When it comes to cooking for two, less really can be more. Whether you’re winding down after a hectic day or planning a cozy date night at home, easy dinners for two take the stress out of mealtime without skimping on flavor. In this post, we’re sharing a curated selection of recipes designed specifically for smaller portions—perfectly balanced to delight your taste buds and keep cleanup minimal. Plus, check out tips for how to shop mindfully for two, while minimizing food waste. Get ready to discover simple, satisfying meals that prove great things come in small packages.

Easy Dinners for Two to Try

1. Lemon Herb Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Herb seasoning blends, adjusted to taste
• Paprika, to taste
• Garlic powder
• Fresh thyme and rosemary, to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. On a baking sheet, toss the broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots with 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Season the chicken breasts with seasoning blends, garlic powder, paprika, thyme and rosemary, salt, and pepper.
4. Nestle the chicken among the veggies. Roast for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
5. Garnish with extra lemon zest or chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

2. Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

• 150 g (about 5 oz) pasta (opt for linguine or spaghetti)
• 200 g (about 7 oz) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• A teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water before draining.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Sauté the garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute).
3. Add the shrimp, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until pink (about 2 minutes per side).
4. Pour in the cream and lemon juice; stir and let the sauce simmer for 2–3 minutes. If needed, thin the sauce with reserved pasta water. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds.
5. Toss the drained pasta in the skillet until well coated. Garnish with parsley.

3. Chickpea and Spinach Curry (Vegetarian)

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (use half if you prefer a thinner sauce)
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (or 1/2 can, drained and rinsed)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: Cubed, fried tofu.
• Optional: Serve with 1 cup cooked basmati rice (for two)

Instructions

1. In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft (about 3–4 minutes).
2. Add the garlic and ginger; cook for another minute.
3. Stir in turmeric, cumin, and garam masala, cooking until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
4. Pour in the diced tomatoes and chickpeas. Simmer for 8–10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
5. Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve hot with rice on the side if desired.

133 Billion Pounds of Food Are Wasted Each Year

Making dinner for two is a foreign thought to you nowadays, something you used to do on date nights before you got married or had kids. Even if you did make too much food, you could always claim you’d eat the leftovers later.

There’s one main problem with that theory for leftovers though. In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30% to 40% of the food supply. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, 31% of food loss is at the retail and consumer level. Visually, that’s approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food that gets wasted. And every time you clean out your refrigerator, it’s another reminder about why making less food at one time makes more sense.

7 Rules for Planning Easy Dinner Recipes for Two

In addition to not wasting food, dinner-for-two recipes are easy to find online (and several are listed below). You don’t have to pay a food delivery company to prepare them either. Splitting your regular portion in half immediately resolves the two-person meal. However, there are seven other tips you should consider before you head toward the kitchen.

First, save yourself money by reevaluating your bulk grocery list. Do not buy in bulk unless you absolutely have to and the items will not go bad. Reasonable examples include buying boxed noodles or canned pasta sauce. Do you really need an eight pack variety of cheese blocks? Or, are you just buying it because there’s a sale sign on the display case?

Second, pay attention to portion sizes before you cook hot meals. One 16-ounce box of spaghetti noodles makes eight servings, meaning you can get creative with pasta for four days with easy dinner recipes for two. Add meat. Make it all veggie with mushrooms and tomatoes. Boil spaghetti, and add your favorite cheeses. Or, try spaghetti with avocados or zucchini as your pasta base. The pasta cooking options are endless.

Third, plot ahead of time whether you can freeze some foods while the rest are refrigerated. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to buy sodium-packed prepared meals in order to make a meal for two. Just know what will taste just as good if frozen as it would when refrigerated. This includes your own leftovers. Freeze half, eat the other half. Thaw as needed (and hopefully before that three-month run when you’ll be cleaning your refrigerator and freezer again).

Fourth, make your fruit last by varying how you prepare it with your meal for two. For example, fruit smoothies are just as delicious with frozen bananas as they are with fresh bananas (that seem to turn black before they’re out of the checkout lane). As soon as you buy a bundle, immediately peel and put all of the bananas in a freezer bag to use as needed. One banana and a handful of strawberries can make two smoothies. Or, use a food processor for two bananas. Mix them into a gooey custard texture, and freeze it for an ice cream dessert for two.

Fifth, consider how much of your cold meal that you’ll realistically eat in one sitting. If you and your partner want to have a hoagie night, is making one large sandwich with your favorite fillers enough? Instead of making one ginormous hoagie for you and one for the other person, try cutting just one hoagie in half and splitting it. Along with any kind of cookies, brownies or chips, you may barely get through the add-ons before you’re full from all the bread. Then, wait 15 minutes. Unlike hot foods, you don’t have to stand over a stove so it’s easier to make again. However, because cold meals are quicker, it’s easy to make too much. Wait it out. Let the fiber take its course. If you’re hungry after the first sitting, then repeat and make a second hoagie to enjoy.

Sixth, experiment with your vegetables instead of making them the side course. Did you know that an oyster mushroom can be just as crispy and pull apart like fried chicken? Sometimes vegetables go bad because they’re cooked as an afterthought instead of the main meal. Try seasoning them with flour the way you would with chicken. Or, use an air fryer. Grill corn on the cob. Skip the flour pizza crust, and use a head of cauliflower instead. Cut it up into florets, put the cauliflower in a food processor until it looks like rice and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. After your cauliflower crust is complete, add whatever pizza toppings you like (including more vegetables).

Seventh, don’t ignore your grill or cast iron skillet. Sometimes small meals can seem boring because you’re used to eating them the same way all the time. Instead of boiling or frying your favorite main course, find out what it tastes like on your cast iron skillet or blackstone griddle. Do you think you know what tofu tastes like because you’ve had it in a pan? Try preparing extra firm tofu in a wok instead. Add bread crumbs for extra crunch. Or, stick your sweet potato slices in an air fryer instead of a greasy pan. You may find easy dinner for two recipes from making the same meal in different ways to see which one you like the best. Just make it in small portions in case you don’t like the new preparation routine.

Reevaluating How You Cook Will Help With Food Waste

By implementing these seven tips for food preparation, not only will you be decreasing food waste, but you may find yourself enjoying cooking more. As easy as it is to go to the nearest drive-thru, order a meal kit or sit down at a restaurant for two, all three options have the same food you do. If you find creative ways to create your own meals, you may find yourself enjoying the kitchen more. And whether you’re an empty nester for good or just having a quiet summer for two, these tips still work when hosting for large groups of family and friends.