Where 'nduja comes from, how spicy it is and how to cook it into pasta. 'Nduja comes from Calabria, the region that forms the toe of Italy's boot, and for generations it was a local speciality there. These days it turns up on pizzas, pastas and sharing boards all over London, yet plenty of people order it without being sure what it is.
What is 'nduja?
'Nduja is a soft, spicy pork sausage. It belongs to the salumi family, the Italian name for cured meats such as salami and prosciutto. Salami is firm enough to slice, while 'nduja is soft enough to spread on bread with a knife. It is bright red and loaded with Calabrian chilli. As soon as it meets heat it melts into whatever it is cooked with, and that is why chefs love it so much.
Where in Italy does 'nduja come from?
'Nduja is most closely tied to Spilinga, a small hill town in the province of Vibo Valentia, which holds a festival in its honour every summer. It began as a way to use up the parts of the pig left over once the prime cuts had gone into hams and salami, so nothing went to waste. The name is usually traced to andouille, a French sausage, although nobody is completely sure how the word travelled to Calabria. The heat comes from Calabrian chillies, which the region is known for across Italy, and they are what give 'nduja its deep red colour.
How do Italians eat 'nduja?
Most people in Calabria still eat it the traditional way. 'Nduja is spread on warm bread or toast and served as part of an antipasto, the plate of nibbles that starts an Italian meal, next to local cheese and olives. A little also goes into tomato sauces for pasta, and it has become a popular pizza topping too, which is how most people outside Italy first try it.
How do you pronounce 'nduja?
Say it en-DOO-ya, with the weight on the middle syllable. The apostrophe at the front is a habit of Calabrian dialect, and you will see the word written both with and without it on menus, jars and shop labels around the UK. Both spellings mean the same thing, so you can order it whichever way the menu writes it. Staff in any Italian restaurant will know what you are after, and once you have said it out loud a couple of times it soon feels natural.
Is 'nduja spicy?
Yes, 'nduja is spicy, although for most people the heat is warming rather than eye-watering. Expect the chilli first, followed by a deep porky richness and a slightly smoky and tangy finish from the curing. Because so much of 'nduja is fat, the spice spreads out and mellows once it is cooked into a sauce. A little goes a long way, and a teaspoon can flavour a whole pan.
'Nduja pasta and the sauces it tastes best with
Tomato is the classic partner, and this is the 'nduja pasta to start with. Melt a spoonful of 'nduja in a pan with garlic and olive oil, then add tomatoes and let it all simmer. The acidity of the tomato cuts through the fat, and you end up with a sauce somewhere between an arrabbiata and a quick ragu. Short shapes such as conchiglie, rigatoni or penne are ideal here because they catch the little crumbs of meat.
Creamy sauces calm the heat down. Stir a spoonful of mascarpone or a splash of cream through melted 'nduja and you get a soft, coral-pink sauce that clings to tagliatelle or gnocchi. Add the cream over a low flame so it stays smooth, and loosen it with some pasta water if it thickens too much in the pan. A dollop of ricotta or a torn burrata on top of the plate cools things in the same way, and the contrast of cold, milky cheese against a warm, spicy sauce is a big part of the appeal.
Butter and honey might sound like an odd couple for something this spicy, yet they are one of its best matches. 'Nduja melted into butter makes a quick sauce for gnocchi or ravioli, and browning the butter lightly first gives it a nutty depth. Finish the plate with grated pecorino and lemon zest to lift the richness. A drizzle of honey over 'nduja on toast or pizza balances the chilli with sweetness, so anyone who likes hot honey will feel at home.
Seafood is another great match. Melt 'nduja into the cooking juices of mussels or clams, or spoon it over seared scallops and prawns, and the sweetness of the shellfish picks up a smoky kick. Calabria has a long coastline, so pork and chilli alongside fish and shellfish feels natural there. For a store-cupboard dinner, warm it in olive oil with garlic, toss it through spaghetti with a ladle of pasta water and finish with toasted breadcrumbs, which cooks in southern Italy have long used in place of grated cheese.
What else goes with 'nduja?
Away from pasta, 'nduja is lovely stirred into scrambled eggs, crumbled over roast potatoes or dotted over focaccia before baking. On pizza the oven melts it into the cheese, and mozzarella is a favourite partner because its milkiness softens the spice. To drink, a juicy Italian red with soft tannins sits nicely alongside it, and a cold beer or a spritz is refreshing next to the chilli.
How to cook with 'nduja at home
Treat it like a seasoning. Start with a teaspoon or two per person and add more once you have tasted the sauce. Cook it gently over a low heat so the fat melts without the chilli catching, and peel off the casing first if you have bought it as a whole sausage. You can find it in jars or as a sausage at Italian delis and many supermarkets, and the label will tell you how long it keeps once opened.
Try 'nduja at 64 Old Compton Street
For a taste of Calabria here in London, come and see us at 64 Old Compton Street in the heart of Soho. Our 'nduja pizza is topped with sausage meat and buffalo mozzarella, which softens the chilli as it melts, and every pizza is hand-stretched and made fresh in-house. Book a table and come and try it, or have a look at the full menu first.