At long last, I’m sharing the recipe I’ve probably made the most since Adriana started eating solids (which somehow feels like forever ago and just yesterday at the same time). I’ve had so many requests for this recipe, but never got around to sharing it because it would always be devoured right away, leaving no time for photos. Last week, I finally made it in the morning so I’d have a bit of time to snap a few shots.
I use the term “recipe” lightly here because I never measure the ingredients for this pasta; not having to measure anything is part of its beauty and ease. I measured it here so you can get a feel for it, but once you do, I encourage you to throw caution to the wind and wing it! It’s really hard to mess up. You can often find me glugging marinara, spooning hummus, and dumping hemp hearts with abandon into the cooked pasta. The quicker the better, especially when there’s a hangry toddler screaming “Paaaaaaaasta!” at your feet.
Not only is this pasta fast and delicious, it packs in tons of protein, fibre, and healthy fats. You can also change it up and customize it so many different ways—I’ve provided a few ideas in the recipe, but I’d love to hear what you come up with, too!
I’ve been hesitant to share “toddler-friendly” recipes on here because I’ve learned a few things about feeding a toddler: 1) what they claim to love and hate changes by the day (or minute), 2) toddler likes and dislikes are not one size fits all, and 3) the food my daughter loved at one year old (virtually everything!) is certainly not what she loves at two years old (this age is much more hot and cold, as she loves to assert her independence). It’s not uncommon for me to think I’ve found a foolproof toddler-friendly recipe to share with you, only for it to then be rejected for a month straight. (And I once read that a little one often needs 20 exposures to the same food before they take to it, too.) Luckily, my dear recipe tester, Nicole, runs a daycare and she shares most of my recipes with her daycare children, which gives me a much better idea whether a recipe will be, generally speaking, a winner. I’m happy to say this one was enjoyed!
Anyway, I’m sure we’ll have a mix of “my baby/toddler/kid loved this” and “my kiddo only ate one bite” in the comments—that’s just the nature of the beast. (And by “beast” I mean toddler, in a sometimes cute/sometimes scary kinda way…am I right?) But my hope is that some of you will be able to fall back on this recipe as often as we do. I don’t know what I’d do without it as it’s just so easy. Oh, and yes, us adults like it too, so even if you don’t have kids you may want to give it a try on those busy, too-tired-to-cook weeknights. It’s great paired with a simple side salad and Lemon-Tahini Dressing, which can be thrown together while the pasta cooks.
Adriana's Fave 10-Minute Pasta
Yield
4 (adult-size) servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
I’ve made this pasta countless times for our family; it’s hard to beat how fast and nutritious it is, and it can be changed up so many ways. It packs in around 20 grams of protein and 11 grams of fibre per (adult-size) serving (depending on which kind of pasta you use, of course—see my notes), not to mention healthy fats from the hemp hearts. My advice if you’re in a rush is to start heating up the water first, before you gather any other ingredients, as it can take some time for the water to come to a boil. If you happen to have a batch of my Fail-Proof Marinara Sauce from Oh She Glows Every Day (p. 175) on hand, it works wonderfully in this dish. Of course, store-bought marinara works just as well, too.
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 1 box (340 g/12 ounces) rotini or fusilli pasta*
- 2 cups (500 mL) marinara sauce
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80 mL to 125 mL) hummus
- 1/4 cup (35 g) hemp hearts
Optional add-ins:
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Frozen peas or other veggies**
- Cooked lentils or beans
- Fresh spinach or basil, minced in food processor
- Puréed cooked carrots or cauliflower***
Directions
- Add water into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. While you are waiting for it to boil, gather the rest of the ingredients. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, add the pasta, and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, stirring every now and then to prevent the pasta sticking.
- Drain the cooked pasta well and place it back into the pot. Stir in the marinara, hummus, and hemp hearts until combined. Taste and add a bit of salt or other mix-ins if desired.
