The spicy, spreadable salami from Calabria is ’nduja. More precisely, it is a soft, highly seasoned pork sausage or salume associated especially with Spilinga and the surrounding region of Calabria in southern Italy.
’Nduja is made from pork trimmings and fatback mixed with sun-dried Calabrian chili peppers. The mixture is stuffed into a large casing, smoked, and aged for roughly three to six months. Its unusually soft texture means it can be scooped directly from the casing and spread on bread rather than sliced like a firm salami.
The intense red color and heat come primarily from the local chilies. ’Nduja is commonly served with bread and cheese, but cooks also stir it into pasta sauces, spread it on pizza, fold it into beans, or melt it into stews. Its fat carries the chili flavor through an entire dish.
A common mix-up is treating ’nduja as a generic hot salami or a tomato spread. It is a cured pork product, and its defining combination is soft texture plus pronounced chili heat. Its popularity expanded internationally, particularly in British and American restaurants during the 2010s.