A weeknight pasta that asks nothing of you but a jar and a box. The sauce is creamy and herbaceous, already built for the pasta, so you cook one thing and finish in five minutes flat.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 5 at the stove.

About 1480 calories a serving, 83 g protein, 117 g carbohydrate, 74 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add 8 ounces of penne and cook until al dente, about ten minutes; the water should be foaming at the edges and a piece of pasta should have a faint resistance at its core. Drain the pasta in a colander.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, warm the entire jar of sauce in a wide skillet over medium heat, stirring once to combine the cream, spinach, and tomatoes. When the sauce reaches a low bubble at the edges, it is hot, about three minutes.3 min
3. Add the drained pasta and 1 tablespoon of butter to the sauce. Toss until the pasta is coated and the butter has melted, about one minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once into wide bowls.
4. A grate of fresh parmesan over each bowl is optional but rewarding. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for two days; warm gently on the stove with a splash of water. Serve with a salad of tender greens and a glass of white wine.

Note Swap the penne for any short pasta that holds sauce. Leftovers reheat gently with a tablespoon of water to loosen the cream. Serve with a bitter salad to cut the richness.