---
name: quick-meal-planner
description: |
  15-minute meals from pantry staples, batch prep strategies, emergency meal ideas, and templates for fast weeknight cooking with minimal ingredients.
  Use when the user asks about quick meal planner, related techniques, best practices, or needs guidance in this domain.
  Do NOT use when the request is outside the scope of quick meal planner or requires a different specialized skill.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  author: foundry-skills
  version: "1.0.0"
  tags: "quickstart home-maintenance template cooking"
  category: "home-household"
  subcategory: "cooking-meals"
  depends: ""
  disclaimer: "none"
  difficulty: "beginner"
---
# Quick Meal Planner

## When to Use

**Use this skill when:**
- A user asks for help getting dinner on the table in 30 minutes or fewer on a weeknight with limited energy or time
- A user opens the fridge or pantry and doesn't know what to make from what they already have
- A user wants to set up a batch cooking or Sunday prep routine to reduce weeknight decision fatigue
- A user is feeding 1--6 people and needs scalable, repeatable meal structures rather than single recipes
- A user is dealing with a specific constraint: nearly empty pantry, dietary restriction (vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free), small budget, no car to grocery shop, or picky eaters at the table
- A user wants a weekly meal rotation template that uses overlapping ingredients to minimize waste and shopping trips
- A user is burned out on their current rotation and needs 5--10 new fast meals that fit their pantry profile

**Do NOT use when:**
- The user wants a comprehensive nutrition plan, macro tracking, or medical dietary guidance -- refer to a nutrition planning or dietary management skill
- The user is planning a dinner party, holiday meal, or event requiring multi-course cooking, significant technique, or presentation -- refer to a formal meal planning or entertaining skill
- The user wants to learn cooking fundamentals like knife skills, sauce-making, or baking ratios -- refer to a cooking technique skill
- The user is asking about food safety for canning, fermentation, or preserving -- refer to a food preservation skill
- The user wants restaurant or takeout recommendations -- this skill covers home cooking only
- The user has a medically complex diet (renal diet, PKU, FODMAP protocol) requiring clinical precision -- recommend consulting a registered dietitian

---

## Process

### Step 1: Inventory Triage -- Understand What They Have and What They Need

Before recommending a single recipe, establish the user's actual constraints.

- Ask three focused questions if the user hasn't specified: (1) What's your approximate cook time budget tonight -- 15 minutes, 20 minutes, or 30 minutes? (2) What proteins, starches, and vegetables do you have on hand right now? (3) Any ingredients or food categories that are completely off the table (allergies, preferences, or dislikes)?
- Map their ingredients against the Four Core Categories: protein (eggs, canned fish, beans, meat), starch (pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, tortillas), vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned), and fat/flavor (oil, butter, cheese, soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar)
- If the user has at least one item from three of the four categories, they can make a complete meal -- name that meal immediately to build momentum
- If they have items from only two categories, they have a "backbone" -- suggest the fastest two additions to complete the meal (often from pantry staples they already own but forgot)
- Note any batch cooking infrastructure they mentioned: do they have a sheet pan, a rice cooker, an Instant Pot, or a cast iron skillet? This shapes which methods are fastest for them specifically

### Step 2: Classify the Cooking Situation -- Speed Tier and Format

Not every quick meal is built the same way. Match the meal structure to the time available and the energy level of the cook.

- **Tier 1 -- 10 minutes or fewer:** No-cook assembly (grain bowls from leftover rice, quesadillas, tuna salad sandwiches, peanut butter noodles with microwave-heated noodles) or single-heat applications (scrambled eggs, egg drop soup, instant ramen upgrade)
- **Tier 2 -- 15 minutes:** Active stovetop cooking with one pan (pasta with any sauce, stir-fried rice, sauteed beans, fried egg on anything) -- the pasta boiling and sauce-making happen simultaneously in two vessels
- **Tier 3 -- 20--30 minutes:** One-pan oven meals (sheet pan eggs and vegetables at 400F/200C, baked chicken thighs at 425F/220C for 22--25 minutes, frittata finishing in the oven), or two-component meals where one component is passive (roasting while you prep the other)
- Identify the format the user is cooking for: solo meal, couple, family with kids, or batch prep for the week -- this determines quantity scaling and whether variety across days matters more than speed tonight
- If the user says "I'm exhausted" or "I have nothing" -- go directly to Tier 1 emergency meals and skip all planning scaffolding

### Step 3: Build the Meal Using the Backbone Formula

Every fast meal follows one of five reliable structural formulas. Apply the correct formula to the ingredients on hand.

