Hummus Pasta Sauce (Vegan Recipe)
Have a bowl of this delicious hummus pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and crispy chickpeas! This quick and easy dinner recipe is perfect for any day of the week.
Servings 4 people
Calories 640kcal
Equipment
- Large pasta pot
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Chickpeas:
- ½ a can chickpeas cooked, drained, about 4 oz/ 120 g, Note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch of fine sea salt or Kosher salt
Hummus pasta sauce:
- 1 lb pasta Note 2
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped, 3.5 oz/ 100 g
- 1 cup hummus 250 g, Note 3
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed, Note 3
- fine sea salt or Kosher salt, to taste, Note 4
- ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley or other fresh herbs
Instructions
Chickpeas:
- Drain the chickpeas, and measure the scant cup you need. Spread the chickpeas on a paper towel and rub them dry. Some of their skins will come off; pick and remove them.
- Roast: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan. Add the chickpeas, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Roast them for about 8-10 minutes, often shaking the pan until they are golden and crispy. Transfer them to a large plate until ready to serve.
Pasta:
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt generously, about 1 tablespoon table salt for 4 quarts/4-liter water. Add pasta and cook it al dente according to the packet’s instructions.
- Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water (you will not need it all) before draining the rest.
- Make the hummus sauce while the pasta cooks.
Hummus sauce:
- Chop 1 small onion, grate 2 garlic cloves, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes (100g/ ½ cup when chopped). Keep them separated from each other.
- Sauté: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt on medium-low heat until softer, 5-6 minutes. If the onions get too dark, turn the heat low and stir often. Add the garlic and the tomato pieces and stir for another couple of minutes.
- Add 1 cup hummus (250 g), ½ teaspoon sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Add about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and stir well to loosen the hummus.
- Heat the sauce for 1-2 minutes without boiling it, and add a bit more pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
- Adjust the taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice if necessary. Add the drained pasta and stir to combine.
- Serve: Top with the crispy chickpeas and freshly chopped herbs just before serving.
Notes
- Chickpeas: ½ can of drained chickpeas is a bit less than 1 cup.
- Pasta: I used whole wheat elbow macaroni, but you can use any short pasta you like, either regular or whole wheat. Spaghetti is also fine.
- Homemade or store-bought hummus are both okay. However, my experience is that store-bought hummus is often more acidic than homemade (it tastes sourer). That is why I recommend adding less or no lemon juice to the recipe. Taste the sauce and decide if it needs more tang or not.
- Salt: Hummus is already seasoned, so it is better to start with a pinch of salt and add more to taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion from 4 | Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 932mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 304IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg