Shrimp Spaghetti, plus 'Nduja and Lemon

The most good and vibrant Shrimp Spaghetti made with spicy 'Nduja (Calabrian salami), zesty lemon and fresh parsley in a simple tomato sauce. This recipe is easy to make and is full of flavour, ready in 25 minutes!

If you love seafood pasta then this shrimp spaghetti is a must-try!

It's loaded with flavour from sweet and juicy shrimp, spicy 'Nduja, vibrant lemon and fresh parsley plus there's a little added white wine….serve a chilled glass with it for the solid dinner.

This recipe is easy and ready in under half an hour. It uses simple ingredients except 'Nduja which if you can't find can be replaced with chilli flakes!

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below.

See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make our Shrimp Spaghetti recipe plus some ingredients tips.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Raw Shrimp (prawns) – use large shrimp/prawns and clean and devein them before using. Make sure they are raw and not pre-cooked (pink).
• Crushed tomatoes – use high-quality tomatoes we like to use Cirio or Mutti 'polpa' which is crushed tomatoes in the US or chopped tomatoes in the UK.
• Lemon – we only use the zest of the lemon so we recommend using unwaxed, organic lemons.
• 'Nduja – see the photo above for what 'Nduja looks like. It's a soft, spicy salami from Calabria. You should be able to find it in Italian speciality food stores or online. If you're in the UK you can find it in Tesco or Waitrose. If you can't find it you could use 1 teaspoon chilli flakes instead.
• White wine – use a white wine that you'll drink (don't ever use cooking wine).

Step by step photos and instructions

Cook the Nduja – Add the olive oil to a large pan or skillet, add the Nduja and cook for about 1 or 2 minutes until it starts to melt (photos 1 & 2).

Cook the pasta – Add your spaghetti to boiling salted water and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes).

Make the sauce – Add the white wine to the Nduja and reduce by half then add the crushed tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for around 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked (photos 3 & 4).

Cook the shrimp – About 1 or 2 minutes before the spaghetti is ready add the chopped shrimp to the tomato sauce and simmer until they turn pink (photos 5 & 6).

Add the final ingredients – Then add the spaghetti along with the parsley, lemon zest and little pasta water (1-2 tablespoons) toss well until everything is combined and serve (photos 7 & 8).

Recipe tips

• Control how spicy you want it – 'Nduja is a cured salami so like any other cured meat it doesn't have to be cooked before eating. The spiciness can vary from brand to brand so taste a little first to see how much you'd like to add to the sauce.
• Make sure you use raw shrimp (prawns) – make sure the shrimp you buy are translucent and raw and not pink (cooked).
• Chop the shrimp or leave them whole – the shrimp are roughly chopped but you can keep them whole if you prefer.

Recipe FAQs

Can we use frozen shrimp?

Yes, frozen shrimp will work as well and defrost relatively quickly. Once they're defrosted you'll need to devein and rinse them as you do with fresh ones.

Can we use other pasta?

Absolutely, long pasta works best here so try another long shape such as linguine or tagliatelle.

How long does it last?

This pasta recipe is best served and eaten immediately although leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.

More good pasta recipes to try

Pasta

Shrimp Linguine with Burst Tomatoes & Parsley

Fresh Pasta

Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Cream Sauce

Pasta

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: Garlic & Oil Pasta

Classic Italian Recipes

Pasta With Puttanesca Sauce (Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca)

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 14 oz spaghetti ((400g))
• 1 cup large shrimp (prawns) (cleaned, deveined and roughly chopped (160g))
• 21 oz crushed tomatoes ((600g))
• 1 tablespoon 'Nduja ((or use 1 teaspoon chilli flakes))
• ¼ cup dry white wine ((60ml))
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• A large handful fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper (to season)

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.

2. Add the olive oil to a large pan or skillet, add the Nduja and cook for about 1 or 2 minutes until it starts to melt.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (around 8-10 minutes).

4. Add the white wine to the Nduja and reduce by half then add the crushed tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for around 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.

5. About 1 or 2 minutes before the spaghetti is ready add the chopped shrimp to the tomato sauce and simmer until they turn pink, then add the spaghetti along with the parsley, lemon zest and little pasta water (1-2 tablespoons) toss well until everything is combined and serve.