Rich Tomato & ’Nduja Sauce
A southern Italian tomato sauce with gentle heat and deep, slow-cooked flavour.
This quick but rich sauce layers the sweetness of soffritto with the smoky warmth of Calabrian ’nduja. Ideal with short pasta, over polenta, or spooned on toasted sourdough.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan or sauté pan
- Wooden spoon
- Knife & chopping board
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil: 2–4 tbsp — shop here
- Onion, finely diced: 1 small
- Carrot, finely diced: 1 small
- Celery stalk, finely diced: 1 small
- Tomato paste: 1 tbsp
- Dry white wine: 60 ml (¼ cup)
- ’Nduja (to taste): 1–2 tbsp — shop here
- San Marzano tomatoes (400 g can), chopped if whole: 1 can
- Fine salt: to taste
Pantry picks: San Marzano tomatoes, good olive oil, and authentic Calabrian ’nduja make all the difference.
Method
- Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until lightly golden and sweet.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 30–60 seconds to caramelise.
- Pour in the white wine and stir briskly until the alcohol cooks off and the base looks glossy.
- Add the ’nduja and stir until it melts through the soffritto.
- Add the tomatoes, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently ~15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and season with salt. Toss with hot pasta, loosening with a splash of cooking water if needed.
Serve it with
- Short pasta like rigatoni, mezze maniche, fusilli
- Soft polenta finished with grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Toasted sourdough for a quick “bruschetta rossa”
Heat control: Start with 1 tbsp ’nduja; add more to taste. For extra richness, finish with a small knob of butter.