Mediterranean Hummus Pasta

When in doubt, pasta is always the answer! As much as I love cooking and enjoy my time in the kitchen, there are often days when I’m just craving something easy. But that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice taste or nutrition.

And while pasta is one of those foods that tends to get a bad rep in the health food world, it’s actually a meal I recommend to clients as a great way to get extra veggies in. Plus, it’s family friendly, which is always a win! You can check out more healthy pasta recipes here while you’re at it.

Luckily, there are so many plant-based pasta alternatives out there these days that really take the nutrition up another notch. Chickpea, lentil, black bean, cassava, you name it, I’ve tried it and love how tasty and versatile it is!

Some of my go-to brands include Banza, Jovial Foods and Tolerant Foods, all of which you can find at Whole Foods and often at your local Costco or other supermarket.

For this specific recipe, I used the Banza linguine which has the perfect amount of chew (you wouldn’t even know it wasn’t the real deal), but you could easily swap for spaghetti as well!

As for the other additions, I really leaned into Mediterranean flavors in every way. Spinach, cherry tomatoes, and olives add a great variety of flavors and textures, not to mention tons of health benefits. Pasta always makes the best base for any and all veggies you love and have on hand.

But what really takes this pasta to the next level is the sauce. And it truly couldn’t be easier! Hummus is all you need, which you can whip up yourself or grab at the store.

If you’re here in Texas, I recommend finding the Med Chef’s Grandmas Hummus (the best of all time, in my opinion). Some of my other favorite brands include Ithaca Hummus and Hope Hummus thanks to their minimal, clean ingredients. So many brands use unnecessary preservatives and inflammatory oils like canola that just aren’t needed!

While hummus might at first seem like a strange sauce for pasta, you will be forever changed once you give it a try! It’s creamy, tangy and adds a richness you won’t be able to get enough of.

Plus, chickpeas and tahini, two staple ingredients in hummus, are some of the most nutritious foods you can get your hands on! Both are packed with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, while chickpeas provide a good amount of fiber and plant-based protein. Tahini, on the other hand, is rich in antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.

If you love both of these as much as I do, you can check out tons of additional chickpea and tahini-focussed recipes here.

Whip up this delicious and healthy recipe for your next date night meal or family dinner, and let me know what you think!