Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Nduja

by Zarina
Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Nduja

One of the most flavourful, quick, and easy pasta sauces I have ever made!  This is definitely going to be on repeat in my home… just a handful of ingredients, mostly those of which you will already have in your pantry.. or alcohol cupboard 🤣… The vodka doesn’t give any alcoholic taste. It simply enhances all the other flavors in the sauce.  My twist of adding the Nduja was just perfect!!!

What is Nduja?..  besides my new food obsession.  For those of you who haven’t heard of it.. nduja (pronounced IN-DU-JAH) is a slice of spicy, spreadable pork from Italy.  It is made with pork fat, herbs, spices, and spicy Calabrian peppers, giving nduja chili heat and distinctive red color.  It is incredible on pizza, in pasta, spread onto bread, or with cheese… I add so many things now!  It is now readily available in supermarkets as a paste in a jar or even fresh… try it, and you’ll be hooked!!

Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Nduja

Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with Nduja

Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 3.0/5
( 16 voted )

Ingredients

  • 500g Rigatoni Pasta
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion finely sliced
  • 6 Garlic Cloves crushed
  • 2 Red Chillis chopped fine
  • 50ml Vodka
  • 1 Tin 400g San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
  • 100g Nduja
  • 150g Parmesan grated
  • 200ml Double Cream
  • A small handful of fresh torn basil
  • Sea Salt
  • Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan on medium heat, add a little olive oil and cook the onions until soft but not brown. Add the garlic and chilli and continue to cook for a minute.
  2. Add the vodka, deglaze the pan by scraping up the bits from the bottom and cook off the alcohol for a few minutes.
  3. Add the tinned tomatoes and bring everything to a boil
  4. At this point, turn down the heat and add the Ndjua, letting it melt into the sauce
  5. In another saucepan, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente
  6. Add the double cream to the vodka tomato sauce
  7. Add the grated parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste, mix well until all the cheese is melted, add the torn basil.
  8. Once the pasta is al dente, please remove it from the heat and drain, reserving a little pasta water.
  9. Add the pasta a little at a time to the vodka tomato sauce and toss through well. Keep adding splashes of pasta water as needed to keep the sauce loose.
  10. Serve up in bowls with more grated parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.
  11. Enjoy!
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Would love to hear your feedback! If you make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram @zarskitchen.

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