- **Starch + Fat + Flavor + Optional Protein:** Pasta aglio e olio, buttered noodles, peanut noodles, garlic rice -- these require only pantry items and cook in 10--15 minutes; the fat (butter, oil, peanut butter) becomes the sauce
- **Grain Bowl:** Cooked starch (rice, quinoa, farro) + protein (egg, beans, canned fish, leftover meat) + any vegetable + a drizzle sauce (soy/sesame, olive oil/lemon, tahini/lemon, yogurt/garlic) -- assembly takes 3 minutes if starch is pre-cooked
- **Wrap or Taco:** Tortilla or flatbread + any warm filling (scrambled eggs, beans, leftover meat, canned fish) + a cold topping (salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado) -- always under 10 minutes
- **Egg-Anchored:** Eggs are cooked in, on top of, or beside every other ingredient -- frittata, shakshuka, fried rice, egg drop soup, strata -- eggs function as both protein and binding agent; 2 eggs per person is the standard base
- **Soup or Broth Build:** Start with 4 cups of broth (chicken, vegetable, or even water with soy sauce and salt), bring to a simmer, add any combination of noodles/rice + vegetables + protein -- done in 15 minutes flat with zero technique required

### Step 4: Apply Time-Compression Techniques

Shave minutes from the process with specific kitchen tactics -- not vague advice, but concrete interventions.

- **Parallel cooking:** Start boiling water for pasta first -- it takes 8--10 minutes and is the longest passive step; build your sauce during that window, not after
- **Microwave as a power tool, not a backup:** Microwave a potato for 5 minutes at full power (pierce 6--8 times first), then 2 more minutes -- produces a fully baked potato in 7 minutes versus 50 minutes in the oven; frozen vegetables steam in 3--4 minutes in a covered microwave-safe bowl with 2 tbsp of water
- **Thin pasta advantage:** Angel hair (capellini) cooks in 3--4 minutes; spaghetti takes 9--11 minutes; vermicelli rice noodles need only a 5-minute soak in boiling water with no active stove time -- recommending thinner pasta alone saves 5--7 minutes
- **Cold rice rule:** Fried rice only works well with day-old refrigerated rice -- fresh rice is too wet and clumps; if the user only has fresh rice, spread it on a sheet pan for 10 minutes to dry out, or use a rice cup pouch (Uncle Ben's style microwaveable pouches cook in 90 seconds)
- **Sheet pan consolidation:** Placing protein and vegetables on the same pan at the same temperature means one oven load, no monitoring, and easier cleanup -- chicken thighs at 425F/220C for 22 minutes with chopped broccoli or green beans tossed in oil on the same pan works every time
- **Pre-minced garlic in a jar:** Saves 3 minutes per meal and eliminates a chopping step entirely -- 1/2 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic equals approximately one fresh clove; there is no meaningful flavor difference in a sauce that cooks for under 10 minutes

### Step 5: Build the Meal Plan or Rotation (When Requested)

When the user wants a week-long plan rather than a single dinner, apply the Overlap Strategy to minimize ingredients and maximize efficiency.

- Choose one anchor protein that will be cooked in bulk and used three ways across the week -- 2 lbs of baked chicken breast, 1.5 lbs of cooked ground beef or turkey, or 2 cans of chickpeas are the three most versatile options
- Assign a "batch prep day" -- Sunday works for most users, but Wednesday prep for Thursday--Saturday also functions well for people whose weekends are busy
- In a 60-minute Sunday session, a user can realistically complete: 4 cups cooked rice (25 minutes passive), 8 hard-boiled eggs (12 minutes passive + 5 minutes ice bath), 2 lbs roasted chicken (25 minutes passive at 400F/200C), and 2 cups of chopped vegetables (10 minutes active) -- all timers running simultaneously
- Structure the week so Monday and Tuesday use fresh components, Wednesday and Thursday use batch-cooked components, and Friday is a "fridge-clearing remix" of anything remaining -- this reduces food waste by 30--40% compared to ad-hoc planning
- Never plan more than 4 structured dinners in a week for most users -- assume at least one night will be takeout, leftovers, or skipped dinner, and planning for it reduces guilt and decision pressure
- Flag ingredient overlaps explicitly in the plan: "The chicken you roast Sunday is used Monday in bowls, Wednesday in wraps, and Friday in fried rice -- buy 2 lbs and it covers all three."

