Apple Sausage Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette

Name: Apple Sausage Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 4 slices cinnamon-raisin bread; 1/3 cup olive oil; 3 tablespoons cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons honey; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; Dash pepper; 1 package (12 ounces) fully cooked apple chicken sausage links, cut diagonally in 1/2-inch-thick slices; 2 packages (5 ounces each) spring mix salad greens; 2 cups sliced fresh Bartlett pears; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted; 1/2 cup dried sweet cherries

Making croutons with cinnamon-raisin bread is sweet genius. Toss together the rest of the salad while they toast. —Kim Van Dunk, Caldwell, New Jersey

Ingredients

4 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Dash pepper
1 package (12 ounces) fully cooked apple chicken sausage links, cut diagonally in 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 packages (5 ounces each) spring mix salad greens
2 cups sliced fresh Bartlett pears
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup dried sweet cherries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Cut each slice of bread into 12 cubes; scatter over a 15x10-in. pan. Bake until toasted, 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway. Cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine next six ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until blended. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until browned and heated through, 2-3 minutes per side.
Divide salad greens among six dinner-size plates; add sausage to each plate. Top with pear slices, walnuts, cherries and croutons. Shake dressing again; spoon over salad and serve immediately.

Editor's Note

To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 404 calories, 23g fat (4g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 441mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 5g fiber), 14g protein.

Originally published as Pear & Walnut Mixed Green Salad with Pan Seared Sausage and Cinnamon Vinaigrette in Taste of Home November 2016

Reviews

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siden

Jul 12, 2017

Delicious! The whole family really enjoyed this salad!
Orbs

Nov 14, 2016

Wow! The best croutons I have ever eaten! I added pistachios, a chopped apple, and a shredded carrot. So delicious! Thanks Kim, for sharing this recipe!
simplysweetfromscratch

Oct 19, 2016

Absolutely loved this! The vinaigrette is amazing and the combo is great! I had picky eaters so I left off the walnuts and cherries and added a Cinnamon Apple cheese from Happy Farms!