RecipesDinner
Dinner
Calabrian Chilli Nduja Rigatoni
Nduja melts down almost like a fat, coating onion and garlic in smoky, spreadable heat before the tomatoes go in, a spoon of Calabrian chilli paste pushing it into proper challenge-tier territory. Glossy, rust-red and clinging to every ridge of the rigatoni. Have milk standing by.
- Serves
- 3
- Prep
- 10min
- Cook
- 25min
- Total
- 35min
Programs: Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Maintenance, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Cardiometabolic
Per serving
- Calories
- 560kcal
- Protein
- 20g
- Carbs
- 86.4g
- Fat
- 14.2g
- Fibre
- 4.1g
01
Ingredients
For 3 servings · MetricUS
- 300grigatoni
- 60gnduja pastecontrolled portion, not a full tub
- 1 tbspCalabrian chilli pasteor extra hot chilli flakes
- 1onion, finely diced
- 3 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
- 400gchopped tomatoesone tin
- 1 tbsptomato puree
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 30glight cream cheesemelted in to round out the heat
- 15gparmesan, gratedplus extra to serve
- reserved pasta waterabout 150ml
- saltto taste
- handfulfresh basil, tornto finish
- 12 ozrigatonione standard US box
- 2 oznduja pastecontrolled portion, not a full tub
- 1 tbspCalabrian chilli pasteor extra hot chilli flakes
- 1onion, finely diced
- 3 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
- 14 ozcrushed tomatoesone can
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 2 tbsplight cream cheesemelted in to round out the heat
- ¼ cupparmesan, gratedplus extra to serve
- reserved pasta waterabout 2/3 cup
- saltto taste
- handfulfresh basil, tornto finish
02
Method
Cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente, it will finish in the sauce.
Reserve 150ml (2/3 cup) of the pasta water before draining.
Build the sauce base.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the nduja and Calabrian chilli paste.
Break the nduja up with a spoon and let it melt down into the onion for 2 to 3 minutes, this is what builds the smoky base heat before any tomato goes in.
Simmer the sauce.
Stir in the tomato puree, cook for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes.
Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and turned a deep rust colour.
Stir the light cream cheese through the sauce until fully melted, this takes some of the raw edge off the chilli without dulling the heat.
Combine and serve.
Add the drained rigatoni to the pan along with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce grips the ridges.
Stir in the parmesan and loosen with more pasta water if the sauce looks tight.
Taste and season with salt, remembering the nduja already carries salt of its own.
Divide between three bowls, scatter with torn basil and extra parmesan, and serve immediately.