Spicy seafood followers are sure to like this vibrant Italian pasta with nduja sauce and shrimp. Made with spicy Calabrian nduja sausage, pink onions, canned cherry tomatoes, recent parsley and huge shrimp (prawns), this can be a tremendous straightforward pasta dish. Good for weeknights or date nights! Prepared in simply half-hour.

What’s nduja?
Nduja is a smooth, spicy spreadable salami from Calabria. It’s often made with pork meat, typically from the throat, underbelly, head and shoulder, a little bit of fats, salt and loads of peperoncino (Italian pink chili peppers). Though comparatively unknown outdoors of Italy a couple of years in the past, nduja has turn out to be a wanted ingredient with cooks and residential cooks alike.
It’s best to be capable of discover it in Italian speciality meals shops or on-line. Within the US, nduja is offered in Tesco, Dealer Joes and Wholefoods. In case you’re within the UK, they’ve it in Tesco or Waitrose. In case you can’t discover nduja, you possibly can use pink pepper flakes or a chili paste on this recipe as an alternative.


Alternatively, use one other spicy sausage akin to Spanish sobrassada which can be spreadable or chorizo. The latter will must be chopped after which processed to make a paste because it’s a lot tougher than nduja.
You may learn extra in regards to the historical past of nduja and the way it’s made in my basic pasta with nduja recipe submit.


What’s fileja pasta?
I made this pasta with nduja sauce and shrimp utilizing a standard pasta form from Calabria known as fileja. Fileja is ‘the’ pasta served with nduja sauce in Calabria. It is a flour and water pasta form, initially home made utilizing a metallic rod (ferro). Fileja is a chunky and thick mid-size pasta. It’s shorter than spaghetti however longer than rigatoni.
For this recipe I used dried fileja my son introduced me again from Tropea in Calabria. Nevertheless, nduja sauce pairs effectively with quick pasta akin to paccheri, penne or fusilli. However, you should use spaghetti in case you favor. Orecchiette can be widespread with nduja in Southern Italy.


Different substances.
Other than the pasta and Nduja, this recipe has just some different substances.
Shrimp or prawns: for finest outcomes use massive shrimp, additionally known as prawns in UK, Australia and New Zealand. You should use recent or frozen crustaceans. Each will must be cleaned, peeled and deveined if not already performed. Nevertheless, I like to depart some unpeeled, simply heads eliminated, as a result of it makes the dish look further particular.
Onions: I used pink Calabrian onions for my pasta with nduja and shrimp. Calabria is known for its pink Tropea onions. These are delicate candy onions and the normal selection for nduja sauce. After all, you should use different sorts of candy pink onions as an alternative. You too can change the onion with garlic cloves in case you favor.
Recent parsley: Flat leaf Italian parsley is the one sort of parsley I can discover right here in Italy. It has a extra strong and herby taste than curly parsley, which is used extra as a garnish. However, in case you solely have curly parsley, use that as an alternative. I don’t suggest dried parsley. As an alternative choice to parsley, recent basil can be a good selection.


Tomatoes: This recipe requires canned peeled tomatoes. I used peeled cherry tomatoes. I like them for his or her sweeter taste and the truth that they maintain their form when cooked. After all, different canned peeled tomatoes work effectively too or use passata and recent cherry tomatoes.
Step by Step directions and ideas.
Put together the substances. Peel and finely chop the onion, wash and chop the parsley, lower chunks from the nduja if in case you have a complete sausage.
How a lot nduja you employ is determined by how spicy you need the dish to be. The spiciness can differ from model to model so style somewhat first to see how a lot you’d like so as to add to the sauce. I used about 80-100 grams (2.8-3.5 ozs).
Put together the shrimp by washing them, eradicating the heads, peeling most of them and deveining (eradicating the skinny black vein alongside the shrimp’s again). I like to depart some shrimp tails unpeeled for taste and aesthetics.


Make the nduja and shrimp sauce.
1) Sauté the onion in heated olive oil over a medium warmth in a big frying pan or skillet till it begins to melt. Add the shrimp and sauté for 1-2 minutes.


2) Add the chunks of nduja and blend every thing along with a picket spoon till the nduja melts.


3) Add the canned tomatoes and simmer collectively over a low warmth for simply 5-10 minutes.


4) Lastly, add the recent parsley and season with salt and black pepper as required.


End the dish.
5) Cook dinner the pasta al dente in boiling salted water over a medium-high warmth. When it’s prepared save a cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the pasta to the nduja and shrimp tomato sauce.


6) Combine every thing collectively effectively. If the sauce appears thick, pour in somewhat of the pasta cooking water.


Serve instantly with extra recent parsley.


What to do with leftovers.
Leftover pasta with nduja sauce and shrimp will be stored within the fridge in a sealed container for 1-2 days. You may reheat leftovers within the microwave or bake them with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs on high.
Italians don’t use cheese with seafood. The truth is, in Southern Italy breadcrumbs are a standard substitute for grated cheese.
Let me know what you assume.
On the subject of shrimp (prawn) pasta recipes, this one with nduja sauce is one among my favorites. Not solely is it straightforward to make however it is so flavorful. I am certain in case you attempt it, you will turn out to be a fan too.
In case you make this nduja pasta with shrimp recipe, I’d love to listen to the way it seems and in case you preferred it. Please go away a remark right here on the weblog or on The Pasta Mission Fb web page.
Wanting ahead to listening to from you!
Buon appetito!
Pin for later.


Different seafood pasta recipes to attempt.
These recipes can all be spiced up with some Italian pink chili flakes.
Extra Seafood & Lake Fish Pasta Recipes
Reader Interactions

