Plant sausage has all the savory depth you need to carry a pasta, especially with garlic and a handful of greens stirred in at the end. This shelf is lean, so we build dinner from staples and what the sausage brings.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 18 at the stove.

About 810 calories a serving, 44 g protein, 79 g carbohydrate, 38 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Bring it to a rolling boil; this takes about ten minutes.10 min
2. While the water heats, slice the plant sausage into half-inch thick rounds and mince the two garlic cloves. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage slices, and cook until browned on both sides, about four minutes total; transfer to a plate.4 min
3. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for thirty seconds until fragrant. Add the three cups of chopped greens, stir to wilt, about two minutes, then return the sausage to the pan and toss everything together; season with salt and pepper to taste.2 min
4. When the water boils, add six ounces of pasta and cook until just tender, about nine minutes. Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and pour it into the skillet with the sausage and greens.9 min
5. Toss the pasta with the sausage and greens, adding a few splashes of the pasta water if it seems dry, until it comes together into one unified dish. Divide between two bowls and top each with 1 ounce of grated parmesan.

Note Swap the greens for cherry tomatoes halved if you have them. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a simple green salad and a squeeze of lemon if you have it.