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This Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich boasts 3 yummy @Smithfieldbrand meats: Polska Kielbasa, Double Thick Double Smoked bacon, and Anytime Favorites™ Honey Cured Ham Steak.

This post is sponsored by Smithfield®. The opinions and text are all mine.

I love picnics. Who doesn’t, right? The excitement of finally being able to enjoy the outdoors without wearing a parka. The fresh air, the beautiful trees and flowers. The birds singing and butterflies flitting around. What I don’t love are your typical sandwiches that may or may not be soggy by the time you eat them. That’s definitely not fun. But how do you eliminate that? You make a Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich.

What is a pan bagnat sandwich?

Loosely interpreted it means bathed bread. Hailing from Nice, France, it’s a sandwich that takes the famous niçoise salad, puts it on a pain de campagne roll, and turns it into a sandwich. For those that don’t know, the niçoise salad it’s made of lettuce, a fish of some kind, hard boiled eggs, and olive oil. Sometimes there’s tomatoes, onions, artichokes, and vinegar.

The sandwich is the ultimate repurposed ingredients recipe. It is made by using up bits and pieces of vegetables and meats. And especially day old bread. To “revive” the bread it is sometimes rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil. Hence the name bathed bread.

Yes, this sandwich traditionally has fish on it. But for those that don’t know I’m not a huge fish lover. So, I turn to more delicious meats for my sandwiches. For this sandwich, the star of the show is the Smithfield® Polska Kielbasa, but I’ve leveled it up with two additional Smithfield favorites: the Smithfield Double Thick Double Smoked Bacon and Smithfield® Anytime Favorites™ Honey Cured Ham Steak.

Because this is my sandwich. I want to make it with a protein that is hearty and delicious. And because I don’t follow the “rules” of traditional recipes. I make up my own rules! Hence the style in this Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich. So, for those that are turning their nose up because this is not a traditional sandwich, feel free to take your nose elsewhere. I like mixing cuisines and cooking methods up.

My family, friends, and readers appreciate my unique take on traditional recipes. I don’t follow but lead others to think beyond the traditional and change things up to match their tastes. Like my pork piccata stir-fry, spaghetti squash crusted quiche, and Moroccan pad thai.

What is Smithfield® Polska Kielbasa?

Smithfield Polska Kielbasa is a hickory smoked Polish sausage. They make it in a natural casing with a delicious blend of meats and spices. Their Polska Kielbasa is a staple in my kitchen. Not only because you can make a quick meal with it, but because it has the best flavor! Because Smithfield prides itself on using quality ingredients to make the most delicious meats.

We have this thing when we are slicing up Polska Kielbasa for a recipe. We don’t use the ends of the sausage in the recipe. Because we snack on them while making dinner. And sometimes we use the excuse that the slice is too large or too small to snack on more sausage. It’s that good. Almost to the point of irresistible and if I don’t keep my taste buds in check they will eat the whole thing and I’ll have nothing to cook with!

I see you meat lovers shaking your head in agreement. You know how it goes. It’s a busy weeknight. You’re hungry. Why not nibble on some delicious smoked goodness? It’s irresistible when it’s this delicious. And don’t get me started on if there’s cheese in the recipe. Because that’s just a snackers dream!

How do you make a Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich?

For me, a good sandwich starts with the bread. In this case, I skipped the traditional pan de campagne bread and opted for a hearty baguette. It’s easier, for me at least, to hold in my hand when I’m not at a table with a plate. I brushed mine with a garlic infused olive oil. If you don’t have that, feel free to sauté some garlic in olive oil and let it cook before brushing on the bread. The long narrow shape of the baguette is easier to wrap in parchment paper. I wrap my sandwiches in parchment to keep them from getting soggy.

Now, for the kielbasa part of the Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich, I used only the best kielbasa and that’s the Smithfield Polska Kielbasa I talked about above! It has the best flavor and is a brand I can trust to use quality ingredients. In addition to the Kielbasa, I like to spice things up a little and add some other types of meat and that’s where the Smithfield Double Thick Double Smoked Bacon and Honey Cured Ham Steak come in! These ingredients really take the sandwich to the next level.

To make these sandwiches, I sliced my sausage on a heavy bias to get slices that long for max coverage on the baguette. Then I browned them in the pan, resisting the urge to snack on the slices as I waited for them to brown. Thankfully, it just takes a few minutes!

Now it’s time to build the sandwich. I start with a balsamic dijon vinaigrette on the bread. Next, I add a layer of spinach or lettuce and roasted red peppers. Now it’s time for the best part – the meats. First comes the Smithfield Polska Kielbasa, followed by a few slices of the Smithfield Anytime Favorites Maple Cured Ham Steak, and topping it off with some Smithfield Double Thick Double Smoked Bacon. Finally, I add red onions, sliced hard boiled eggs, salt and pepper, and another drizzle of vinaigrette. This is the hardest part: Wrap them and pop them in the fridge. This sandwich has to marinate.

What does a Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich taste like?

Perfectly delicious! The bread is crusty and delicious. The veggies and dressing are sweet and tart. Then there’s the stars of the sandwich: The Smithfield Polska Kielbasa, Anytime Favorites Maple Cured Ham Steak, and Smithfield Double Thick Double Smoked Bacon. These toppings are smoky and perfectly seasoned, in perfect harmony with this delicious sandwich.

And this Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwich is even more delicious when you serve these up at your next picnic or hike. The hubs and I used to pack sandwiches just like this one on our hikes in the Shenandoah. We’d hike to a beautiful overlook or waterfall and pop a squat for some lunch.

Not only are these Kielbasa Pan Bagnat Style Sandwiches super easy to make and take, but they’re packed with delicious protein that keeps your energy up through a hike. Sometimes our hikes were a couple of miles and sometimes they were 5 or more. Some might scoff at that and say it’s a short hike, but for this novice hiker it was the perfect length. For those longer hikes, protein like the delicious Polska Kielbasa, Maple Cured Ham Steak, and Double Thick Double Smoked Bacon in this sandwich kept my energy up throughout the entire hike.

So, make sure to get outdoors this summer. And when you do, bring along delicious and hearty protein like Smithfield Polska Kielbasa, Anytime Favorites Maple Cured Ham Steak, and the Double Thick Double Smoked Bacon. The quality of their products are healthy, delicious, and perfect for picnics and hikes.  You can find Smithfield products here.