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Spicy Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce, Zucchini and Arugula is addictively delicious! With lots of heat and robustness from its star, chile-infused, spreadable pork ‘nduja sausage, it’s such an innovative combination of classic Italian ingredients that is also super easy and quick to make. Read on for more!
What exactly is ‘Nduja?
Ubiquitous throughout the southern Italian region of Calabria, think of ‘nduja (pronounced ‘en-DOO-ya’) as a pork pepper paste. It’s a very savory, bright red, spreadable salami that is hot and spicy from all those delicious Calabrian peperoncini mixed into it. A decade ago, most of us had not even heard of ‘nduja outside of Italy, but it has quickly become a much sought after specialty ingredient here in the US. And, there are actually a few American versions of it now available.
But, ‘nduja is more than just heat! Besides chiles, there are other spices and herbs mixed in creating a savory, flavor bomb that also is full of umami. It can be spread on grilled bread or crackers, topped on pizza, added to scrambled eggs, swirled into sauces and soups or hold a starring role in a recipe as in this beautiful Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce, Zucchini and Arugula.
Listen to me and Wendy of Flavor of Italy talk all about Calabrian ‘nduja and peperoncino in this episode of the Flavor of Italy podcast.
In this dish, I basically stirred some ‘nduja into hot spaghetti along with sautéed garlic, zucchini, arugula, parmigiano and pecorino cheeses and a good glug of robust extra-virgin olive oil. . .and, of course, lots of pasta water to make the dish saucy. The fact that ‘nduja has both a soft, spreadable texture and high (pork) fat content makes it easily emulsify and melt into this pasta dish. If you’ve never tried ‘nduja sauce before, you’re in for a treat!
Quite honestly, if you just stirred the ‘nduja alone into the hot spaghetti, then topped it off with some pecorino, it would be just as good. That is how amazing this ingredient is.
Now, I am not going to lie to you–this dish is HOT, so not for the faint of heart. But, like anything, heat levels can always be adjusted to your personal taste. Plus, different brands of ‘nduja have different heat levels, so the recipe amount may need to be adjusted based on this as well. I hope you give this recipe a try!
Why This Recipe Works
- Intense, Balanced Taste: The flavors in this dish are very well balanced. Light and mild zucchini is complemented by the fiery layers of savoriness and richness of the ‘nduja and the pepperiness of the arugula. Pecorino adds a sharp and salty punch, while the parmigiano adds an earthy element. It’s next-level delicious.
- Quick and Easy: With only a few key ingredients and about 30 minutes from start to finish, Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce, Zucchini and Arugula can be served on the fly any night of the week and is also special and unique enough to make for a weekend dinner party.
If you like zucchini recipes, check out Roasted Zucchini alla Scapece and Stuffed Zucchini.
Ingredients for Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce
I love that there are so few ingredients in this easy nduja pasta sauce recipe. To make it, we will be using the following:
- ‘Nduja: This Calabrian spicy, spreadable pork sausage is the star ingredient in this dish! It adds not only heat, but lots of umami, or savoriness, to the recipe and makes it very unique as well. While once a very obscure ingredient outside of Italy, it can now be found in most Italian specialty markets and online.
- Veggies: Using both zucchini and arugula works from a flavor, texture and visual perspective here! The mild flavor of the zucchini is balanced out with the robust and spicy qualities of the ‘nduja and the pepperiness of the arugula. Arugula also adds a very fresh and nutritious component to the dish. Plus, it can easily be switched out for baby spinach if you prefer.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Garlic: No explanation necessary for these two! Except to say, always use a very high quality extra-virgin olive oil for finishing.
- Cheese: I use both sharp and salty Pecorino Romano and earthy Parmigiano cheeses in this recipe as they complement each other so well. Of course, if you don’t have both cheeses on hand, you can include just one.
- Pasta: This recipe is very pasta-shape friendly and would work with most long and short varieties. My favorites besides spaghetti are bucatini, rigatoni, cavatappi and cavatelli. It’s a very versatile sauce.
A complete and detailed list of ingredients with amounts and instructions is included in the recipe below.
Nduja Sauce Step-by-Step, Pro-Tips included!
Here are the main steps for how to make this simple ‘nduja pasta sauce:
- Prep and measure all ingredients. Cook garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat until garlic starts to soften.
- PRO-TIP: Don’t walk too far away during this step! Garlic can burn very quickly; so, close monitoring is important.
- Add zucchini and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then, add the ‘nduja and break it up in the pan. Partially cover the pan and cook until the zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally.
- PRO-TIP: Add a couple tablespoons water to the pan to speed up the zucchini cooking process.
- Add half the arugula and stir until well-combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Cook pasta for 2 minutes before you think it is al dente and reserve some starchy pasta water. Transfer cooked pasta and some pasta water to the pan, along with the remaining arugula. Let the pasta finish cooking in the delicious flavors of the nduja sauce.
