Velveeta melts into a smooth, creamy sauce studded with jalapeno slices, ready in the time it takes to boil pasta. This is what the shelf gives tonight, and it tastes like the cheese sauce you learned to love.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 1180 calories a serving, 53 g protein, 93 g carbohydrate, 66 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a pot, add salt, and stir in 8 oz of pasta.
2. While pasta cooks, cut the 10 oz Velveeta block into 1-inch cubes and gather them in a large pan with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
3. When the pasta is al dente at about 9 minutes, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.9 min
4. Pour 1 cup of milk into the pan with the Velveeta and butter, stirring until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce, about 2 minutes.2 min
5. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, toss gently, and add salt to taste, thinning with reserved pasta water if it seems thick.

Note Swap in sharp cheddar if you prefer sharper cheese; melt it with the milk and butter, then add a pinch of paprika and salt. Leftovers keep three days in the fridge and warm gently with a splash of milk. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed broccoli.