Clara Bennett This spicy Nigella Nduja Pasta is made with fiery nduja sausage, sweet red onion, rich tomato passata, and a touch of butter. This recipe creates a deeply savory and creamy sauce that perfectly coats your favorite pasta, making it a quick and satisfying main course. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner when you’re short on time but craving big flavor, and it makes enough for 2-3 people.
Nigella Nduja Pasta Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 2 – 2 ½ tablespoons nduja
- 1 ½ cups tomato passata
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- 50 g butter, cubed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 300g Pasta of your choice
- Optional for serving: panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, fresh basil
How To Make Nigella Nduja Pasta
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the package directions until it is al dente.
- Sauté the onion. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until it has softened.
- Melt the nduja. Add the nduja paste to the skillet with the onions. Cook for about 30 seconds, using a whisk or the back of a spoon to break it up and help it melt into the onions.
- Simmer the sauce. Pour in the tomato passata and bring the sauce to a very gentle simmer, lowering the heat if necessary to prevent splattering. Add the sugar, a large pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Enrich the sauce. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining your pasta. Add ½ cup of this starchy water to your sauce and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add the butter. Add the cubed butter to the sauce. Stir gently until the butter has completely melted, creating a rich and glossy sauce.
- Combine and finish. Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta directly from the pot into the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together and let it bubble gently for a minute or two, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavor. If the sauce seems too thick, add another splash of pasta water to loosen it.
- Serve immediately. Divide the pasta among bowls and serve with an optional sprinkling of toasted panko crumbs, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and a few fresh basil leaves.
Recipe Tips
- Use Pasta Water: Never throw away all your pasta water! The starchy water is liquid gold for sauces. It helps the sauce cling to the pasta and emulsifies with the fat from the nduja and butter to create a silky, creamy consistency.
- Control the Nduja: Nduja is delicious but very spicy. If you are sensitive to heat, start with a smaller amount (around 1 ½ tablespoons) and you can always add more after tasting the sauce.
- Don’t Skip the Butter: The butter at the end is crucial. It does more than add flavor; it balances the spiciness of the nduja and gives the sauce a beautiful, velvety finish.
- Use Tomato Passata: Passata, which is sieved tomato purée, gives the sauce its smooth texture. If you use crushed or diced tomatoes, your sauce will be much chunkier.
What To Serve Nduja Pasta
This rich and spicy pasta dish is a star on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a few simple sides. A crisp green salad with a simple vinaigrette offers a refreshing contrast. A side of crusty garlic bread is perfect for mopping up every last bit of the delicious sauce. For a drink pairing, a glass of a robust Italian red wine like a Primitivo would be an excellent choice.
How To Store Nduja Pasta Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended for this dish, as the texture of the sauce may separate upon thawing.
Nigella Nduja Pasta Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 590 kcal
- Total Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Sodium: 550mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 75g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 8g
- Protein: 15g
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is nduja? Nduja (pronounced en-DOO-ya) is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from Southern Italy. It gets its fiery kick and vibrant red color from Calabrian chili peppers. It has a rich, complex flavor and melts beautifully into sauces.
- Where can I buy nduja? You can often find nduja in the deli section of larger supermarkets, at Italian specialty food stores, or online. It is usually sold in a jar or as a whole sausage in casing.
- Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of passata? You could, but it will change the sauce’s texture. To use fresh tomatoes, you would need to blanch, peel, and crush them first, and likely cook the sauce for much longer to break them down into a smooth consistency. Passata is the key to making this a quick recipe.
- Is this recipe vegetarian? No, nduja is a pork product. For a vegetarian version with a similar vibe, you could try using a sun-dried tomato pesto or a spicy chili paste mixed with smoked paprika to mimic the smoky, spicy flavor profile.
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
Nigella Nduja Pasta Recipe
Description
This quick and easy Nigella Nduja Pasta recipe features a spicy, rich tomato sauce made with fiery nduja sausage, butter, and tomato passata. The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta, making it the perfect satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions.
- Start sauce: While pasta cooks, soften the onion in olive oil in a large skillet. Add the nduja and cook for 30 seconds, breaking it up until it melts.
- Simmer sauce: Stir in the tomato passata, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the cubed butter until it melts. Transfer the cooked pasta directly to the sauce, toss to combine, and serve immediately.
Nigella Nduja Pasta Recipe