This 25-minute creamy hummus pasta with spinach, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes is a simple and satisfying meat-free & dairy-free meal for busy weeknights!

Quick and Easy Creamy Hummus Pasta

The last few months of maternity leave have been incredibly rewarding, beautiful… and tiring! Which is why I’ve loved being able to rely on super quick, simple, fuss-free, yet satisfying pasta recipes like 20-minute veg pasta, spinach pasta, and this hearty and healthy creamy hummus pasta recipe.

At its most basic, hummus pasta can be made with just leftover hummus and pasta water, broth, or milk to thin it to your desired consistency. However, in the same time it takes to cook the pasta, you can easily add just a few additional steps and ingredients for an even tastier, more satisfying weeknight dinner.

The combination of affordable, pantry-friendly ingredients makes a tangy, creamy hummus sauce with a silky, satisfying consistency. It’s quick, wholesome, nutritious, easily customizable (and a great ‘clear the fridge’ dish). It’s also naturally vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, and loaded with plant-based protein.

Want more easy ideas for what to do with hummus? Spread it over sandwiches, pita, wraps, pizza, crackers, toast, and more. Add it to salad and grain bowls, or make salad dressing.

The Ingredients

The Hummus Pasta Sauce

Olive oil: Or another neutral cooking oil, like avocado oil.
Aromatics: A mix of yellow, red, or white onion and garlic makes a more complex, well-rounded flavor.
Hummus: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade hummus. Smooth hummus works best for the creamiest, most velvety sauce.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled will work, too.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Perfect for concentrated tomatoey flavor.
Spinach: (or kale) These leafy greens are one of the simplest ways to add a highly concentrated dose of nutrients to this simple pasta and hummus recipe.
Fresh basil: I love the combination of basil and tomato, though parsley works too.
Seasonings: Enhance the hummus sauce with cumin, chili powder (or cayenne), salt, and black pepper.

Other Ingredients

Pasta: Use any regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free pasta (like chickpea or lentil pasta). I.e., penne, fusilli, rigatoni, spaghetti, etc. Enjoy it with zucchini noodles for a low-carb meal.
Vegan Parmesan cheese: (Optional) or nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor to garnish.

Recipe Variations and Add-Ins

Other hummus flavors: The easiest way to adapt the flavor of pasta with hummus is with flavored hummus, like red pepper hummus, beet hummus, pesto hummus, etc.
Hummus pasta salad: Cook the pasta and create the sauce, then leave them both to cool. Toss to evenly coat, then add veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, fresh herbs, etc. Optionally add vegan feta or nuts to garnish.
Vegetables: Like sauteed mushrooms and zucchini, peas, corn, steamed broccoli, asparagus, etc. It’s a great way to clear out your crisper drawer.
Caramelized onions: Add depth by caramelizing the onions.
Roasted tomatoes: Replace the sun-dried with roasted or confit tomatoes.
Dried herbs: Like dried oregano or thyme.
Smoked paprika: For subtle smoky flavor.

For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.

How to Make Creamy Hummus Pasta

First, cook the pasta according to its package instructions (usually minus 1-2 minutes for al dente pasta), then drain it, reserving one cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then drain and chop them into small pieces. Then, peel and finely dice the onion and mince/crush the garlic.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for a few more minutes, then stir in the garlic to sauté for a minute.

Reduce the heat to low, stir in the hummus, lemon juice, and half a cup of the reserved pasta water.

Stir in the spinach, basil, and seasonings (added to taste). Remove it from the heat.

Finally, stir the pasta into the sauce and, optionally, add more pasta water until you reach your desired consistency. Garnish with vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, and enjoy!

How to Store?

Store: Allow the pasta with hummus to cool, and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Pasta doesn’t freeze particularly well, as it becomes mushy. However, the sauce may be able to be frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Use a microwave or saucepan to gently reheat the sauce or assembled pasta dish, adding a splash of plant-based milk, vegetable broth, or water to loosen the sauce.

Serving Recommendations

Enjoy hummus tomato pasta warm, room temperature, or chilled, alone or bulked up with:

Garlic bread (or breadsticks) /crusty bread for dipping
Protein (like crispy tofu or crispy chickpeas)
Roasted or steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, tomatoes, eggplant, etc)
A simple leafy green side salad, cucumber salad, or tomato salad

Recipe Notes and Tips

Use high-quality hummus: When possible, I love to make my own. Otherwise, use good quality store-bought hummus, as it’s the dominant flavor of this dish.
Cook the pasta al dente: To prevent it from becoming soggy when combined with the hummus sauce.
To adjust the consistency: Adjust how much pasta water you add to the sauce.
Season to taste: Every hummus tastes slightly different, so adjust the seasonings/lemon juice accordingly.

Hummus Pasta (Quick and Easy)