This One-Pot Pasta Uses a Surprising Ingredient That Makes It Extra Creamy (I Doubt You’ve Tried It!)

I grew up in a family of chefs, and I learned fast that a quick and easy dinner is worth its weight in gold. While I love throwing myself into a multi-day, double-digit-step recipe (I’m looking at you, Brown Butter CCC), having a catalog of foolproof recipes that nearly make themselves is essential to getting through the week. My favorite? A two-ingredient pasta. 

This dish hits all of the high notes: It’s creamy, filling, delicious, and tastes like it took far longer than 20 minutes to make. The secret? Little Sesame Preserved Lemon Hummus. 

I’ve tried plenty of different kinds of hummus over the years, and with the exception of the from-scratch stuff, this is the most creamy and tasty one I’ve ever tried (I love it so much that I’ve bought it seven times in just a few weeks). It’s made with a mix of organic chickpeas, preserved lemon, tahini, sea salt, and ginger that come together to make a simple and fresh dip that still packs a flavorful punch. 

I was vegan for a few years, and I used to make an Alfredo-style pasta sauce with hummus (and a ton of nutritional yeast). It wasn’t until I dipped a sourdough cracker into my container of Little Sesame Preserved Lemon Hummus that I was instantly transported back to my hummus pasta days. I knew I had to use this dip to create a new dairy-free version of my favorite dish ASAP. 

It was delicious! When mixed with pasta, it reminds me of a creamy lemon sauce, making it perfect for busy weeknights. 

Although I love scarfing down this hummus by the chipfull, I get the most out of the punchy-bright flavors by making this two-ingredient pasta sauce. Here’s how I do it. 

1. Cook the pasta: In a pot, add a hefty spoonful of salt and bring water to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot with a lid, if you like (it speeds up the cooking process). Once boiling, add roughly 8 ounces (half of a standard box) of your desired pasta (I love spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair — anything long noodle-shaped) and cook to your preferred doneness. Reserve about a cup of pasta water, and then drain the rest. 
2. Make the sauce: In the same pot, add your pasta, container of hummus, and two tablespoons of reserved pasta water (if the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon more at a time) and mix until emulsified.

If I’m feeling especially fancy I’ll add some red pepper flakes or a dash of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano — but truthfully, it’s plenty flavorful all on its own. The hummus has bits of sliced preserved lemon that taste (and look) just delightful in the final product. One bite, and you’ll be surprised that it didn’t take an entire evening to make. 

Most of the time I’m cooking for myself, so I have enough for dinner and then lunch the next day. For that amount, I’ve found that an entire 8-ounce container of hummus does the trick, but it halves wonderfully if you’re only looking to make a single serving. 

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: The “Creamy” One-Pot Pasta I Make Twice a Week During Summer