### Step 6: Deliver Scaling and Substitution Guidance

Quick meal planning breaks down when quantities aren't right or a key ingredient is missing.

- **Scaling protein:** 4--6 oz cooked protein per adult, 2--3 oz per child; for eggs, 2--3 eggs per adult as a main dish, 1 egg as a supplemental topping
- **Scaling starch:** 2 oz (56g) dry pasta per person for a main dish; 1/3 cup dry rice per person (yields approximately 1 cup cooked); 6-inch tortillas at 2 per person, 8-inch tortillas at 1 per person
- **Protein substitution ladder:** If a recipe calls for chicken but the user has none, substitute in this order based on cooking similarity: canned chickpeas (same texture in bowls/wraps) > canned tuna (works in anything with strong sauce) > eggs (always available, always fast) > canned white beans (neutral, filling)
- **No-vegetable substitution:** If no fresh or frozen vegetables are available, use: canned diced tomatoes as a vegetable base in any sauce or soup, canned corn drained and pan-toasted in 2 minutes, or simply skip the vegetable and add a garnish of hot sauce, lemon juice, or fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro) if available
- **Dairy-free adaptations:** Replace butter with olive oil 1:1 in all pasta and grain dishes; replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast (2 tbsp = 1/4 cup Parmesan in flavor intensity) or simply omit; soy sauce adds the savory depth that cheese often provides

### Step 7: Confirm and Refine

Deliver the recommendation, then check it lands correctly.

- State the complete meal recommendation in plain language: what to make, the total active time, and the two or three most important steps in order
- For a single meal, format it as a short sequence (see Output Format) -- do not write it as a narrative paragraph
- For a weekly plan, show the full week in a table with batch prep noted
- Ask one confirming question: "Does this work with what you have, or is there an ingredient that's actually missing?" -- this surfaces the real constraint the user forgot to mention and prevents a dead-end recommendation
- If the user says something is missing, immediately offer the substitution ladder from Step 6 or offer the next-best meal from the same ingredient set

---

## Output Format

### For a Single Quick Meal Request

```
QUICK MEAL RECOMMENDATION
==========================
Meal:           [Name of the meal]
Time:           [Total active cook time] min
Serves:         [Number of people]
Tier:           [1 / 2 / 3 -- see speed tiers]
Formula:        [Backbone formula used: Starch+Fat+Flavor / Grain Bowl / Wrap / Egg-Anchored / Soup]

INGREDIENTS NEEDED
------------------
From pantry:   [List items]
From fridge:   [List items]
Optional add:  [1-2 upgrades if available]

STEPS (in order)
----------------
1. [First step -- typically the longest passive step, e.g., start water boiling]
2. [Second step -- active prep happening during passive step]
3. [Third step -- combine or finish]
4. [Plate and serve]

TIME-SAVER TIP
--------------
[One specific technique that cuts time for this exact meal]

MAKE IT AGAIN DIFFERENTLY
--------------------------
[One leftover remix or variation using the same base ingredients tomorrow]
```

### For a Weekly Quick Meal Plan

```
WEEKLY QUICK MEAL PLAN
======================
Batch Prep Day: [Day of week]
Anchor Protein: [What is cooked in bulk and used across the week]
Shared Ingredients: [3-5 items that appear in multiple meals -- buy these in larger quantities]

DAY-BY-DAY PLAN
---------------
Mon: [Meal name] | [Time] min | [Uses: batch item or fresh]
Tue: [Meal name] | [Time] min | [Uses: batch item or fresh]
Wed: [Meal name] | [Time] min | [Uses: batch item or fresh]
Thu: [Meal name] | [Time] min | [Uses: batch item or fresh]
Fri: [Meal name] | [Time] min | [Uses: fridge-clearing remix]
Sat: [Meal name or "Flexible/Takeout"]
Sun: [Batch prep session + simple dinner]

BATCH PREP SESSION (Sunday ~75 min)
-------------------------------------
Task                    | Method            | Time    | Used On
------------------------|-------------------|---------|--------
[e.g., Cook 4c rice]   | Rice cooker/pot   | 25 min  | Mon, Wed, Fri
[e.g., Roast chicken]  | 400F, 25 min      | 25 min  | Tue, Thu
[e.g., Boil 8 eggs]    | 12 min + ice bath | 17 min  | Mon, snacks
[e.g., Chop veggies]   | Knife + containers| 10 min  | Multiple days

SHOPPING LIST ADDITIONS
-----------------------
[ ] [Item not already in pantry, quantity needed]
[ ] [Item not already in pantry, quantity needed]

INGREDIENT OVERLAP NOTES
------------------------
[Explicit callout of which items are shared across meals and how much to buy]
```

