A quick braise of canned beans with onion, garlic and tomato turns a shelf staple into dinner. The beans break down slightly into a loose ragù that clings to rice or soaks into crusty bread. This shelf holds just one ingredient but renders a complete weeknight meal.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 920 calories a serving, 24 g protein, 165 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 can [425 g] spartan kidney beans dark red, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 3/4 cup rice, 1 can [400 g] canned tomatoes.

1. Bring 1.5 cups water to a boil in a pot and stir in 3/4 cup rice with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and reduce heat to low; this takes 15 minutes.15 min
2. While rice cooks, dice 1 small onion and mince 3 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat and add the onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
3. Pour in 1 can [400 g] tomatoes with their liquid, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, and add the drained kidney beans from 1 can [425 g], 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir well and simmer uncovered until the beans are very tender and the liquid reduces to a thick sauce, about 10 minutes.10 min
4. When the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed, fluff it with a fork. Taste the beans and adjust salt and pepper. Spoon the rice into two bowls and ladle the beans and their sauce over the top.

Cook mode

Note Swap canned tomatoes for a splash of vinegar and a pinch of cumin if you prefer a tighter braise. Leftovers keep three days in the cold box and taste better the next day. Serve with a green salad or sautéed greens on the side, or stretch it by stirring in a handful of rice per person and reheating gently.