Half a jar of roasted red peppers becomes a silky, charred sauce for pasta in twenty minutes. The peppers collapse into a quick pan sauce while the pasta cooks, so there is no waste and plenty of flavour. Serve it as is or stir in a tin of white beans to make it stretch further.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 580 calories a serving, 16 g protein, 92 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring 4 quarts [3.8 l] of salted water to a boil in a large pot and add 8 oz pasta; stir and cook until the pasta is a minute or two shy of tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, then drain it and set aside.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 cloves of garlic and pour 1 cup [240 ml] of roasted red peppers (with their liquid) into a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan set over medium-high heat.
3. Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan with the peppers, add the minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then use an immersion blender to puree the peppers into a smooth sauce, or transfer them to a regular blender if you prefer.1 min
4. Return the sauce to the pan if you used a blender, add the drained pasta, and toss to coat; taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Note Swap the roasted peppers for a tin of diced tomatoes if you prefer. The pasta keeps refrigerated in a covered container for three days; reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Serve with grated cheese, a sharp salad, or stir in a tin of white beans or chickpeas to make it a heartier bowl.

Roasted red peppers turn into a silky sauce in minutes when you puree them with garlic and good oil. It's the perfect weeknight pasta when you need to use what's in the jar.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 610 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 86 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 ounces of pasta until al dente, about nine minutes. Reserve one cup of the pasta water before you drain it.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 3 cloves of garlic and warm 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about one minute. Add the peppers from the jar, tear them into smaller pieces as they go in.2 min
3. Pour one half cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet and simmer for two minutes, then puree with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer to a blender and process. Season with salt and pepper to taste.3 min
4. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss, adding more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if it looks dry. Cook for one minute to marry the flavors, then serve right away.

Note Swap the red peppers for jarred roasted yellow peppers or artichokes if that's what you have. Leftovers keep three days in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with crusty bread or a simple green salad on the side.

Half a jar of roasted red peppers becomes the backbone of a silky, bright sauce with garlic and olive oil. It cooks down to a silken puree in one pan while pasta boils in another, so dinner comes together in less than twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 640 calories a serving, 16 g protein, 92 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 oz of pasta, stirring to separate the strands, then cover and let it come back to a boil while you start the sauce.
2. Slice 4 cloves of garlic thin and warm 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the garlic and stir until it turns fragrant and pale gold, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Pour the half jar of roasted red peppers and their juice into the skillet, breaking them into rough pieces as they go in, then cook and stir until the peppers soften and begin to break down, about 5 minutes.5 min
4. Transfer the pepper mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree it until smooth and silken, then return it to the skillet if you used a blender, tasting and seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. When the pasta is tender, scoop out 1 cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest, then add the drained pasta to the pepper sauce and toss to coat, adding splashes of pasta water to loosen the sauce if it seems thick.

Note Swap in cream or butter at the end if you have it, stirring in 2 tablespoons for richness. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and warm gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread to finish the sauce on the plate.