Steam-and-serve edamame makes a fast protein for pasta night; just wilt them with garlic and oil to build something that tastes more home-cooked than the freezer bag suggests. This shelf gave us the whole dinner.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 580 calories a serving, 17 g protein, 69 g carbohydrate, 26 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, then add 6 oz pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 to 11 minutes depending on the shape. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.11 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 3 cloves garlic. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.2 min
3. Add the entire bag of soybeans to the skillet and stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes to warm them through and coat them in the garlic oil.3 min
4. Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet with the soybeans, adding 1/4 cup pasta water to loosen things slightly. Stir gently for 1 minute, then taste and season with salt and pepper.1 min

Note Swap the pasta for rice if you have it on hand. Leftovers keep three days in the fridge, reheated gently with a splash more water. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and grated cheese if you have it, or alongside a simple green salad to cut the richness.