🍽️Hummus Pasta with Bucatini

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

This innovative pasta dish was featured in the New York Times Top 50 Recipes of 2025. Recipe created by Christian Reynoso for NYT Cooking, shared by Ryan Miller/foodiligence. The technique of using hummus as a pasta sauce creates an unexpectedly luxurious and creamy result.

Original source ↗

⏱ Prep: 10 min · 🔥 Cook: 15 min · 🍽 Serves: 4 · 📊 Easy

A creamy, Mediterranean-inspired pasta dish that transforms humble hummus into a rich, silky sauce with garlic, shallots, and bright lemon.

🥬 Ingredients

Main Ingredients

for pasta water salt
340g (12 oz) bucatini
60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
4, minced garlic cloves
1, finely chopped large shallot
240g (1 cup) plain hummus
1, zested and juiced lemon

For Serving

for garnish (parsley or basil) fresh herbs
for garnish sesame seeds
for drizzling extra olive oil

👨‍🍳 Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add enough salt so it tastes like seawater. Add the bucatini and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the minced garlic, chopped shallot, and a pinch of salt, cooking while stirring frequently until fragrant and slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the hummus and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes a loose, smooth sauce with no lumps. Add the lemon zest and juice, stirring to combine.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss vigorously to coat each strand with the creamy sauce, adding more pasta water gradually as needed to achieve a silky consistency that clings to the pasta.
Season with salt to taste, then transfer to serving bowls. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired and top with fresh herbs and sesame seeds before serving immediately.

💡 Tips & Variations

Use a high-quality hummus for the best flavor, or make your own with tahini for extra richness
Don't skip reserving the pasta water - its starch content is crucial for creating a silky sauce
This recipe works well with other long pasta shapes like spaghetti or linguine if bucatini isn't available

📝 Personal Notes

Add your tweaks, ratings, and observations after making this recipe.

Source: Instagram