Lemony Hummus Pasta
Hummus, with its nutty and garlicky flavor, makes a fantastic dip, spread or even a salad dressing, but it can also be a great base for a pasta sauce. A little garlic and shallot sizzled in olive oil, along with fresh lemon juice and zest, help amp up premade hummus. With a little water, the hummus thins out enough to become a creamy sauce to fully coat noodles. You can add chickpeas, fresh herbs, za’atar or almost any roasted or fresh vegetable to this pasta and it will feel like your own.
Ingredients
- salt
- 12 ouncesspaghetti or bucatini
- ¼ cupolive oil
- 4garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 largeshallot, finely chopped
- 1 cupplain hummus (store-bought or homemade)
- 1lemon, zested and juiced
- tender herb leaves of your choice, for serving
- toasted sesame seeds, optional
Directions
- 1
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium and add the garlic, shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly softened, about 2 minutes, then add the hummus and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until the hummus becomes a looser, smoother sauce. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Turn heat down to medium-low.
- 3
Add the pasta to the pan, toss very well to coat, season with salt to taste, and toss again, adding more reserved pasta water if needed to create desired consistency. Transfer to serving bowls or plates. Drizzle with more olive oil, if desired, and top with the herbs and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.