Nduja pasta with tomatoes & fresh basil is a quick and simple recipe starring the spreadable spicy sausage from Italy in an "instant" sauce.
All of the prep for this quick dish happens whilst the water for the pasta is boiling and the sauce cooks quicker than you can boil the pasta. This makes this recipe a real 15-minute wonder!
Spicy Calabrian Sausage Pasta
We "all" love quick pasta recipes; they do a lot of heavy lifting at the end of a busy day. So it should not come as a surprise that another has hit my website.
The Nduja pasta recipe joins other favourites like my marvellous tuna pesto pasta, quick spicy chicken mince pasta and a stunning vegetarian pea and asparagus pasta.
Nduja is a curious ingredient and a delicious one. It is a fermented sausage with a spicy, sour flavour that is soft enough to spread.
It has a big and bold flavour, and softened down it makes an almost instant sauce, just be careful not to use a pan that is too hot because it can become bitter when burnt.
Thanks to its incredible flavour and unique texture, very little else is needed to make this recipe.
I just soften a little shallot in oil and then add a splash of Marsala wine, melt the Nduja and finally add tomatoes for freshness.
All of this happens in less time than it takes to cook pasta. Which means you have a really quick meal ready to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nduja?
Nduja is a spicy and delicious "spreadable" sausage from the Calabrian region of Italy. It is traditionally made from the trimmings of the pig's head, which are minced with spicy peppers, and then fermented.
Thanks to its high-fat content, it stays spreadable. It is a delicious spread on bread, in stuffed pasta shells, in my nduja risotto as a topping for pizza, and as I have done here, a simple pasta sauce.
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, the thick and rich nature of the sauce lends it to a host of pasta options.
I've used Fiorelli in this recipe, but everything from rigatoni to fusilli and orecchiette and fileja, which is another Calabrian product.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, it is delicious eaten at room temperature as a pseudo pasta salad, and it will be fine in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestions
Like most of my quick pasta recipes, I keep the sides for this Nduja pasta recipe really simple.
I go for either garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread, and that is pretty much it!
Side salads are a popular accompaniment to pasta, although I confess that it is not for me.
However, if I were to add a side salad, I would make it bold because of the strong flavours of Nduja paste. This rocket salad with pine nuts would be perfect.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- 30cm or 12" frying pan (nonstick if possible).
- Kicthen knife.
- Chopping board.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
- Sieve or colander.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Grater
Nduja Pasta and Cherry Tomato Recipe
Ingredients
- 75 g Nduja 2½oz
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 250 g Baby Plum Tomatoes 1½ Cups
- 50 ml Marsala Wine 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- 20 g Basil Leaves 1 Cup (plus extra for garnish)
- 175 g Dried Pasta 6oz (I use Fiorelli)
- Salt for boiling pasta
- Parmesan cheese for Garnish
Instructions
- Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of water to a boil and season it generously with salt (1½ teaspoons for a pan this size).
- Peel the shallot, cut it in half and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Pick the basil leaves from the stems.
- Cut the tomatoes in half.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook it for 30 seconds less than the packet says.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and shallots, and soften for 1 minute.
- Pour in the marsala wine and cook for 1-2 minutes, then turn the heat all the way down to low.
- Add the nduja and stir until it softens and forms a very thick sauce.
- 2 minutes before the pasta is ready, add the tomatoes; the aim is not to cook the tomatoes but to heat them through.
- Drain the pasta, reserving around 75ml (⅓ Cup) of the cooking liquid, then add the drained pasta to the nduja and tomato mix. Stir in enough of the pasta cooking water to form a nice coating on the pasta.
- Throw in the basil leaves and toss them through the pasta to wilt them.
- Serve with more basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.