Spicy 'Nduja Mayonnaise

For the best spicy mayonnaise, stir in some funky, salty 'nduja.

By
Sasha Marx
Sasha Marx
Senior Culinary Editor
Sasha is a senior culinary editor at Serious Eats. He has over a decade of professional cooking experience, having worked his way up through a number of highly regarded and award-winning restaurant kitchens, followed by years spent in test kitchens for food publications.
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Updated May 22, 2024
20200114-nduja-recipes-10
Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • The soft spreadable texture and high fat content of 'nduja allows it to easily emulsify and meld with creamy mayonnaise, lending it floral heat from the Calabrian chilies and meaty richness from the pork.
  • Fresh lemon juice gives this spicy mayonnaise some bright acidity, complementing the fermented tang of 'nduja.

If you like spiking mayonnaise with sriracha, gochujang, or harissa to add a little heat to sandwiches, burgers, French fries, grilled seafood, and other mayo-friendly foods, then you need to give this 'nduja mayo a try.

For the uninitiated, 'nduja is a spicy, spreadable fermented pork salume from the southern Italian region of Calabria. 'Nduja's high fat content lends it a soft, spreadable texture, and also allows it to easily emulsify and meld into sauces.

Here, we stir a couple of tablespoons of 'nduja into mayonnaise along with a splash of lemon juice for the perfect sandwich condiment. The Calabrian chilies in the 'nduja provide plenty of floral heat that you'd want in a spicy mayo, but the meaty richness of the pork makes this sandwich spread anything but ordinary.

Recipe Details

Spicy 'Nduja Mayonnaise Recipe

Active 1 min
Total 1 mins
Serves 6 servings
Makes 2/3 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces; 100g) homemade or store-bought mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 27g) 'nduja (see note)

  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh lemon juice

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, 'nduja, and lemon juice until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

Notes

'Nduja is a spicy spreadable pork salame that originates from the southern Italian region of Calabria. In the US, it can be purchased at specialty shops that carry salumi/charcuterie, Italian markets, or online from producers like Tempesta Artisan Salumi. Look for 'nduja made with just four ingredients: pork, Calabrian chilies, salt, and lactic acid.

Make-Ahead and Storage

'Nduja mayonnaise can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
122Calories
13gFat
0gCarbs
1gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories122
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g16%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 252mg11%
Total Carbohydrate 0g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg2%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 27mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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