A weeknight pasta built on chili sauce and nothing else from the shelf. The tangy heat and tomato base are all you need; add onion and garlic to build flavor while the pasta cooks. Ready in half an hour.

Serves 2. 30 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 640 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 98 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 8 oz pasta. Cook until just tender, about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, dice 1 medium onion and mince 3 cloves garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onion with 1 teaspoon salt.
3. Cook the onion until it softens and turns golden, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then pour in the entire bottle of chili sauce.5 min
4. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to meld the flavors. Taste and add 1/2 teaspoon pepper or more to your liking.5 min
5. Toss the cooked pasta with the chili sauce until every strand is coated. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap dried chili flakes for fresh garlic if you want more heat. Leftovers keep refrigerated for three days and reheat gently on the stovetop. Serve with a sharp green salad or grated cheese on the side to cut the richness.