Spicy Nduja Risotto with Cherry Tomatoes

Spicy Nduja risotto made with Calabrian sausage paste & tinned cherry tomatoes is cooked using time-honoured techniques and tastes fantastic.

This delicious dish will go from your pantry to your table in around 40-45 minutes and whilst you do spend that time in the kitchen, it is very easy to cook!

Spicy Calabrian Sausage Risotto

There is little more comforting than a bowl of risotto… even the process of cooking it is kinda cathartic for me.

I cook them all of the time and find them wonderfully versatile meals. I have vegetarian options like my pea asparagus and broad bean risotto, meaty options like my chicken and bacon risotto and fish options like a glorious smoked haddock risotto to name a few.

My latest offering is a delicious nduja and cherry tomato risotto that is a proper barnstormer.

Calabrian nduja is the star of the show, just as it is in my stuffed pasta shells recipe. It has a bold and rich flavour that packs a big punch of spice and hints of acidity.

That flavour permeates through this classic rice dish.

It is contrasted by beautifully sweet tinned cherry tomatoes that burst with “joy” as you eat… I love this recipe, it’s special!

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of risotto rice do you use?

I always test my recipes with arborio rice because it is readily available across Europe and it is the most forgiving.

However, when I am cooking risotto for me I will use carnaroli rice. The timings are the same, however, it is a little less forgiving.

Do I have to stir continuously to make risotto?

No, there are some people that claim you don’t need to stir it at all, I disagree with that too!

I always find that I get the best results with lots of stirring at the start of the process. So stir regularly through the phase of tasting the rice, cooking off the wine and the first few ladles of stock. Then you can relax a little

It is important to note that cooking risotto always relies on “feel”, small differences in temperatures and pan types can have a marked difference on cooking times.

This is another reason why being “attendant” when you are cooking risotto is important

Can I use fresh cherry tomatoes?

I would not use fresh tomatoes in this recipe. They are not great through large parts of the year in the UK and across parts of Europe.

They will also be much firmer, they will not be “skinned” and are less likely to burst with all of that beautiful juice.

Do I need to do anything special with nduja?

Nope, you can use it straight out of the packet or jar. If you are new to nduja, thank you for choosing my recipe to pop your cherry.

Can I recommend you buy a second jar, and just spread it on some bread, on a pizza base instead of sauce or even make my nduja pasta recipe?

Serving Suggestions

As I mentioned earlier, my site is littered with risotto recipes and my choice of sides with risotto are always fairly similar.

As a result, it should not come as a surprise that my choice for this nduja and cherry tomato risotto features some form of bread.

Yes, it’s double carbs, no I don’t care.

I’d usually opt for some garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread, which both work here.

However, nduja’s beautifully flavoured fat content works much better with something softer in texture.

To my mind, something like this soft potato focaccia or even some gently heated store-bought focaccia bread works much better.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that 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.
• 25cm or 10″ frying pan.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Grater.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, spoons and cups.