- Heat over low until warmed throughout. If serving this pasta to a little one, spread a scoop of pasta out on a plate to gently cool it before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days. To reheat, add the pasta into a pot along with a bit of extra marinara sauce (this adds moisture back) and stir to combine. Heat over medium-low heat until warmed throughout.
Tip:
* I typically use whole-grain kamut pasta. And sometimes, I mix in a bit of red lentil pasta for a protein boost. Feel free to use any kind of pasta you and your family enjoy!
** To quickly thaw frozen peas, add them to the pot during the last minute or two of cooking the pasta.
*** When I have time, I love to steam or boil carrots (or cauliflower) and then purée them until smooth. Then I stir the puréed veggies directly into the pasta. It’s an easy way to add even more nutrition without impacting the flavour too much.
This pasta goes lovely with a simple side salad and garlic bread. If your little one isn't a salad fan, try giving them small lettuce leaves for dipping into the dressing.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Last but not least, be sure to follow me on Instagram if you aren’t already! I have an exciting Vitamix and OSG cookbook giveaway coming up!
Hummus in pasta sounds interestingly delicious. I’ve had hummus on a lot of things, but not on pasta.
http://aneducationindomestication.
I agree, it’s kinda weird, right?! My daughter is a huge hummus fan, so one day I was just like…why not? heh. It makes it so creamy.
It definitely is yummy on pasta. Gives it a creamy texture and flavour!
I do similar with white beans (purée or mash them) as they are soooo nutritious and makes tomato sauce milder to kids taste buds. Can add them even to smoothies.
This recipe is so flavourful and quick to make…I love love love the way the hummus cuts through any acidity in the tomato sauce and makes the sauce velvety. I think the hummus might be the secret weapon that makes the children (and me!) fall in love with this dish; it has a “gentle” flavour.
Plus, its a great excuse to make or buy some hummus for dipping veggies the next day.
Cauliflower puree was undetectable in the sauce … I love that I can add the benefits of cruciferous veggies without changing the flavour. Thanks, Angela, for this superfast recipe :)
Will share this with my bestie who’s got a very hungry toddler :-) Personally I always have cooked Puy lentils in the fridge (I’m French, that’s why) and make a quick “sauce” with those + onion, garlic, miso, bay leaves, red wine and vinegar + lots of pepper. It is super fast to make and my boyfriend loves it too. Thanks for all the inspirations!
Oooh, I love hummus, I’ll have to try this!
Aleeha xXx
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This is totally being made next week!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Haha! This post made me laugh. I’m glad to hear another mom has the same problem with finicky eaters. ‘Noodles and sauce’ is a go-to for us too, but I never thought to add the hummus or hemp. I’ll have to give a try next time with them! :-)
Yum; I don’t have hummus at home, but I have tahini, so I’m thinking I’ll toss that in instead – our whole family loves it in your Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom pasta recipe. My co-worker is a nutritionist and she raves about that recipe as well – and she, by the way, has guided me through my twins’ food phases: my daughter, who will try anything, and my fairly picky son – they really do come with those inclinations intact!
It came out great, and this makes me feel less guilty on “pasta nights,” since I’m still getting some protein into them.
Oh my gosh, I was literally just thinking that I have ZERO ideas of what I’ll make for dinner tonight when this post popped into my feed, and I think I have everything at home to make it….so I know what’s for dinner now! Ha! Thanks so much!!
This looks amazing!
I love how quick it is. x
Izzy |http://www.pinchofdelight.com
This sounds really great and I’m definitely going to make it. Is there a fave brand of marinara sauce that you recommend? Also where would I find kamut pasta in the GTA…regular health food store? Thanks :)
Hi Kery, my favourite store-bought marinara is Costco’s White Linen Collection Marinara Sauce. I highly recommend it! As for kamut pasta, I’d say check out the health food/organic section of your grocery store. I use Eden Organic brand and looooove it. Hope this helps!
Do you use plain hummus or is there a particular flavored hummus you find works best?
Try roasted red pepper on pasta! It is a favorite in our house!
