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.
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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)
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Thank you! I consider my 2 year old to be a picky eater and I was weary about cooking vegan for the family but your recipe made us a successful dinner. Everyone ate the whole thing and I got many compliments from my husband. Thank you!
Oh, that’s wonderful to hear, Evelyn! So glad the recipe won everyone over.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am a recent college grad and recently adopting a vegan lifestyle. I am at home for the summer (before I move out) and want to show my family that vegan meals are delicious! Made it last night with my mom, was a hit and have a ton left over for lunches this week! We blended cauliflower instead of juicing it, which adds a little more texture and actually makes me think I’m eating a cheesy pasta sauce. So good! We also cut up zucchini and cooked it with the sauce!
To be honest….not impressed. You say for yourself you use healthier options for pasta…..um ok…you are calling this a vegan pasta…right??? So suggesting any pasta would not consider the recipe vegan when pasta is made with eggs. And frozen peas and cooked cauliflower and carrots??? …there goes the nutrition….sorry but this recipe on scale of 1- 10- would score a low 5 in my tummy..It would be a 10 with all ingredients fresh…you could mince all basil, carrots, garlic, cauliflower, mushrooms too and some olive oil in a blender together and then cook your NON egg pasta, blend and heat your marinara, or OWN fresh sauce and hummus together, then once thats hot, add in your veggies and chopped spinach, it will wilt and be a nice addition…..I just think if you are going to call it vegan make it true and healthy.
Why so mean? Honestly, you could have made your point with less hate. Try being kinder. Thanks.
Huh? The pasta we have been eating is not made with eggs ..which pasta is made with eggs?
And why would you say “there goes the nutrition?” Frozen veggies hold their nutrition better than fresh.
Vegan doesn’t mean healthy. It means no animal products. You can consume 10 lbs of olive oil and it would still be vegan. She is entitled to make plant-based recipes of varying levels of healthiness. This recipe in particular is quite healthy regardless of the metric.
Also, many vegetables are healthier in their frozen state because it preserves the nutrients. Same with spices — some are debatably better for you dried because the dehydrated molecules react differently with our physiology. See ginger, for example.
Also, you’re hella rude.
This was delicious and very easy. I’m so glad you mentioned the cauliflower. Works perfectly. My non-picky kid devoured it. We’ll try the picky one later:)
Lol, I hope it’s a hit with the pick kid, too! ;)
This was awesome! I didn’t think I could have a “creamy” pasta once going vegan but the hummus gives the sauce a natural creaminess! I almost think a few olives would have finished it perfectly. Thank you for this quick and easy recipe!
So do you make the hummus before you put it in the pasta? If so can you share a good recipe.
Hi Rita, I tend to use store-bought lately to save time, but I have a couple great hummus recipes in both of my books if you’d like to try them out.
This recipe is unbelievably good. I’m a new plant based diet convert and the creaminess of this pasta really makes a change from the more acidic pasta sauces. The lemon in the hummus brings a bit of a kick to this dish as well. I used pipitas instead of hemp seeds (Australia is pretty slow in the uptake of hemp for human consumption) and it tasted great. Thanks for this fantastic recipe Angela!
Thank YOU for the glowing words, Stephanie! I’m glad to hear you love the recipe as much as we do :)
These look delicious! ! Thanks for sharing…
I am a serious pasta lover, and this recipe looks so simple and delicious! I never thought of using hummus to add creaminess to a recipe before. Great idea, and I can’t wait to try this!
Hope you enjoy it, Terri! Happy cooking :)
Hi Angela – This is delicious as are so many of your lovely recipes. As a new mom, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate an effortless recipe. Would love to see more of your quick at home dinners!!
I would never have thought to put hummus in pasta! Loved it though. Creamy, delicious and quick. Added frozen peas (which I add to everything). I omitted the hemp hearts.
That looks so delicious!!
I love really love pasta and this looks so delicious. I think I’ll make this tonight :) i hope like my family spacial my bf i’m so exited for this pasta
I hope it was a hit!
seeing it,water is coming in my mouth. I’m very excited to make this pasta. i’ll make it tonight and serve my family. i hope they will like it.
thank you
Yummm!! I JUST LOVE PASTA… mouth-watering Recepi.
Mouthwatering recipe. Thanks for sharing
I love Pasta. It is the most favorite dish of mine and also ready in max 15-20 minutes. It is the best solution if you are really hungry and want to cook something fast.
Wooohhh Passstttaaaa… My all-time favorite food. This recipe sounds so good and healthy really! As I am a big Pasta lover, I’ll have to try this recipe asap for sure for my family and friends. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe with all of us. Best Wishes and Regards.
I hope you enjoy it if you try it out Supriya!
Heya Angela, Three days back I made this yummy recipe for my house party dear. It was really yummy. Everyone loved it and praised my efforts. Shared your recipe link with them also. Thank you so much once again. Keep sharing new recipes, Angela.
Thank you so much for trying it out, and for your kind words. :)
Never cooked with hemp hearts before – guess I’ll have to try it! Also, agree with some above that hummus & pasta is a combo I’ve never considered but sounds amaaaazing.
Thanks Melanie, I hope you enjoy it if you try it!
I’ve made this multiple times already and I love it. It’s so simple and the non-vegan family couldn’t believe how tasty it was!
Hey Samantha, That’s great! Thanks for trying it out and letting us know how it went.