The Unexpected Ingredient That Makes the Creamiest, Most Delicious Pasta Sauce

If I’m being totally honest, I’m in love with my own hummus recipe — so if I’m just eating it as a dip I’ll usually make my own. That said, store-bought hummus makes an amazing pasta sauce; it’s creamy, nutty, and rich straight out of the tub. With a little garlic and a spoonful of miso, hummus pasta is on heavy rotation in my apartment for a quick and easy meal.

I like to dump a bag of baby spinach into the colander before draining my pasta for an added boost of greens without any actual effort. So all that’s left is to pick your favorite hummus. My current favorite tub is Little Sesame — the more lemony flavor lends itself well to pasta sauce.

Hummus is so creamy all on its own; the blended chickpeas, nutty tahini, and garlic all come together to make a fluffy, creamy sauce that belongs on more than just your crudités and pita chips. 

When you mix the hummus with pasta water, it becomes the silkiest, creamiest sauce without any actual cream. And it clings so well to pasta! The sauce is almost grippy. Plus, it’s somewhat foolproof. If the sauce is too thick, just add another splash of pasta water and you’re golden.

1. Cook the pasta. Cook half of a box of pasta (about 8 ounces, any kind, although I usually do something noodle-y) in salted water until al dente, then reserve some pasta water (about a cup) before draining.
2. Drain the pasta. Place a few handfuls of baby spinach (about 5 ounces) in a colander in the sink. Drain the pasta over the spinach to wilt.
3. Make the sauce. Melt some butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add a heaping spoonful of miso paste and a few grated garlic cloves and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the miso is softened, just a minute or two. Then add a tub of hummus, stir until smooth and heated through, and turn the heat off.
4. Finish and serve. Add the pasta and a few splashes of the reserved pasta water and stir until creamy and saucy. Add more pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. I like to serve with lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese, if I have some in the fridge.

• Don’t salt until the end. Normally you’d salt as you go, but with salted pasta water, miso, and store-bought hummus, this time it’s better to taste at the end and add if needed.
• Bulk it up. Add some rotisserie chicken to make it more filling.
• Add some spice. Swap the miso for chili crisp or harissa paste for a little heat.
• Make it with different hummus flavors. Try your favorite flavored store-bought hummus to mix things up.