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Spicy Nduja Pasta with Shrimp

Closeup overhead shot of spicy nduja pasta garnished with basil on a marble plate.
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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!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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:

  1. Prepare the shrimp: Thaw the frozen shrimp and rinse thoroughly. Pat-dry and set aside.
  2. 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:

  1. 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.)
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Stir in the seasonings: Stir in the kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, dried rosemary, and dried thyme.
  7. 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.
  8. Mix in the baby spinach: Add the baby spinach and mix just starting to wilt – 30 seconds.
  9. 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.
  10. Stir through the basil: Stir through the basil and switch off the heat.
  11. Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with fresh basil and more grated cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes & Ground Cayenne. Use more or less to taste or omit for a milder dish.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. See the ‘Variations’ section if you’d like to customize this nduja pasta recipe.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/spicy-nduja-pasta-shrimp/