Creamy escarole and nduja pasta

Name: Creamy escarole and nduja pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fusilli pasta 11.3 oz; Escarole (endive) 1.5 lbs; Nduja 6.5 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese Aged 36 months 5 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Garlic 1 clove; Basil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Pasta with escarole cream and 'nduja—seriously, you gotta try it—is a flavor combo you don’t see every day in Italian pasta dishes. Really, in Calabria, where ‘nduja hails from, folks love mixing things up with local goodies like scarola. That's the slightly bitter escarole. The dish gets its smooth, creamy texture from blending escarole with a good chunk of 36-month Parmigiano Reggiano. And here's the thing—the cheese adds a soft, nutty depth that melts right into the sauce. Each bite feels almost silky against the spicy kick of the ‘nduja. People in southern Italy totally know how to use escarole, and this recipe kinda feels like a cousin to dishes you’ll find in Campania too, where greens like this get tossed into everything from Minestra maritata to tagliatelle. But the real Calabrian twist here? It's that 'nduja pasta recipe heat—a tangy, slow-building spice that's not overpowering but keeps things exciting to the last forkful.

Every bite of this pasta with escarole cream and 'nduja totally brings together the best of both worlds. So... You get that tender, fresh green taste from escarole and the bold, moist richness of spicy ‘nduja. The creamy pasta sauce isn't heavy or boring, just really really balanced and interesting. People who dig spicy pasta recipes will definitely get a kick out of this. It’s not just about the heat though—also, the cheese and greens keep it mellow and smooth. It’s one of those things you make when you want something special, but don’t feel like fussing for hours. Which is great. Plus, it’s a cool way to use up escarole in a new style, since most folks just throw it into soups. That mix of Mediterranean flavors and traditional Italian recipes makes every forkful a little different—you know, first you get the rich, sharp cheese, then the spicy sausage, all pulled together by that creamy green sauce. For anyone into escarole cream pasta or wanting to try something a bit unique from Calabrian cuisine, this dish really hits the spot.

How to prepare Creamy escarole and nduja pasta

To prepare the pasta with escarole cream and nduja, first wash the escarole well under running water, remove the base of the head and roughly chop it 1. In a large skillet pour the oil together with the garlic and let it flavor for a few moments over medium heat. Then add the escarole 2, season with salt 3 and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well wilted.

Meanwhile, bring plenty of salted water to a boil in a pot. Remove the garlic and transfer the cooked escarole to the jar of a blender 4; blend everything together with the basil 5, then add 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano PDO 36 months (about 3.5 oz / 1 cup) 6 and blend again until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous cream.

Pour the cream obtained back into the same skillet used for the escarole and keep it warm. Cook the fusilli in the boiling water 8 and meanwhile prepare the nduja. Slice it first into rounds 9.

Then remove the casing 10 and finally cut it into small cubes 11. Make the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO 36 months shavings with a vegetable peeler 12; you will need about 40 g (about 1.4 oz / roughly 1/3 cup).

Heat the escarole cream. Drain the pasta al dente directly into the sauce 13 and toss for a few minutes over medium heat, adding, if necessary, a little of the cooking water and a drizzle of olive oil 14, until you reach a creamy consistency 15.

Divide the pasta among plates and finish with the nduja cut into cubes 16 and the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO 36 months shavings 17. Serve immediately, piping hot 18.

Storage

It is recommended to eat the pasta as soon as it is ready. The escarole cream can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1 days. Freezing is not recommended.

Tip

For a vegetarian version you can replace the nduja with capers, Taggiasca olives or toasted pine nuts.

If you use a soft, creamy nduja, you can add it directly to the skillet during the final tossing so that it melts slightly and makes the sauce even more enveloping and flavorful, or add it in little dollops on the plate.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Creamy escarole and nduja pasta

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Creamy escarole and nduja pasta

Storage

Tip

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