These soup cups turn into a proper dinner when you add pasta and butter; the broccoli and cheese do the work while you cook the noodles. A weeknight meal that tastes thought through, built from one shelf item and what's left in the pantry.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 1250 calories a serving, 66 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate, 88 g fat. From USDA figures for 60% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot and add 4 ounces of pasta with a pinch of salt. Cook until just under al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package says, stirring occasionally.9 min
2. While the pasta cooks, empty both soup cups into a large bowl and pour in 2 cups of hot water, stirring well until the powder dissolves. Let it sit so the flavors meld.
3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and return the pot to the stove over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pot and stir in the drained pasta.
4. Pour the soup base over the pasta and stir well. If the mixture is thick, add reserved pasta water one splash at a time until it reaches a spoonable consistency.
5. Taste, adjust salt and pepper, and divide between two bowls.

Note Swap the pasta for rice if you prefer, stirring it into the soup after draining. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for two days; reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen. Serve with a side salad or bread to stretch the meal.