I am a spice girl. I have almost a dozen different hot sauces, chili pastes, and salsas in my fridge at any one time, including chili crisp, sambal oelek, Tabasco, sriracha, Choulula, and salsa verde. I don’t use them to add major heat to my food, just to perk up the flavors of omelets, stir-fries, sauces, and roasted vegetables.
But, I’ve always been stymied by pasta recipes and other Italian-leaning dishes. Most of my spice-forward condiments come from Asian or Latin food traditions. And while there’s no rule that says I can’t add them to pasta, lasagna, or pizza, it never felt quite right flavor-wise.
Then a few years ago I discovered Bomba Calabrese, and I’ve never looked back. This chunky concoction is the Italian hot sauce I’d been looking for my whole life.
What Is Bomba Calabrese?
Not to be confused with Calabrian chili paste (which, no surprise, I also adore), this jarred dynamo is made with chiles sourced from the toe of Italy’s boot (aka the region of Calabria), olive oil, and slow-cooked vegetables, like artichokes and eggplant.
Anna Francese Gass, host of the TV series Instant Italian and the author of Italian Snacking, is also a fan and explains that the name simply translates to Calabrese bomb. “Calabrians are known for adding hot peppers, spicy oils, and sausage to their dishes to add heat, but also lots of flavor,” Gass says. Food isn’t spicy for spiciness’s sake, but to enhance the overall experience of the dish.
Taste-wise, bomba Calabrese is deep and savory and full of umami. Sure, if you pile it on, the heat would be overwhelming. But used judiciously, it just adds an electric current of flavor.
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist Josh Hoggle
How I Use It
Obviously, a spoonful gets stirred into almost every plate of pasta I devour. It’s also deeply satisfying in small dollops on slices of pizza. And, I love it mixed with mayo and used as a dipping sauce for everything from French fries and sweet potato fries to blanched broccoli or asparagus. That mayo combo is also the bomb (sorry) spread on sandwiches or mixed into egg or chicken salad. Really though, as Gass says, “It’s good on anything that could use a kick of heat and flavor.”
Where to Find Bomba Calabrese
My preferred brand, and Gass’s, is Delizie Di Calabria. “They use Calabrian chili peppers along with porcini, eggplant and artichoke. It’s a perfect heat level,” Gass says. I buy it at an Italian specialty shop in my neighborhood. If you’re lucky enough to have one of those, check there. If not, it’s also available on Amazon for about $13 a jar.
7 Recipes That Would Be Delish With a Dollop of Bomba
Credit: Caitlin Bensel