### For an Emergency "I Have Nothing" Situation

```
EMERGENCY MEAL OPTIONS
======================
What you have: [Ingredients user listed]

BEST OPTION: [Meal name] -- [Time] min
[3-line description: what to do, in what order, what it produces]

BACKUP OPTION: [Meal name] -- [Time] min
[3-line description]

ONE THING TO BUY that unlocks 5 more meals:
[Single ingredient + which meals it enables]
```

---

## Rules

1. **Never recommend a meal that requires an ingredient the user has explicitly said they don't have.** If a recipe calls for soy sauce and the user has none, either substitute (fish sauce, Worcestershire, or extra salt) or choose a different recipe entirely -- do not suggest "just pick some up."

2. **Always start the longest passive step first.** In any Tier 2 or Tier 3 meal, the very first instruction must be starting the water to boil, the oven to preheat, or the rice to cook -- these steps take 8--12 minutes and should run while all other prep happens. Giving this instruction last is the single most common time-wasting error in quick cooking guidance.

3. **Fried rice requires dry, cold rice -- never fresh.** Fresh rice has too much surface moisture and steams instead of frying, creating a clumped, gummy texture. If the user only has freshly cooked rice, spread it on a sheet pan or plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 20 minutes, or recommend a different rice-based meal (grain bowl, rice and beans) instead.

4. **Carbonara-style egg sauces require residual pasta heat, not direct flame.** The eggs must be tossed in off the heat or on very low heat -- active flame will scramble the eggs into curds instead of creating a smooth sauce. Always specify "remove pan from heat before adding egg mixture" in any carbonara-style recipe.

5. **Batch-cooked chicken must reach 165F/74C internal temperature.** When users batch cook chicken, specify the doneness check: a thermometer read at the thickest part, or confirm juices run clear and meat is opaque throughout. Under-cooked batch chicken used across multiple meals is a food safety failure with compounding risk.

6. **Cooked rice stored in the refrigerator is safe for up to 5 days; do not recommend using rice beyond this window.** Rice can harbor Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking and multiply during improper storage. Specify that rice must cool within 1 hour of cooking and be refrigerated in a shallow container, not left in the rice cooker on warm setting.

7. **Frittatas and sheet pan eggs require an oven-safe pan.** A non-stick pan with a plastic handle cannot go into a 375F/190C oven. Before recommending a frittata, ask or assume the user has cast iron, stainless, or another oven-safe vessel -- otherwise, finish it on the stovetop with a lid at very low heat for 8--10 minutes instead.

8. **Scale quantities explicitly when the user is feeding more than two people.** The most common quick-meal failure for families is making too little -- particularly for pasta (adults eat 3--4 oz dry, not 2 oz when hungry) and protein (a 6-oz chicken breast feeds one adult as a main, not two). When in doubt, round up by 20%.

9. **Canned beans improve significantly with 2 minutes of direct heat.** Raw-from-can beans are safe to eat but bland and slightly metallic. Always instruct the user to drain, rinse, and heat beans in a pan with oil and salt (or directly in their sauce) for at least 2 minutes -- this alone improves flavor dramatically with zero extra time cost.

10. **Do not recommend complex recipes when a user signals low energy.** If a user says "I'm exhausted," "I don't want to cook," or "it's been a long day," the correct response is always Tier 1 assembly meals -- no recipe requiring more than 3 active steps and one pan. Offering a technically simple but multi-step recipe to someone with decision fatigue will result in them not cooking at all. Match effort level to stated energy.

---

## Edge Cases

### The User Has Only Starches -- No Protein

When a user has pasta, rice, bread, and/or potatoes but no protein of any kind:

- First, ask about eggs -- they are frequently overlooked because users don't mentally categorize them as "protein"
- If truly no protein exists, recommend carbohydrate meals that are satisfying through fat and flavor rather than protein volume: aglio e olio pasta (olive oil + garlic + pasta + pasta water), buttered pasta with Parmesan, baked potato with butter and salt, or avocado toast with olive oil and flaky salt if those items are present
- Suggest buying one protein item that unlocks the most meal diversity: a dozen eggs (cheapest, most versatile) or a can of chickpeas or tuna
- Do not apologize for the meal options -- starch-based meals are complete, satisfying dinners across dozens of global food traditions

