A quick cheese sauce built on a single Babybel round, stretched with butter and pasta water into something silky that clings to noodles. Mild and garlicky, ready in the time it takes the water to boil.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 470 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 67% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Salt it well, then add 6 ounces of pasta and cook until tender to the bite, stirring once.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 cloves garlic. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Unwrap the Babybel cheese and cut it into small pieces. Scoop 1 cup of pasta water before you drain the pasta.
4. Add the hot drained pasta to the skillet with the garlic butter. Pour in 3/4 cup of the pasta water and stir constantly as you add the cheese pieces, letting them melt and emulsify with the starch in the water into a thin, glossy coat.2 min
5. When the pasta is evenly coated and the cheese has melted, taste and season with salt and pepper. Add more pasta water if it looks too thick.

Note Swap the Babybel for any mild cheese you have on hand. Leftovers keep in the fridge for a day, though the sauce will tighten; loosen with a splash of milk or pasta water when you reheat. Serve with a green salad or cooked greens on the side.