Spicy Nduja Pasta with Shrimp (Pasta con ‘Nduja)
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This Spicy ‘Nduja Pasta with Shrimp is easy to make in under 30 minutes and full of spicy Italian sausage and robust tomato flavors. Pasta, seared shrimp, baby spinach and fresh basil come together in a bold flavored creamy and spicy nduja pasta sauce!
Looking for more spicy pasta recipes? Try my Spicy Vodka Pasta with Shrimp, this Spicy Chicken Penne Pasta, or Chili Pesto Pasta with Chicken next!
About This Recipe
Spicy, slightly smoky, funky, creamy and simply exquisite! This sums up this Spicy ‘Nduja Pasta with Shrimp recipe perfectly!
If you haven’t tasted nduja, an Italian spreadable pork sausage paste before, you’re going to love it in this easy and spicy Italian pasta dish!
Nduja has a kick of heat from Calabrian chili peppers and irresistible punchy flavors. It can be eaten without cooking and spread on crusty bread but it also tastes great in cooked dishes like stews, sauces and in pasta dishes such as this one.
I added shrimp for extra protein but you can also leave them out and this dish will still taste fantastic.
While several creamy spicy nduja pasta recipes call for heavy cream, I’ve used my signature lighter homemade cream sauce made with butter, flour and milk and thickened by Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in this dish.
The creaminess counterbalances the rich and meaty flavors of the spicy nduja pasta sauce and makes this dish incredibly delicious. When combined with the robust flavored nduja and tomato paste, the final result is a creamy and luscious glossy sauce that’ll want to make you dig in!
This easy pasta dish is comfort food at its best and it comes together in under 30 minutes. It’ll elevate your weeknight dinner game!
Dazzle your tastebuds with the tantalizing flavors in this easy spicy pasta dish and transport yourself to southern Italy by making this Spicy ‘Nduja Pasta with Shrimp for dinner tonight!
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy! All you need is 25 minutes and this spicy Italian pasta dish will be on the table!
- Flavor-packed! The meaty and funky salami flavors of the nduja tomato sauce pairs well with the creamy sauce. It’s like a flavor explosion in your mouth the moment you take your first bite!
- Perfectly balanced. The creaminess balances out the meaty richness.
- Make ahead and freezer-friendly. Leftovers taste delicious and can be reheated during the week for an easy lunch or dinner. It also freezes well and can be made ahead and frozen for future easy meals!
Table of contents
What is Nduja?
’Nduja, pronounced en-doo-ya, is a spicy, spreadable salami that hails from the town of Spilinga in the southern Italian region of Calabria. It’s made from pork, pork fat, fiery Calabrian chilies and salt. Nduja can be found in the form of a log shaped soft spreadable sausage or in a jar. The latter is often referred to as nduja sauce or nduja paste.
Lactic acid is sometimes added as a preservative to extend the shelf life of the spicy sausage. The flavor of nduja is reminiscent of pepperoni or salami but funkier, spicier and slightly sour due to it being a fermented sausage.
In Calabrian cuisine, this spicy sausage is a staple and can be used in a variety of ways. Spread it on some crusty bread, use it as a topping for pizza or cooked eggs, mix into sauces or stews, enjoy in a sandwich, or like we’re doing here, add it to a pasta dish for some meaty and funky Italian sausage flavors!
While cooking is not required when eating nduja, the high fat content in the sausage makes it perfect for cooking to add hot flavors and color to a variety of dishes.
When purchasing the log shaped sausage, it should have the four aforementioned ingredients and possibly lactic acid for the most authentic flavor.
Some brands that make jarred nduja paste/sauce will add tomato, red bell peppers, smoked paprika and/or other flavoring ingredients and citric acid as the preservative.
I tried M&S Nduja which has added ingredients like smoked paprika during the testing process for this recipe. While the dish was good, it was not as tasty as when I used Delizie Di Calabria Nduja. While the latter does have sunflower seed oil added, it is made of just the other four basic aforementioned ingredients.
