Frozen meatballs go from shelf to table in twenty minutes over pasta. The tomato base is a proper sauce, not ketchup, and the meatballs warm through while it builds. Serve with grated cheese and a salad if you have one.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 750 calories a serving, 43 g protein, 77 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Set a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Dice 1 small onion and mince 2 cloves garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring now and then, until it softens and turns translucent, about 3 minutes.3 min
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in one 14 oz can of tomatoes (break them up with the spoon), add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a grind of pepper, and let the sauce come to a simmer.
3. When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until tender. While the pasta cooks, drop the frozen meatballs into the tomato sauce. Stir the sauce gently once or twice and let it simmer so the meatballs heat through, about 7 minutes.7 min
4. When the pasta is done, drain it and divide between two bowls. Ladle the meatballs and sauce over the pasta and taste for salt and pepper.

Note Swap the canned tomatoes for a jar of tomato passata if you prefer a smoother sauce. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for three days; reheat gently. Serve with grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon, or follow with a simple salad.