Spicy Nduja Pasta

Spicy nduja pasta is definitely not for the faint of heart! With a sauce made with the famous Calabrese nduja and finished with a generous helping of Pecorino Romano, this pasta is the perfect weeknight recipe for those moments you want to really spice it up (pun intended!)

And for another spicy, macro-friendly dish, have a look at my higher-protein spicy tuna pasta next!

I have posted dozens of pasta recipes on Skinny Spatula over the years, but this nduja pasta is the first one that comes with a spiciness warning.

If you don't like spicy things, it's best to leave now. If you love fiery, bold sauces, you're in for a treat.

This spicy nduja pasta is the perfect recipe to experiment with this funky Calabrese salume. I don't add any tomatoes to the sauce, so you can really taste the nduja in all its delicious glory.

What is nduja?

Nduja (pronounced "en-DOO-ya') is a soft, spicy spreadable Italian pork sausage that's popular in Calabria.

Calabrese nduja consists of pork meat, pig lard, red chilli peppers, garlic and salt.

It's traditionally served raw as an antipasto but can also be used as a topping on pizza or mixed with pasta.

Nduja's chunky texture and strong flavor is not for everyone, but you'll absolutely love it if you like spicy things.

If you don't live in Italy, finding nduja might be a bit challenging. I'm in the UK and I've recently found it at Tesco.

It's also available at Waitrose, and of course, you can find it in shops that specialize in Italian products.

You'll find lots of pasta recipes with nduja made with tomatoes. You can add some passata, chopped tomatoes and even fresh tomatoes to this recipe, but if you really want to see what nduja is all about, you don't actually need them.

How do you make nduja pasta?

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve two cups of pasta water before draining.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and saute the onion for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until softened.
• Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant.
• Next, add the nduja to the pan and break it down with your spoon.
• Add 200 g (1 cup) of hot pasta water and stir continuously until the nduja has completely melted.
• Allow the sauce to bubble gently for a minute, then transfer the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss it well until all the pasta is covered in sauce.
• Stir in the Pecorino and basil, season to taste, and serve immediately, with extra grated Pecorino on top if you like.

Recipe tips and notes

• Nduja is a spreadable paste that doesn't require cooking before eating. It will also melt completely in the pasta sauce, so don't expect to find any chunks.
• If you'd like to try nduja but you're afraid your pasta will be too hot, use just half of the quantity and add 200 ml (1 cup) passata (tomato sauce) with the pasta water.
• Don't add any salt to the pasta until the end, when you can taste it. Most of the time, the salt from the pasta water and nduja should be enough.

If you liked this spicy nduja pasta, you might also like some of my other easy pasta recipes:

• Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
• Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
• One-Pot Gorgonzola, Walnut and Spinach Pasta
• Creamy Lemon Salmon and Dill Pasta
• Carbonara di Mare (Seafood Carbonara)
• Easiest Ever Creamy Prawn Linguine (Linguine con Gamberi)

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