Spicy Nduja Mascarpone Paccheri: Silky 5-Ingredient Pasta

This paccheri recipe brings together the bold, smoky heat of Calabrian nduja and the cool, velvety richness of mascarpone for a sauce that's impossibly silky and deeply satisfying. With just five main ingredients, it's the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a restaurant splurge.

The giant pasta tubes catch the sauce inside and out, so every bite is packed with flavor. Ready in about 25 minutes, this is the pasta dish you'll turn to when you want something special without the fuss.

Paccheri are large, ridged tubes from southern Italy, perfect for holding chunky sauces and creamy coatings. Here, they're tossed with a quick sauce made by melting spicy nduja into olive oil with shallot and garlic, then adding crushed cherry tomatoes and finishing with cold mascarpone.

The result is a glossy, rosy sauce that clings to every inch of the pasta. The pecorino and basil on top add a salty, fresh finish. This is a minimalist recipe that lets a few good ingredients shine.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The method starts by melting nduja in olive oil, which releases its smoky, spicy fat and flavors the entire sauce base. This step is key: it creates a rich, red-orange oil that carries the heat and umami through the dish. The shallot and garlic soften in that same oil, picking up all the flavor. Then the crushed tomatoes simmer briefly, just enough to thicken and meld.

Adding cold mascarpone at the very end, off the boil, keeps the sauce smooth and prevents it from curdling. The cold cheese melts into the warm sauce, creating a silky emulsion that clings to the pasta.

Because the mascarpone isn't cooked aggressively, it retains its sweet, creamy character, balancing the heat of the nduja. The result is a luxurious sauce that feels rich but not heavy.

Notes and substitutions

Nduja is a soft, spreadable Calabrian sausage made with pork and chili peppers. It's sold in a casing or in a jar; either works. If you can't find it, you can substitute a mix of tomato paste, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, though the flavor will be different.

Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese with a high fat content; it's what gives the sauce its velvety texture. Use full-fat for best results.

Paccheri are large, smooth tubes; bronze-die cut versions have a rough surface that helps sauce cling. If you can't find paccheri, rigatoni or ziti are good substitutes. The pasta water is important for loosening the sauce if needed — it's starchy and helps bind the sauce to the pasta. Fresh basil is best, but a pinch of dried oregano could work in a pinch.

• nduja sausage: Use 3 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a similar smoky heat.
• paccheri: Substitute rigatoni, ziti, or penne — any short tube pasta works.
• mascarpone: Replace with full-fat cream cheese or crème fraîche for a similar creamy texture.
• Pecorino Romano: Use grated Parmesan or Grana Padano.

Equipment

• Large pot for pasta
• Large skillet or sauté pan
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Colander
• Measuring spoons
• Chef's knife and cutting board