### The User Is Cooking for One Person Who Rarely Cooks

Solo cooking suffers from the "too much leftover" problem and the "why bother" motivation problem:

- Recommend recipes sized for 1--2 servings explicitly, not scaled-down family recipes
- Single-serving meals that work best: two-egg scramble with toast, one-pan pasta for one (use 2 oz pasta, one small garlic clove, 3 tbsp olive oil), one-bowl grain bowl, single quesadilla
- For batch cooking, reframe the scale: cook 1.5 cups dry rice (yields about 3 cups cooked, enough for 4--5 solo meals) rather than a "family batch" of 4 cups which may feel wasteful
- Recommend portioning batch-cooked items into single-serving containers immediately after cooking -- this removes a decision step on tired nights

### Dietary Restriction: Gluten-Free

Gluten-free users cannot use standard pasta, most soy sauce, many breadcrumbs, and some condiments:

- Rice, potatoes, corn tortillas, and rice noodles are all naturally gluten-free and slot directly into the backbone formulas
- Soy sauce replacement: tamari (same flavor, same quantity, widely available) or coconut aminos (slightly sweeter, use same quantity)
- Rice noodle cooking method: pour boiling water over rice vermicelli in a bowl, soak 5 minutes, drain -- faster than any wheat pasta and gluten-free by default
- Oats labeled "gluten-free" are safe for most gluten-intolerant users (but not celiac sufferers who must avoid all cross-contamination) -- confirm sensitivity level before recommending oatmeal as an emergency meal

### The Freezer Is Full But the Fridge Is Empty

When a user has substantial frozen stores but minimal fresh ingredients:

- Frozen proteins (chicken breasts, ground beef, salmon fillets) can be quick-thawed in 20--30 minutes by sealing them in a zip-lock bag and submerging in cold (not warm) running water -- this is the FDA-approved rapid thaw method
- Frozen vegetables are nutritionally equivalent to fresh and require zero prep -- frozen stir-fry mixes, frozen broccoli florets, frozen peas, and frozen corn all work directly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 recipes
- Frozen shrimp thaws in 5--10 minutes in cold water and cooks in 2--3 minutes per side -- it is the fastest frozen protein available and should be highlighted as a priority option
- Do NOT microwave-thaw proteins that will be pan-cooked -- microwave thawing partially cooks the surface and creates uneven cooking; cold water thawing is always preferable

### The User Wants to Reduce Food Waste From Last Night's Dinner

Leftover remixing is a specific skill that requires knowing what textures and flavors survive reheating:

- **Proteins that reheat well:** Chicken thighs (more fat, stay moist), ground beef or turkey, beans, hard-boiled eggs (cold, not reheated), canned fish -- all can go directly into fried rice, tacos, grain bowls, or soups
- **Proteins that do NOT reheat well:** Chicken breast (dries out fast -- shred it and add moisture via sauce or broth), fish fillets (texture degrades -- flake into pasta with a strong sauce to mask), shrimp (rubbery if reheated -- best eaten cold on a salad or in a room-temp noodle dish)
- **The "leftover soup" technique:** Almost any collection of cooked leftovers can be combined with 4 cups of broth, brought to a simmer for 5 minutes, and served as a legitimate soup -- this works particularly well with rice, beans, vegetables, and shredded protein
- **The "fried rice standard":** Any cooked grain + any cooked protein + any vegetable + egg + soy sauce = fried rice; this is the single most reliable leftover remix formula across cuisines

### The User Has Young Children With Restricted Palates

Feeding picky eaters quickly requires parallel thinking -- cook one base, offer it two ways:

- Make a base that works for both adults and kids: plain pasta, plain rice, plain quesadillas -- then add adult flavors (hot sauce, spiced beans, sauteed garlic) only to the adult portion after plating
- "Deconstructed" presentation: serve components separately on the plate rather than mixed (rice separate from beans separate from chicken) -- children are frequently more accepting of foods they can see and control
- Hide vegetables through volume, not disguise: finely grated zucchini or carrot in scrambled eggs disappears visually and adds no perceptible flavor; frozen peas in pasta are sweet and accepted by most children over age 4
- Speed-safe kid meals that require almost no prep: quesadilla with shredded cheese and any hidden vegetable (broil 3 minutes per side), peanut butter on toast, scrambled egg and cheese wrap, microwave mac and cheese with steamed broccoli folded in

### The User Wants a Plan But Keeps Abandoning It Midweek

Meal plan abandonment typically occurs because the plan is too ambitious, too rigid, or too unfamiliar:

