Looking for a new twist to your traditional pasta dish? Try out this Spicy Nduja Pasta Sauce to add some heat and depth to your next dinner!
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Are you looking for a quick and easy pasta recipe that packs a punch of flavour? Look no further than this spicy nduja pasta sauce!
Nduja is the star ingredient of this sauce, and it adds an intense and delicious heat to the dish. This sauce is perfect for those who love a bit of spice, but don’t be put off if you are not, as it is easy to adjust the heat level too! If you really don’t like spice or are cooking for small children you may prefer my tomato pasta sauce with hidden vegetables.
It’s simple to make and can be whipped up in under 30 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight dinner option. This pasta dish is also dairy free and can easily be adapted to be gluten free too!
Plus, who doesn't love a big bowl of comforting pasta on a chilly evening? Get ready to satisfy your taste buds and spice up your pasta game with a delicious sauce packed full of flavour.
Serve alongside my Dairy Free Garlic Bread.
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🤔 What Exactly is Nduja?
Nduja is a spicy, spreadable salami that hails from the Calabria region of Italy. And let me tell you, it packs a punch!
It is made from pork, spicy peppers, and a whole lot of love. The meat is ground up and mixed with hot chilli peppers, giving it it’s signature fiery flavour. The mixture is then stuffed into a casing and aged for a few months, allowing the flavours to meld together and intensify.
You can buy it like this or alternatively in a jar. It’s perfect for smearing on crusty bread or adding a kick to your pasta sauce.
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need & Notes
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
- Nduja - This spreadable salami is the star of the show in this pasta sauce. You can buy Nduja at most major supermarkets (The bigger Tesco, Sainsbury's & Waitrose stores all seem to stock it) and any Italian Deli. You can either buy Nduja in a packet like this or in a jar.
- Mushrooms - I would recommend using chestnut mushrooms as they have a slightly stronger flavour than white mushrooms.
- Tinned Tomatoes - Try and buy the best quality chopped tomatoes that you can. My two favourite brands of chopped tomatoes are Napolina & Cirio.
- Basil - Fresh basil is delicious sprinkled through the sauce. If you only have dried you can use this instead but I would really recommend fresh basil if you can. If you are using dried basil, one teaspoon will be all you need.
- Pasta - A thick tubular pasta works best in this recipe, as the sauce clings to the crevices & ridges of the pasta tubes, I have used penne, but rigatoni, or tubettini also work really well. Don’t sweat it though, if you only have spaghetti, use that, you will still have a delicious bowl of pasta!
✏️ How to Make Spicy Nduja Pasta Sauce
For the full printable recipe, along with ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post ⬇️
Start by preparing and chopping all your ingredients. Dice the onion into small chunks, crush the garlic and slice the mushrooms.
Then heat up some olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add in the diced onion, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent.
Next, it's time to add the star of the show - the nduja! Use a wooden spoon to break up the nduja and add it to the pan, along with the garlic, stirring constantly until it's melted and mixed in with the onion.
Then add the mushrooms and cook for a further couple of minutes until they have softened too.
Now, it's time to add some chopped tomatoes to the mix. Stir in a can of crushed tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and the chilli flakes, if you are using for extra heat. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavours meld together.
Whilst the sauce is simmering, cook your pasta according to package instructions. When cooked, drain and add it directly to the saucepan with the sauce. Don’t forget to reserve a cup of pasta water and add a few tablespoons to the sauce. (See tips & tricks below)
Toss everything together until the pasta is coated in the spicy nduja tomato sauce.
Garnish with some roughly chopped fresh basil for an extra pop of flavour and colour.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- Don’t forget to save a cup of the pasta water! This stuff is like liquid gold. It helps add flavour to your sauce, but also and more importantly the starch in the water helps the sauce cling to the pasta, so always add a few tablespoons to your sauce!
- It helps to prepare all your ingredients before you start cooking, as this dish cooks quickly once you start.
- Add a couple of grinds of sea salt to the pasta water if you are not cooking for small children. The salted water give an added depth of flavour.
⚡ Substitutions & Variations
- Nduja - This is the main ingredient in the dish, but if you can’t get hold of any nduja, you could use chorizo sausage and finely dice it. It won’t be exactly the same but will be as close as you could get!
