Why David is obsessed with Nduja – and why you should be too
If you’ve never tried nduja (pronounced en-doo-ya), allow us to introduce you to one of David Lishman’s all-time favourite ingredients. This spicy, spreadable salami hails from Calabria in southern Italy — and once you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand why the locals are so fiercely proud of it.
David first became enamoured with nduja for its bold flavour and versatility. It’s soft, rich, and absolutely packed with heat thanks to generous amounts of paprika and chilli. Just a spoonful adds serious depth to your cooking—and the best part? It melts beautifully into hot dishes, making it a dream ingredient for quick, flavour-packed meals.
A few years ago, we were lucky enough to be awarded a 2-star Great Taste Award for our nduja. The news even made its way to a food journalist in Rome, who mentioned us in an Italian newspaper. David was thrilled—until he received an email written entirely in Italian. He excitedly translated it, thinking it was a fan congratulating us. Turns out… not quite. Let’s just say he wasn’t too happy about someone making nduja outside Calabria, and he even took a dig at David’s parentage! That’s how seriously they take it.
But honestly, once you start cooking with nduja, you’ll see why it inspires such passion.
Here are two of David’s favourite ways to use it:
- In pasta – Try this incredible one-pan spaghetti with nduja, fennel & olives. It’s easy, fast, and absolutely bursting with flavour.
- With mussels – This recipe for spicy steamed nduja mussels is next-level delicious. Perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself midweek.
Nduja is affordable, full of character, and one of our go-to ingredients for quick dinners with a bit of flair.
