This 15 MINUTE GOURMET PASTA with Salami Will Be Your New Favorite Weeknight Meal
Say hello to this fiery Pasta with Salami, a brilliant choice for lovers of spicy food. Its flavour is so addictive, you’ll keep coming back for more. If you prefer something less intense, a milder salami works too.
Once you see how easy it is to prepare, there is no reason not to cook this dish!
The star ingredient, Calabrese salami from Italy, is famed for its vibrant mix of hot peppers and paprika, adding an exciting depth to the dish thatโs hard to resist. You can use any type of pasta in this dish, but we use penne pasta as itโs great at capturing the smooth, homemade passata. In addition, the pecorino cheese introduces a sharp contrast and the touch of basil adds a burst of colour, perfectly rounding off each bite.
Whatโs more, itโs incredibly quick to whip up. You can have the sauce bubbling away in the time it takes your pasta to reach that perfect al dente โ just 15 minutes from start to finish. Besides, this is a no-fuss dish; there’s not really much you need to add, as most of the flavour comes from the salami. Itโs great for a quick dinner or lunch any day of the week. Simply follow my easy recipe to learn how to make it at home.
Watch 15 MINUTE GOURMET PASTA with SalamiRecipe
How to Make Pasta with Salami Like an Italian Chef
Vincenzoโs Plate Tips
High Quality Counts
Make sure to source high-quality salami for the best result. You can cut your salami into any shape, but strips work best for this dish. One salami should be enough for 2-3 people, but feel free to adjust based on the number of serves.
Penne for Your Thoughts
You’re free to use any pasta you fancy, but for this saucy affair, I recommend penne. Itโs perfect for clinging onto that rich tomato sauce.
Splash of Water
You’ll need to cook Pasta with Salami on a high flame. Adding a splash of water before your onions go into the pan ensures they caramelize beautifully without burning.
No passata? No worries!
If you donโt have any bottles of passata on hand, you can substitute with two small cans of peeled tomatoes, well blended. Indeed, it’s a really seamless swap.
Squeeze Every Drop
When using store-bought passata, a clever trick is to add a bit of water to the empty bottle. Give it a good shake to scrape up any remaining sauce so none goes to waste. If youโre using homemade passata, skip the water since youโll want to keep it as thick and flavourful as possible.
How to serve Pasta with Salami
Ladle a hearty portion of pasta onto plates, top with a good scoop of sauce, and scatter over more torn basil leaves. And remember, no pecorino, no party! Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of pecorino on top to finish it off.
Pasta with Salami
Equipment
- knife
- Chopping-board
- Large-sized pan
- wooden spoon
- Large-sized pot
- Mug
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 300 g/10.5 oz Penne or Rigatoni
- 1 spicy Italian salami
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 bottle/750ml passata
- A fresh bunch of basil
- Salt & Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil EVOO
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the salami and cut it into thin strips.
- Warm a large pan on high heat and add a generous amount of EVOO. Add a splash of water and then the onions, this will help prevent them from burning.
- Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. , Add 1 tbsp of rock salt, and allow to dissolve.
- Add the penne, stirring them occasionally to prevent them from sticking, and cook according to the packet instructions.
- When the onions are caramelized, add the salami strips. They cook quickly, so keep stirring to avoid any burns.
- Stir in the passata, reduce the heat to medium, and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat (if your pasta is not yet ready), let it sit briefly, then tear in some basil leaves and stir through.
- Once the pasta is al-dente, scoop up a mug of pasta water, then strain.
- If you have remove the sauce from heat, put it back on a low setting, , add the pasta, and combine well.
- If the mixture seems dry, add a bit of the reserved pasta water and toss gently to combine.
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzoโs PlateโฆEnjoy!
Craving more spicy dishes? Check out these tasty recipes that are sure to ignite your taste buds!
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Easy to make, delicious taste. Had to use a Catalan chorizo, but it tasted great and we Will eat this absolutely more then once.
Thank you for the great recipe and Thank you for learning me how to Cook great pastaโs.
Ciao Remco! Thank you so much for your kind words! Iโm thrilled to hear that the Pasta Salami recipe turned out delicious, even with the Catalan chorizo! Stay tuned for more easy tasty recipes!