manly vibe going with Cowboy Pasta Salad - The Ultimate Summer BBQ Cookout Recipe. It also holds its own as a main dish for a light summer dinner.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving again, as the dressing may settle.

Enjoy every smoky, cheesy, just-spicy-enough bite!