A weeknight dinner of steamed snap peas tossed with garlic butter and pasta, letting one good ingredient shine. The peas are already trimmed and steamed, so this comes together in the time it takes water to boil.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 470 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 71 g carbohydrate, 14 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 cook 6 oz pasta until just tender, about 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the water heats, mince 2 garlic cloves.9 min
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not brown, about 1 minute.1 min
3. Steam the snap peas in the microwave according to package directions until heated through, about 2 minutes.2 min
4. Add the steamed peas to the skillet with the garlic butter and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, tossing everything together until the peas and pasta are evenly coated with butter. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Note Swap dried red pepper flakes for pepper to add a pinch of heat. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for a day; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a simple green salad or with grated Parmesan at the table.