Nutty red lentil pasta cooks in minutes and needs only the simplest sauce. Garlic and good oil do all the work here, turning one shelf staple into dinner for two tired people.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 630 calories a serving, 15 g protein, 86 g carbohydrate, 24 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. Add 8 ounces of red lentil spaghetti and stir once. Cook until just tender, about 8 minutes; taste and drain when the pasta pulls back from a pinch without resistance.9 min
2. While the pasta cooks, warm 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 sliced garlic cloves and cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.3 min
3. Toss the drained pasta into the skillet with the garlic oil, turning gently to coat every strand. Divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap the garlic for red pepper flakes and a pinch of fresh parsley if you have it. Leftovers keep two days refrigerated; toss with a touch more oil when reheating. Serve with a green salad or bitter greens on the side to cut the richness of the oil.