A weeknight pasta built on liquid gold queso blanco, which melts into a silky sauce without breaking. The canned tomatoes roast while you cook pasta, adding acidity and depth to balance the processed cheese's smooth richness. Ready in thirty minutes.

Serves 2. 30 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 610 calories a serving, 41 g protein, 76 g carbohydrate, 16 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat your oven to 400°F [200°C]. Pour one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes into a small baking dish, add 1 teaspoon salt, mince 2 cloves garlic into it, and roast while you finish the pasta.18 min
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add 6 oz pasta, and cook until one minute before the package says it is done. While it cooks, cut 8 oz Velveeta queso blanco into half-inch chunks.
3. Drain the pasta into a colander, saving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pot to low heat, add 1 tablespoon butter, then the cheese chunks, stirring constantly until they melt into a smooth sauce, about two minutes.2 min
4. Pour in the drained pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water, stir to coat, and taste; add more salt if you need it. When the tomatoes are soft and their edges have darkened, stir them into the pasta along with a handful of fresh cilantro.

Note Swap cilantro for parsley if you have it. Leftovers keep two days refrigerated, covered; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips on the side to stretch it further.