Grilled Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Bread with Calabrian Chile Oil
Sausage and cheese stuffed bread has been making the rounds on Instagram lately, and it is easy to see why. It checks all the right boxes for backyard cooking. You get crisp bread, juicy sausage, melted cheese, and that cut-it-up-and-pass-it-around feeling that belongs on a cutting board in the middle of the table.
Vida made this version with the kind of flavor we love around here. It starts with mild Italian sausage and folds in red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and a savory blend of seasonings. The Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub brings sweet paprika, garlic, onion, black pepper, and just enough cayenne to round out the sausage without taking it too far from its Italian roots. The Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub adds that salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and bell pepper backbone that works beautifully with grilled sausage.
The Calabrian chile oil is where this stuffed bread gets its attitude. It brings buttery heat, a little chile bite, and a rich finish that soaks into the sausage and toasted bread. It is familiar, a little rowdy, and exactly the kind of recipe that makes people hover around the grill.
Charcoal Grilled Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Bread
Vida Connaughton
4
15 minutes
15 minutes
620
American
Main Dish
This is Vida’s take on the viral sausage and cheese stuffed bread, built with a little more backyard fire and a lot more flavor. The bread gets crisp around the edges, the sausage stays juicy, and the mozzarella melts into the center so every slice has that rich, cheesy pull you want from a recipe like this.
What makes this version stand out is the balance. Mild Italian sausage gives you the savory pork base, while diced red onion and bell pepper add sweetness and texture. The cilantro brings a fresh lift that cuts through the richness, and the two Revolution Barbecue seasonings help pull everything together. Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub adds a sweet and savory barbecue layer with paprika, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, black pepper, and cayenne. Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub brings a bold salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and bell pepper profile that makes the sausage taste bigger and more complete.
The Calabrian chile oil gives the final bite some heat and richness without burying the sausage. It is crisp, juicy, cheesy, spicy, and made for slicing into shareable pieces right off the grill.
Ingredients
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- 4 mild Italian sausages, casings removed, or 1 pound loose mild Italian sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub
- 1 teaspoon Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub
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- 1 half-size French bread roll
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese from a block
- 1/2 teaspoon Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub
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- 2 tablespoons olive oil, not extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian chile peppers from a jar, finely chopped or mashed
Directions
- Light The Charcoal: Light 1/2 chimney of charcoal and let the coals ash over while you prepare the sausage filling, bread, cheese, and Calabrian chile oil.
- Remove The Casings: If using sausage links, remove the sausage from the casings by slicing down the side of each link and peeling the casing away.
- Mix The Sausage Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sausage, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub, and Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Prepare The Bread: Slice the half-size French bread roll lengthwise into 2 long halves. Using your fingers, carefully remove some of the center of the bread to create a shallow well. Do not remove too much bread or the roll may tear.
- Add The Cheese: Slice the mozzarella into 4 slices, or grate it on the largest holes of a box grater. Add half of the cheese into the well of each bread half.
- Season The Cheese: Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 teaspoon Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub evenly over the cheese.
- Make The Calabrian Chile Oil: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, melted butter, and Calabrian chile peppers. Stir well and set aside.
- Stuff The Bread: Divide the sausage mixture in half. Spread half of the sausage over each bread half, covering the cheese and pressing the sausage into an even layer. Form a slight mound, but keep the sausage evenly spread across the surface so it cooks properly and does not burn in one spot.
- Set Up The Grill: Arrange the hot coals in a two-zone setup, with charcoal on one side of the grill and no charcoal on the other side. Place the cooking grate over the coals and allow it to get hot.
- Grill The Sausage Side: Place the bread halves sausage-side down directly over the coals. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, moving as needed to prevent flare-ups.
- Toast The Bread: Flip the bread halves so the bread side is facing down. Cook directly over the coals for about 2 minutes, or until the bread is toasted.
- Finish Indirect: Move the bread halves to the cooler side of the grill with the bread side still facing down. Close the lid and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until the sausage reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Brush With Chile Oil: Open the lid and brush the sausage side with the Calabrian chile oil.
- Char The Sausage: Place the bread halves sausage-side down over the coals again and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, moving as needed to avoid flare-ups.
- Slice And Serve: Remove from the grill, slice into 4 pieces, and serve hot with the remaining Calabrian chile oil on the side.