Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta

Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta

Regular tomato pasta can be so boring, so basic, so blah sometimes. Add a creamy touch to it, and the color transforms, the flavor transforms and my excitement level transforms! But in this vegan creamy tomato pasta recipe, the creamy touch is definitely not cream, or anything remotely dairy-based. Its *hummus*! I grew up proudly Lebanese, and we ate hummus just as it is with some olive oil and pita bread. As hummus has become mainstream, so too have its uses. And this is one of the latest trends in the hummus world – adding it to pasta for a creamy consistency that you can’t even detect! See it’s just a lightened up marinara!

To start, I make my basic marinara sauce, which is to-die-for! It’s so basic but the fresh ingredients and fresh tomatoes are what make it out-of-this-world staple sauce recipe! I sautee garlic with olive oil and oregano, then I add some tomato paste, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil and it looks like this:

The moment of true excitement is when I add the hummus to it. I stir it on low-heat for a couple minutes until the hummus is fully incorporated and it just lightens the sauce to a rosa color. You can use store-bought hummus or make a big batch of my basic hummus recipe and spare half a cup for the sauce.

Then you add the pasta of choice and garnish it with fresh basil. It’s as simple as that, but it’s as scrumptious as that – a nice change from marinara sauce always being the main event!

I’m obsessed with this combination! And next I’ll try hummus in an Alfredo style pasta!

How to Make Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta (1 min.)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 8 oz can tomato paste
• 2 cups pasta water
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil
• 1/2 cup hummus (packaged or pre-made)
• Pinch of sugar
• 12 oz pasta of choice
• More fresh basil to garnish

Instructions

1. In a large heavy saucepan on medium heat, heat olive oil, then add the minced garlic and oregano. Stir for 2-3 minutes, but do not let the garlic get brown.
2. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, pasta water, basil, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Uncover and stir in the hummus and add a pinch of sugar. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until the hummus becomes well incorporated.
4. Add more water to adjust the sauce to desired consistency.
5. Serve with pasta of choice with additional fresh basil as garnish.