Where to buy Nduja?
- Sausage form: Italian specialty grocery stores, stores with imported European ingredients, or online from Amazon. The sausage form will be located in the deli or cured meat section.
- Jarred nduja paste/sauce: In addition to being available in the same places as the sausage form, you might be able to find jarred nduja in local supermarkets. In the UK, Tesco and Waitrose have nduja in the fridge section. I purchased the Delizie Di Calabria Nduja from a local supermarket in Bangkok during my last visit.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Aromatics & Veggies: Red onion, garlic, fresh red chilies and baby spinach. I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies to add an extra kick of heat! Feel free to use any hot red chili variety that is easily available to you. Since nduja is spicy from the Calabrian chili peppers in it, you can omit the fresh chilies or use less if desired. Substitute baby kale for the baby spinach if desired.
- Shrimp (or Prawns): Use pre-peeled and deveined shrimp/prawns for convenience so that you only have to thaw and rinse them.
- Salt and Pepper: To season the shrimp.
- Nduja: I used a jarred version for this Spicy Nduja Pasta recipe – Delizie Di Calabria Nduja. However, either the sausage shaped log form or jarred version can be used. You’ll need about 3.1 ounces of either.
- Pasta: I used orecchiette pasta, which is a small curved cup-like shaped pasta with ridges. It’s the perfect vehicle to hold pasta sauces and the ridges allow the creamy sauce to cling onto it. Any short pasta or noodle-type pasta shape can be used.
- Double Concentrated Tomato Paste: While some nduja pasta recipes call for fresh cherry tomatoes, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (passata), I prefer the bold and robust tomato flavors that double concentrated tomato paste adds to this dish.
- Cream Sauce ingredients: We’ll be making a lighter cream sauce by using unsalted butter, all-purpose flour and whole milk instead of adding heavy cream. Feel free to use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter.
- Spices & Seasonings: We’ll season the spicy nduja pasta sauce with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cayenne, dried rosemary and dried thyme. Feel free to use a sweet smoked paprika instead of a hot one and adjust the crushed red pepper chili flakes and ground cayenne to taste.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese): Adds a savory, nutty flavor to the spicy and creamy nduja pasta sauce and also helps thicken it. I recommend using freshly grated cheese from a block. It’ll melt more evenly than store-bought bagged shredded cheese which has anti-caking agents.
- Fresh Basil Leaves: Adds brightness and rounds out the spicy flavors. Other fresh herbs that can be used as garnish are chopped parsley or chives.
Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.
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How to Make Spicy ‘Nduja Pasta with Shrimp
Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this nduja pasta recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!
Serving Suggestions
This Spicy Nduja Pasta with Shrimp is a filling meal on it’s own due to the rich, meaty and creamy sauce. However, a simple side salad with a light dressing or some garlic bread would pair well with it.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat on high in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and more grated cheese if desired after reheating.
- To freeze: After cooking, transfer to freezer friendly containers and wait until completely cooled. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on high in the microwave for 2 minutes or until hot throughout. Garnish with basil and more grated cheese after reheating.
Cook’s Tips
- Cook the nduja for a couple of minutes. Don’t rush to pour in the milk to build the cream sauce! Let the nduja and tomato paste mixture cook down to allow the rich flavors to develop.
- Adjust spice level to taste. Since nduja has a decent heat level already, you can use less or omit the fresh chilies, ground cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes and use a sweet smoked paprika. You can also use less nduja if you are sensitive to heat but I would caution against using too little nduja as the intended flavor for this recipe will not come through.
- Use a spider strainer. If you have two gas hobs, you can use a spider strainer to transfer the cooked pasta directly to the nduja pasta sauce. Start cooking the pasta at the same time you start cooking the shrimp. This will reduce the total cook time and make this dish even quicker to make!
Variations
- Omit the prawns. Since the nduja pasta sauce is quite meaty and filling, you can omit the shrimp/prawns if preferred.
