Creamy almond butter melts into a warm sauce for pasta and quick-cooked greens, delivering protein and richness on a weeknight. The nutty paste transforms into something elegant without any fuss, turning one shelf staple into a proper dinner for two.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 790 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 72 g carbohydrate, 51 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 and cook 6 oz pasta until just tender, about 8 minutes; reserve one cup of the cooking water before you drain it.12 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 cloves garlic and heat 2 tablespoons oil in a second large pan over medium heat; add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.1 min
3. Add 5 oz spinach to the pan with the garlic and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.2 min
4. Whisk 1/3 cup almond butter with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water until smooth, thinning with more water if needed to reach a pourable sauce consistency.
5. Pour the almond butter sauce over the wilted greens and stir to combine, then add the drained pasta and toss; add more pasta water by the tablespoon if the sauce seems thick.
6. Divide between two bowls and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a grind of black pepper.

Note Swap spinach for kale, chard, or broccoli rabe; extend the cooking time by a minute or two if the greens are tougher. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for two days; thin with water or broth when reheating. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the sauce, or add a poached egg on top for more protein.