- PRO-TIP: The pasta water is key! Add it to the sauce along with the pasta for the additional moisture needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- Once the nduja sauce and pasta are well-combined, turn off the heat and mix in the cheeses. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and pecorino cheese and serve. That’s it!
- PRO-TIP: Even though it is not included in the recipe below, try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons butter to the pasta at the very end to give it a restaurant-style silky, rich finish.
For another delicious pasta recipe with green veggies, check out Italian Broccoli Pasta with Pecorino and Lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about this Spaghetti with Calabrian Nduja Sauce recipe:
Lots of things! The traditional way to enjoy ‘nduja is as a spread on grilled bread or crackers as part of an antipasto. And, it is also wonderful in frittatas, on pizza or swirled into sauces or soups as a spicy aromatic. Really, this wonderful ingredient can be added in any dish that you’d like some additional heat and flavor. I love making an nduja tomato sauce as well. It has a fairly long shelf life as well. So, you can take your time to experiment with it a bit.
This recipe is very pasta-shape friendly and would work with most long and short varieties. My favorites besides spaghetti are bucatini, rigatoni, cavatappi and cavatelli. It’s a very versatile sauce.
A few other great recipes with seasonal ingredients like this are Pasta all Checca, Busiate Pasta with Pesto Trapanese, Panzanella Toscana and Linguine with Basil Pesto.
Recipe Variations for Nduja Sauce
Here are a few great suggestions for twists and additions to this nduja sauce recipe:
- Add ricotta cheese: If you swirl in about ¾ cup ricotta cheese to the final dish, it will become creamier and richer–sounds good to me!
- Change up the Veggies: Lots of different vegetables would be lovely in this dish, including mushrooms, yellow squash, onions, artichoke hearts and diced fresh tomatoes.
- Add protein: Italian sausage, chicken breast chunks or shrimp are all great additions to this recipe for increased protein and heartiness.
If you like this dish, check out these other spicy recipes: Quick and Easy Spicy Sauteed Calamari, Spicy Garlic Shrimp, Calamari Ragu Fra Diavolo, and Spicy Marinated Mushrooms.
Kitchen Tools & Cookware Needed
To make this Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce, Zucchini and Arugula recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Cutting board with non-slip mat underneath (I use shelf liner)
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Multiple bowls to hold prep
- Cheese grater
- Large sauté pan
- Wooden or silicon spoons, tongs
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Colander, large mesh strainer or spider for scooping out or draining pasta
- Large serving bowl or platter and serving utensils
More Great Pasta Recipes to Try
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog Mangia With Michele and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried this Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce, Zucchini and Arugula recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know how it went in the comments below — I love hearing from you!
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Spaghetti with Nduja Sauce, Zucchini and Arugula
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp chopped or thinly-sliced garlic
- 3-4 small zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
- ⅓ cup 'nduja
- 2 large handfuls arugula (3-4 ounces)
- To taste salt and black pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti + salt for pasta water
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese + more for topping
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano cheese
- Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Then, combine the olive oil and garlic in a large pan over medium-low heat and cook until the garlic starts to soften.¼ cup olive oil, 3 Tbsp chopped or thinly-sliced garlic
- Add the zucchini and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then, add the ‘nduja and break it up in the pan. Partially cover the pan and cook until the zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally. Add half the arugula and stir until well-combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.3-4 small zucchini,, ⅓ cup 'nduja, 2 large handfuls arugula, To taste salt and black pepper
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta, stirring frequently.1 pound spaghetti
- Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, or about 2 minutes before you think it is al dente. Be sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Transfer the cooked pasta and about ½ cup pasta water to the pan, along with the remaining arugula, and toss well, allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the delicious flavors of the nduja sauce. Add additional pasta water of more moisture is needed.
- Make sure the sauce and pasta are well-combined, then turn off the heat, mix in the cheeses and adjust seasonings if necessary. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and pecorino cheese, transfer to serving dishes, & enjoy! Buon Appetito!¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmigiano cheese, Extra-virgin olive oil
Notes
- Use a large pot with 5 to 6 quarts water for 1 pound of pasta. Bring the water to a boil before adding the salt. Use 1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp salt.
- The pasta water is key! Add it to the sauce along with the pasta for the additional moisture needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- If desired, you can add all of the arugula to the pan at the same time as the hot pasta, instead of splitting it up.
- Feel free to increase the amount of ‘nduja if you like things extra spicy!
- Add a couple tablespoons water to the pan if you would like to speed up the zucchini cooking process.
I’ve been looking for a pasta recipe to use my ‘nduja and this looks like the winner. Can’t wait to try it!
‘Nduja is such an amazing ingredient! Hope you enjoy the recipe.