- Use meatballs. Cook some store-bought meatballs in the oven, air-fryer or pan-fry them. Add to this spicy nduja pasta dish instead of the shrimp for a different but delicious take on this dish!
- Use a different pasta shape. A short-cut pasta shape like penne, farfalle, fusilli (rotini), etc. will work well. You can also use a noodle-type pasta like linguini, fettuccine, angel hair, spaghetti, etc. Use wholewheat pasta if desired to add more fiber and nutrients to this dish.
- Add veggies. I kept it simple by adding just the baby spinach but mushroom, broccoli florets, bell pepper, roasted brussels sprouts, etc. would be great additions!
- Add white wine. Deglaze the pan with half a cup of a crisp and dry wine such as a sauvignon blanc before pouring in the milk. The brightness and acidity in the white wine brings out the best flavors in creamy pasta sauces and pasta dishes with seafood. You could also use a red wine to counterbalance the rich and fatty flavors from nduja in the sauce.
- Make it gluten-free. Use a gluten-free pasta of your choice and a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.
- Make it dairy-free. Use a plant-based butter (or extra virgin olive oil) and cream alternative and a dairy-free parmesan cheese. Creamy unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk or coconut milk are great dairy-free milk options.
FAQs
For the sausage shaped nduja and after opening the package, wrap tightly in cling film and then in a sheet of aluminum foil for added protection. Store in an airtight sealed container in the fridge and use within 1 week.
For the jarred version, refrigerate after opening and consume within 10 days.
The package or jar will usually state how long you can store the specific nduja you’re using after opening so double check the package instructions.
Both sausage form and jarred Nduja are shelf stable until opened. Once opened, it needs to be refrigerated. If the nduja contains other ingredients that are not shelf stable, it will be located in the fridge section of a supermarket and you’ll need to keep it refrigerated.
Nduja has fiery kick but the heat level may vary depending on the brand and product type (jarred or log shaped sausage) you use. If the jarred version is mostly made of nduja and has less added ingredients like tomato paste and sweet red bell peppers, it’ll be spicier.
If you are sensitive to heat, I recommend tasting a little from the jar before using it in any recipe or as a spread or topping for pizza, eggs, sandwiches, etc. This way you can gauge the heat level of the nduja you have purchased and use it in amounts that are best suited to your taste and heat level preference.
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Spicy Nduja Pasta with Shrimp
This Spicy ‘Nduja Pasta with Shrimp is easy to make in under 30 minutes and full of spicy Italian sausage and robust tomato flavors. Pasta, seared shrimp, baby spinach and fresh basil come together in a bold flavored creamy and spicy nduja pasta sauce!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- ½ medium / 100 grams Red Onion – finely chopped
- 6 cloves / 30 grams Garlic – minced
- 6–10 pieces / 30 grams Fresh Red Chilies (optional, to taste* – note 1) – chopped
- ≈ ½ cup / 10 grams Fresh Basil – sliced
- 14 ounces / 400 grams peeled and deveined Shrimp or Prawns (frozen weight, ≈ 20 pieces if using size 31/40) – thawed and rinsed thoroughly
- 10.6 ounces / 300 grams uncooked Orecchiette Pasta (use gluten-free orecchiette if needed or whole wheat pasta if preferred – note 2)
- 1 TBSP Unsalted Butter (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- Salt and Pepper (to season shrimp), to taste
- 6 TBSP (≈ 3.1 ounces) / 90 grams Nduja (I used Delizie Di Calabria ‘Nduja – note 3)
- 2 TBSP / 30 grams Double Concentrated Tomato Paste
- 1.5 TBSP / 14 grams All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups / 480ml Whole Milk
- 1 TSP Kosher Salt, to taste (use a little less than half the amount if using iodized table salt)
- ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper
- ½ TSP Smoked Paprika (I used a hot one, use sweet smoked paprika if preferred)
- ½ – 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste (optional – note 3)
- ¼ – ½ TSP ground Cayenne, to taste (optional – note 3)
- ½ TSP Dried Rosemary
- ½ TSP Dried Thyme
- ¾ cup / 50 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese)
- 3–4 cups / 99-132 grams Baby Spinach
- To Serve: Reserved fresh Basil, more grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (optional)
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the shrimp: Thaw the frozen shrimp and rinse thoroughly. Pat-dry and set aside.
