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    Home » Pasta » Pasta with Pumpkin and 'Nduja Sauce

    Pasta with Pumpkin and 'Nduja Sauce

    Published: Nov 24, 2019 · Modified: May 6, 2021 by Jessica Montanelli · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Total time to make this recipe: 30 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    white bowl with pumpkin 'nduja pasta

    Sweet and spicy. Bold and unforgettable. This creamy pumpkin sauce with the spiciness and smokiness of Italian 'nduja will bring pasta to the next level. This is a perfect dish for all the pumpkin lovers.

    I'm Italian, born and raised. But there are still so many Italian ingredients and dishes that I still have to try. There are so many!

    'Nduja is one of those. I am aware of its existence but that's it. Our local supermarkets don't sell it or if they do, I wouldn't notice it. Because it's an ingredient from the southern Italian region of Calabria and we never use it in Tuscan cooking.

    That's how it goes, every region has its own cooking traditions and range of traditional ingredients that most of the time cannot be found in the rest of Italy. That's the beautiful thing about Italy. You go on holiday to another region and it's like going to a different country, except they speak the same language (more or less). Culture, food, landscape, traditions, everything is different in every region of Italy.

    white bowl with pumpkin 'nduja pasta
    white bowl with pumpkin 'nduja pasta

    What is 'Nduja

    'Nduja is a spicy (very spicy) spread made with pork, roasted chili peppers, and spices. It's stuffed in pork intestine casings and smoked. The flavor is of smoked spicy sausage.

    The name 'Nduja comes from the French Andouille (it also has a very similar pronunciation), which is a name for many different types of smoked sausages, depending on the region. The Creole Andouille is also very similar. The Italian 'Nduja has only a few things in common with Andouille. They're both smoky pork sausages, but the Italian one is far spicier and you cannot slice it because it has a spreading consistency.

    'Nduja was born in Spilinga, a small city in Calabria, in the "toe" region of Italy. Calabria is famous for its very spicy chili peppers and its population is famous for loving spicy dishes, contrary to the rest of Italy. 'Nduja is usually spread on grilled bread and accompanied with cheese. But it's also very common in pasta sauces or as topping on pizza, frittata, and more.

    Another dish in which 'Nduja would work great is this Butternut Squash and Sausage Lasagna or you can add it as a topping on this Sweet Potato Soup.

    white bowl with pumpkin 'nduja pasta
    white bowl with pumpkin 'nduja pasta

    The Recipe

    📖 RECIPE

    white bowl with pumpkin 'nduja pasta

    Pasta with Pumpkin and 'Nduja Sauce

    The sweetness of the pumpkin complemented by the smoky and spicy 'Nduja sausage. This dish is a perfect Fall comfort food, great for any occasion and ready in just half hour.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Author: Jessica Montanelli

    Ingredients

    • 7 oz Pasta
    • ½ Hokkaido Pumpkin
    • Olive Oil
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper
    • Oregano
    • Thyme
    • 3 teaspoon Cream
    • 2-3 teaspoon ‘Nduja

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
    • Peel and chop the pumpkin into small cubes. Drizzle some olive oil in a pan and add the pumpkin. Add the salt, black pepper, pinch of oregano and thyme and sauté for about 5 minutes.
    • Add a splash of water, turn down the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.
    • Halfway through the cooking of the sauce, toss the pasta in the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
    • Use a potato masher to purée half of the pumpkin. Add the cream and the ‘Nduja. Mix well and let it cook at low heat for a few more minutes.
    • Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. The ‘Nduja should be completely melted and mixed in the pumpkin sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 526 kcal | Carbohydrates: 104 g | Protein: 17 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 14 mg | Sodium: 67 mg | Potassium: 1411 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Sugar: 10 g | Vitamin A: 4758 IU

    Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Have you tried this recipe?Snap a photo and tag @jess.cookingmydreams or use the hashtag #cookingmydreams!

    I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program design to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means that if you click on a product link, I may receive compensation. This compensation comes at no additional cost to you, and as always I only recommend products I trust!

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! Born and raised in Siena, Tuscany, I've been immersed in the rich traditions of Italian cuisine my entire life. Through my food blog, I hope to share a slice of Tuscan warmth and the genuine flavors that have been a part of my journey since childhood.

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    108 shares