I tend to use plain, but you can use any flavour you love to change it up. :)
My kids don’t like hummus.. but I’m going to sneak some in the next time I make them pasta to see if they notice since I have some leftover.
The kids are also willing to try blended spinach in their pasta next time (they do enjoy it already in smoothies so they are a little less apprehensive)
Oh my goodness, I mix tomato sauce with hummus ALL the time, and everyone I know finds it so odd. I guess maybe now I can just say that I have the tastebuds of a toddler? :)
Whilst I’m not a toddler (just at heart) I’m definitely going to be keeping the ingredients on hand to make this simple dish. Hummus in pasta – WHO KNEW?! But I love the idea! x
I thought I was the only one who put hummus in pasta sauce! I find my 2 year old suddenly rejecting lentils in their whole form (just a phase, I hope), so it’s been my go-to along with red lentils, which are pretty much mush anyway and can’t easily be spit out!
My advice based on experience for those with picky (or newly picky in my case) eaters that will ALWAYS eat pasta is to mix it up as much as possible. Every pasta shape and sauce I can think of has been tried to make sure she doesn’t get “stuck” on one food until she’s 18. Anytime I have leftover soups, sauces, etc., I freeze them in silicone ice cube trays or silicone muffin cups and they all work GREAT to throw on various pastas and grains. Angela, your Thai soup from the new cookbook makes a great creamy pasta sauce, FYI ;)
My fridge freezer has a bin of ready to go soups/sauces, a bin for grains/proteins (also frozen in pucks), and a bin with pre-cooked/cut up/pureed veggies. Meals are SO EASY, especially since our supper is often not on the table until late evening. At least she eats on time! Good luck to all the toddler mamas and papas out there, and thanks again Ange for always inspiring us!
Hey Sarah, Oh I LOVE your tips and tricks! I too have tried adding soup into the pasta and find it works great. I’ve never thought of adding frozen cubes though, but I will definitely try this out soon. Your frozen “bin” sounds like a perfect solution. Thanks so much for sharing!
This sounds so good and healthy! I would never have thought to add hummus with marinara. I would love to see more toddler recipes!
Hope it’s a hit when you give it a try, Christine! We just love the addition of hummus.
I’ve just made my first recipe from your book …tex mex casserole …I loved it ..my meat eating husband loved the cashew sour cream ..I loved the tastiness of the tex mex and that it will feed me for a few days xxx
I’m so happy you enjoyed the casserole, Michele! I hope you love whatever recipe you try from the cookbook next just as much. Enjoy those leftovers!
I’m wondering about freezing the sauce in ice cube trays so it’s easy to reheat a few for a toddler sized portion on demand?
What I ended up doing was steaming carrots and cauliflower and then pureeing. I also cooked some lentils. I then froze the pureed veggies and cooked lentils in ice cube trays. Today I made the pasta and it was super easy to throw the ice cubes (4 veggie, 2 lentil) into the sauce and heat while the pasta was cooking for added veggie and protein boost. My one year old is on his third helping now and I have to admit I am eating a bowl too and it’s delicious!
I’m sorry I haven’t tried freezing this sauce before, but I love the idea!
This recipe is amazing! I made it yesterday for dinner for my whole family and they all loved it. It’s my new go to recipe when I’m shot on time. I didn’t have any hummus at home but had canned chickpea, so I was able to make hummus while pasta was cooking. I’m going to prepare several jars of marinara sauce just for this recipe. Thank you so much, Angela, I’ve been following your blog for many years now and you have inspired my whole family to adopt a mostly vegan lifestyle.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear it was such a hit, Olya :)
This recipe is great! I don’t usually eat pasta with marinara because it is too acidic for my tastes, but adding the hummus makes all the difference in the world! I also love the subtle bite of the hemp seeds. Easy, quick, healthy and delicious – great recipe! Thank you, Angela, for all you do!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Elizabeth! I really love the twist the hummus adds, too. :)