Half a pound of ground beef goes into a fast, one-pan dinner with rice and aromatics. This is the kind of weeknight meal that uses up what you have and gets dinner on the table in under thirty minutes.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 940 calories a serving, 51 g protein, 126 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half a pound ground beef, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, and cook until no pink remains, about 4 minutes. While it cooks, chop 1 medium onion and mince 2 cloves garlic.4 min
2. Push the beef to the side of the pan and add the onion and garlic to the empty space, stirring to combine, then add 3/4 cup rice and stir everything together until the rice is coated with oil, about 1 minute.1 min
3. Pour 1.5 cups broth over the rice and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Do not stir while it cooks.15 min

Note Swap the rice for cooked pasta if you have it on hand. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth. Serve with hot sauce, pickled vegetables, or a simple green salad to cut the richness.

A quiet weeknight pasta with a small amount of ground beef stretched across a big bowl, the real focus being the garlic and olive oil that coat every strand. This shelf barely holds dinner, so the pantry staples do the heavy lifting.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 460 calories a serving, 22 g protein, 66 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. While it heats, mince or chop 4 cloves garlic fine and warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat until the first wisps of smoke appear.
2. Add the 4 oz ground beef to the oil, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and cook until no pink remains, about 4 minutes. Stir often so it browns evenly. The beef should be in small crumbles, not large chunks.4 min
3. Add the minced garlic to the beef and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Pinch of salt and pepper goes in now.1 min
4. Cook 6 oz pasta in the boiling water until one minute shy of tender, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta into a colander.9 min
5. Tip the hot pasta directly into the beef and garlic pan with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss constantly over medium heat for 1 minute until the pasta absorbs the flavors and the sauce thickens slightly. Add more pasta water if it looks dry. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.1 min

Note Swap ground beef for any ground meat or omit it entirely for aglio e olio. Leftovers keep two days refrigerated and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated Parmesan if you have it, or finish with fresh cracked pepper.

Quick tacos from what the fridge holds, built on seasoned ground beef with sautéed onion and garlic. Enough for four tacos means a full weeknight meal with room for seconds, or leftovers warmed in a skillet tomorrow night.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 340 calories a serving, 8 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Dice 1 medium onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden at the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.4 min
3. Crumble enough ground beef for four tacos into the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks, until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon cumin, salt to taste, and pepper to taste.5 min
4. Warm the 4 tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 1 minute per side, while the beef finishes cooking. Transfer the tortillas to a plate.
5. Divide the beef mixture among the four tortillas and serve with 1 lime cut into wedges for squeezing over the top.

Note Swap cumin for chili powder or Mexican oregano if you have it. Leftover beef keeps three days refrigerated and reheats well in a skillet with a splash of water. Serve with salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, or lettuce as you like.