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients: Chop the red onion, garlic, fresh red chilies and slice the basil. Measure out the milk in a measuring cup and grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese using a box grater.
Spicy Nduja Pasta with Shrimp:
- Cook the orecchiette: Cook the pasta 1 minute shy of al-dente according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water. (Or use the same deep large skillet you’ll use to make the pasta dish). Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. (I like to run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from sticking and cooking further but this is optional.)
- Cook the shrimp: Heat 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large deep edged skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and spread the pieces out in the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper. Allow to sear for 1 minute, then flip and season the other side with a little more salt and pepper. Sear for another 1-2 minutes or until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl, leaving most of the unsalted butter behind in the pan.
- Sauté the aromatics: In the same large pan, add the red onion and sauté for 1 minute until starting to soften. Then add the garlic and red chilies and sauté to combine for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the nduja and tomato paste: Add the nduja and double concentrated tomato paste. Sauté and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is shimmering and the fat from the nduja has melted.
- Make the cream sauce: Add the all-purpose flour and whisk to combine for a minute to get rid of the floury taste. Reduce the heat to low and gradually pour in the milk while continuing to whisk.
- Stir in the seasonings: Stir in the kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, dried rosemary, and dried thyme.
- Add the cheese: Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and mix until fully melted. Let it simmer for a minute or two until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Mix in the baby spinach: Add the baby spinach and mix just starting to wilt – 30 seconds.
- Add the pasta and shrimp: Add the cooked orecchiette and seared shrimp back into the pan. Mix until combined well and everything is evenly coated in the sauce. If the sauce thickens too much, add another tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water and mix until it coats the pasta evenly.
- Stir through the basil: Stir through the basil and switch off the heat.
- Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with fresh basil and more grated cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use any type of hot red chilies easily available to you. Adjust the amount based on how hot the chilies are and your heat level preference. Or omit them completely since nduja is spicy from the Calabrian chili peppers in it.
- Orecchiette Pasta. While the cup-shaped pasta with ridges is the perfect vehicle to carry the rich sauce, feel free to use any short pasta shape you love. Penne, fusilli, cavatappi, or even cooked orzo works great in this recipe. You can also use a noodle-type pasta like linguini, fettuccine, angel hair, spaghetti, etc.
- Nduja. ’Nduja is a spicy, spreadable salami that hails from Spilinga in the southern Italian region of Calabria. It’s made from pork, pork fat, fiery Calabrian chili peppers and salt. Nduja can be found in the form of a log shaped soft, spreadable sausage or in a jar. I used a jarred version for this recipe – Delizie Di Calabria Nduja. Either the sausage shaped log form or jarred version will work. Use about 3.1 ounces (90 grams) of either. Find nduja in a Italian specialty grocery store, stores with imported European ingredients, or online from Amazon. You may also be able to find it in some mainstream supermarket that are well-stocked with international ingredients.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes & Ground Cayenne. Use more or less to taste or omit for a milder dish.
- Storing and reheating leftovers. Store leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on high in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and more grated cheese if desired after reheating.
- To freeze. After cooking, transfer to freezer friendly containers and wait until completely cooled. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on high in the microwave for 2 minutes or until hot throughout. Garnish with basil and more grated cheese after reheating.
- See the ‘Variations’ section if you’d like to customize this nduja pasta recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 675
- Sugar: 11.2g
- Sodium: 948mg
- Fat: 25.7g
- Saturated Fat: 16.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.6g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 70.1g
- Fiber: 4.2g
- Protein: 40.6g
- Cholesterol: 47.2mg
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