A weeknight pasta that builds a light cream sauce from milk and butter, letting the garlic and herbs show through without heaviness. The reduced fat milk stays silky when coaxed with starch and heat. This shelf holds one essential ingredient, so the sauce comes together fast.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 490 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 73 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop in 6 oz pasta. Stir once and cook until one minute short of the box time, then drain and set aside.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 3 garlic cloves and melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the garlic and stir until no dry specks remain, about 30 seconds. The roux should smell nutty.
4. Pour in 1 1/2 cups milk slowly, whisking constantly to break up any lumps. Keep whisking as the sauce heats through and thickens, 3 to 4 minutes; it should coat the back of a spoon lightly.4 min
5. Fold the drained pasta into the cream sauce and turn the heat to low. Season with salt and pepper to your taste, tossing gently until every strand is coated.

Note Swap the pasta for rice or egg noodles if you have them. Leftovers keep in a covered container for two days; reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce. Serve with a sharp green salad dressed with lemon to cut through the richness.