- Limit to 3--4 planned dinners per week maximum -- explicitly designate 1--2 "flex nights" for takeout, leftovers, or whatever sounds good
- Front-load the easiest meals to Monday and Tuesday when motivation is highest post-planning; save the most flexible meals for Thursday and Friday
- Choose at least 3 of the 4--5 planned meals from the user's existing rotation (meals they have made before and like) -- introduce only 1 new recipe per week to reduce friction
- Write the plan at the same day and time each week (usually Sunday morning before shopping) -- habit timing is more important than the content of the plan itself

---

## Example

**User Input:** "It's 6:30pm on a Wednesday and I have about 20 minutes to make dinner. I have: a box of spaghetti, two cans of tuna, olive oil, garlic (the jarred kind), red pepper flakes, one lemon, Parmesan, and some frozen broccoli. I'm cooking for two adults."

**Output:**

```
QUICK MEAL RECOMMENDATION
==========================
Meal:           Tuna Aglio e Olio with Broccoli
Time:           18 min total (6 min active, 12 min passive)
Serves:         2 adults
Tier:           2 (Active stovetop, two vessels running simultaneously)
Formula:        Starch + Fat + Flavor + Protein (canned tuna variant of aglio e olio)

INGREDIENTS NEEDED
------------------
From pantry:   4 oz (113g) spaghetti, 2 cans tuna (drained), olive oil (4 tbsp),
               jarred minced garlic (1 tsp = approx 2 cloves), red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp),
               Parmesan (1/4 cup grated)
From fridge:   1 lemon (zest + juice)
From freezer:  1.5 cups frozen broccoli florets
Optional add:  Black pepper, fresh parsley if available

STEPS (in order)
----------------
1. [START NOW] Fill a large pot with water, cover with lid, and bring to a boil
   over high heat. Add 1 tsp salt once boiling. (8-10 min passive -- everything
   else happens during this time.)

2. While water heats: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
   Add 1 tsp jarred garlic and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Cook 60--90 seconds
   until garlic is fragrant and just turning golden at edges. Do not let it brown
   fully -- pull off heat if it starts to darken.

3. Add both cans of drained tuna to the skillet. Break apart with a spoon and
   let it warm through and lightly crisp in the oil, about 2 minutes. Remove pan
   from heat.

4. Cook spaghetti according to package directions (usually 9--11 min). For speed:
   break the dry spaghetti in half before adding to the pot -- it fits without
   stirring and the shorter length serves faster. Add frozen broccoli to the
   PASTA WATER for the last 3 minutes of cooking time -- it cooks directly in
   the pot with no extra steps.

5. Before draining: scoop out 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside.
   Drain pasta and broccoli together.

6. Return the tuna-garlic skillet to low heat. Add drained pasta and broccoli.
   Pour in 2--3 tbsp of reserved pasta water. Toss to coat -- the starchy water
   emulsifies the olive oil into a light sauce. Add lemon juice (half the lemon),
   lemon zest (whole lemon), and 1 tbsp additional olive oil. Toss again.

7. Plate into two bowls. Top each with 2 tbsp Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
   Serve immediately.

TIME-SAVER TIP
--------------
Adding the frozen broccoli directly to the pasta water eliminates a second pot,
a second drainer, and 8 minutes of stovetop attention. Frozen florets are
completely cooked through in 3 minutes at a rolling boil.

MAKE IT AGAIN DIFFERENTLY
--------------------------
Tomorrow night: Use any leftover tuna (or open a third can) and toss with
cooked pasta + olive oil + capers + diced canned tomatoes for a puttanesca-style
variation. Swap the Parmesan for a squeeze of hot sauce and a handful of olives
if you have them.
```

**Why this recommendation works:**

The user had a complete ingredient set matching the Starch + Fat + Flavor + Protein backbone formula with no substitutions needed. Spaghetti was the right starch because the user already had it, and at 9--11 minutes, it fits the 18-minute total window when started immediately. Canned tuna requires zero prep -- it opens and goes directly into warm oil in under 2 minutes. The lemon elevates the entire dish from "pantry meal" to "something that tastes intentional" -- zest in particular is free flavor that most users overlook. Frozen broccoli was folded into the pasta water to eliminate an extra pan entirely. The pasta water technique (Step 6) is the single most important quick-cooking skill for pasta dishes -- it is what turns a greasy oil-tossed pasta into a cohesive sauced dish, and it should be named explicitly every time an oil-based pasta is recommended.
