Black sesame tahini is nutty and subtle, nothing like the pale kind, and it makes a silky sauce for noodles in minutes. Toss warm pasta with this and you have dinner, stretched with greens if you want vegetables.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 650 calories a serving, 18 g protein, 76 g carbohydrate, 32 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces pasta until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes depending on shape. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 1 garlic clove and whisk together 1/4 cup black sesame tahini, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, juice of half a lime or lemon, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until smooth and pourable, adding more water by the tablespoon if needed.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the tahini sauce and warm through without simmering, about 1 minute.1 min
4. Add the hot pasta to the pan and toss until every strand is coated, adding splashes of reserved water if the sauce seems thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once.

Note Swap the lime for rice vinegar if that is what you have. Leftovers keep two days, covered, and taste good at room temperature. Serve with a handful of raw greens, cucumber slices, or pickled vegetables to cut the richness.