The Magical Pantry Pasta I Make When I Have Zero Plan for Dinner

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

I know I’m not alone here. It’s 5:30 p.m. on a weeknight. You haven’t given a single thought to dinner, but here you are: approaching the evening with no plan, no groceries, and a mild panic settling in. Your eyes scour your pantry, hoping a solution will pop out at you. This is exactly how this recipe came to be.

Ingredients

2 (4-ounce) cans sardines or mackerel
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 medium lemon
2 cloves garlic
2 canned or jarred anchovy fillets
1 pound dried spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (14-ounce) cans cherry tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta

Instructions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, drain 2 cans sardines. Slice them open and remove and discard the bones. Coarsely chop 2 tablespoons capers. Cut 1/2 medium lemon into wedges. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves and 2 anchovy fillets.
Add 1 pound spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 9 minutes. Meanwhile, start the sauce.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, anchovies, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is softened and the anchovies are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the capers and cook until they begin to pop, about 1 minute.
Add 2 cans cherry tomatoes and their juices and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Add the sardines, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the pasta is ready.
Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the sauce. Cook over medium heat and gently toss, adding pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time as needed, until the pasta is well coated and glossy with sauce. Taste and season with salt as needed. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.