- Gluten Free - Nduja is naturally gluten free, so the only ingredient containing gluten in this recipe is the pasta. Simply swap the pasta for a gluten free version and you have a gorgeous gluten free dinner.
- Less Heat? - If you are not a big fan of spicy pasta or are cooking the dish for young children, leave out the chilli flakes and reduce the amount of Nduja used by a third for a milder flavour. Those who do love the heat can always sprinkle fresh chilli or chilli flakes on the top of their own pasta after cooking.
🥡 How To Store Leftovers
If you have any leftovers they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
You can easily re-heat the pasta in the microwave for a few minutes until piping hot. I love putting the pasta in a Thermos Food Flask for a tasty lunch on the go.
You can freeze in individual freezer safe tubs for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat, simply defrost in the fridge overnight and re-heat as above.
You can also freeze the sauce on its own in a freezer safe container and defrost in the fridge overnight, then either re-heat in the microwave or slowly on the hob in a saucepan until piping hot.
💬 FAQ
To make nduja, the first step is to source the highest quality pork meat and fat possible. Traditionally, nduja is made using parts of the pig that are not commonly used in other types of salami, such as the shoulder and belly. The meat is then finely ground using a meat grinder, and mixed with salt, black pepper, and, of course, plenty of fiery chilli peppers.
Once the meat and seasonings are thoroughly mixed, the mixture is stuffed into natural casings, which are then left to ferment and age for several weeks. During this time, the flavours of the meat and spices blend and mature, creating a rich and complex flavour profile.
After the fermentation and ageing process is complete, the nduja is ready to be enjoyed.
Here are some ideas for what to serve with nduja:
Bread: The most classic way to enjoy nduja is to spread it on a piece of crusty bread. The bread will help balance out the spiciness of the salami and provide a nice textural contrast.
Pizza: Use nduja as a pizza topping for a spicy twist. Pair it with dairy free mozzarella cheese and some fresh basil for a winning combination.
Eggs: For a hearty breakfast or brunch, try spreading nduja on a piece of toast and topping it with a fried egg.
Vegetables: Roast some vegetables like aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), or bell peppers and serve them with a side of nduja. The smoky flavour of the vegetables will complement the spiciness of the nduja.
Charcuterie board: Nduja makes a great addition to any charcuterie board. Serve it alongside some cheese, crackers, and olives for a delicious appetiser.
Nduja is definitely on the spicy side! The level of spiciness can vary depending on the variety and amount of chili peppers used in the recipe. Some nduja can be quite mild, while others are seriously hot.
Like most salami, nduja is high in fat and calories. However, it's also a good source of protein and can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
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More Pasta Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Spicy Nduja Pasta Sauce
Equipment
- Sieve to drain pasta
Ingredients
- 40 g nduja
- 400 g chopped tomatoes tin of
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 100 g mushrooms finely sliced
- 1 handful fresh basil roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 180 g dried pasta of your choice I have used penne. Use GF pasta for gluten free.
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes optional
Instructions
- Prepare and chop the onion, garlic and mushrooms.
- Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add in the diced onion, cooking for 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the nduja to the pan, along with the garlic. Use a wooden spoon to break up the nduja, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until it's melted and mixed in with the onion.
- Then add the mushrooms and cook for a further couple of minutes until they have softened too.
- Stir in a can of chopped tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and the chilli flakes, if you are using for extra heat. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Whilst the sauce is simmering, cook your pasta according to package instructions.
- When cooked, drain the pasta (reserving a few tablespoons of the pasta water for the sauce)and add it directly to the saucepan with the nduja sauce.
- Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water & toss everything together until the pasta is coated in the spicy nduja tomato sauce.
- Garnish with some roughly chopped fresh basil for an extra pop of flavour and colour.
Notes
- Don’t forget to save a cup of the pasta water! This stuff is like liquid gold. It helps add flavour to your sauce, but also and more importantly the starch in the water helps the sauce cling to the pasta, so always add a few tablespoons to your sauce!
- It helps to prepare all your ingredients before you start cooking, as this dish cooks quickly once you start.
- Add a couple of grinds of sea salt to the pasta water if you are not cooking for small children. The salted water give an added depth of flavour
Let me know what you think of this recipe!