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Creamy Hummus Pasta with Spinach and Red Peppers
grated carrot salad

Active: 40 Total: 40

We love the way store-bought hummus creates a creamy, savory sauce in this surprisingly healthy and filling vegetarian pasta. For a crunchy side, we've added a fresh grated carrot salad. 
Smarts #1: When we first featured this meal in 2015, many of our members used flavored hummus (such as roasted garlic) with great results.
Smarts #2: Harissa can vary from mild to quite spicy, so be sure to taste yours and add it according to your preference.

Proteins
Cuisines

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Creamy Hummus Pasta with Spinach and Red Peppers:
  • Bell peppers, red - 1 , chopped
  • Shallots - 1 , chopped
  • Baby spinach - 5 oz , roughly chopped
  • Pasta - 8 oz (use any short shape like fusilli)
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
  • Hummus - 6 oz
Grated Carrot Salad:
  • Carrots (sub bagged shredded carrots) - 10 oz , grated
  • Lemons - 1 , juice of
  • Oil, olive - 2 tsp
  • Paprika - 1/2 tsp
  • Sugar - 1/2 tsp
  • Harissa paste (opt, sub other hot sauce) - 1/2 tsp
  • Pine nuts (opt) - 1/4 cup
  • Parsley, fresh, flat-leaf - 3 Tbsp , chopped

Prep

  1. Make carrot salad - Grate carrots in a food processor or using a box grater. Combine carrots with lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, sugar, and harissa paste. Season with some salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days. (Can be done up to 2 days ahead)

  2. Pine nuts - Toast pine nuts in a frying pan over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until pine nuts are golden and fragrant. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Bell peppers / Shallots - Prep as directed and combine. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  4. Spinach / Parsley - Prep as directed.

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Make

  1. Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Salt generously and add pasta. Cook until al dente, tender but not soggy. Save 1 cup (235 mL) of pasta water (amount is for 4 servings; adjust accordingly if customizing).

  2. While pasta cooks, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add bell peppers and shallots and saute until tender, ~3 minutes. Add spinach and saute until spinach cooks down and residual water evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes.

  3. Reduce heat to medium and add pasta, hummus, and half the reserved pasta water. Stir to evenly coat pasta in sauce. If sauce still seems thick, add remaining pasta water a bit at a time until sauce appears smooth and creamy. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

  4. Toss carrot salad with pine nuts and parsley. Serve pasta with carrot salad on the side. Enjoy!


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