17 Easy Dinner Recipe Ideas for Two
Looking for easy dinner ideas for two? Let’s face it - on a weeknight, we want the food we make to be as easy and as quick as possible. But ease doesn’t have to mean you compromise on flavor! These 17 recipes are all incredibly tasty - so, whether you’re cooking for date night or just another Tuesday, you’re sure to find inspiration for your next delicious dinner for two right here on this list.
#1 - Angel Hair Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce
This fragrant pasta dish is light and refreshing - and the best part? It uses just a few ingredients and requires almost no active cooking time. Grate a bunch of fresh tomatoes into a bowl with garlic and a few other simple ingredients, and let them marinate for a little bit before tossing in some spaghetti noodles or angel hair pasta. It’s such an easy dinner recipe for two!
#2 - Brown-Butter Salmon with Lemon and Harrissa
This easy dinner recipe for two has a sophistication that screams ‘date night’, but actually comes together without much effort. The brown butter gives the sauce a richness and complexity, and the harissa gives it the kick it needs to get to the next level.
#3 - Asian Pear-Shisho Salad with Quinoa
This salad is perfect for those weeknights when you want to whip up easy dinners for two without doing too much cooking. Pear is the central feature here, which makes it stand apart from the crowd, and it’s accented with bright flavors, crunchy textures, and hints of spice.
#4 - Corn and Black Bean Nachos
Nachos for dinner is always a good idea! This recipe bulks out the classic cheesy snack into something more filling, adding beans, corn, and avocado to really elevate your nachos into an easy dinner idea for two. You can riff on this and add red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, or any of your other favorite vegetables to take this popular dish to the next level.
#5 - Quick Lamb Ragu
There are a bunch of tips and tricks in this easy dinner idea that work to turn a quick recipe idea into something that tastes like it’s simmered for hours. The secret ingredient? Anchovies - they give a savory depth to this pasta dish that you’re going to love. This recipe makes more than just a dinner for two, but the good news is that the leftovers taste even better the next day.
#6 - Chickpea and Kale Shakshuka
Shakshuka is normally served for a hearty breakfast, but with a few additions and tweaks, you can turn it into amazing and easy dinners for two. Cook eggs in a hearty tomato sauce studded with chickpeas and seasoned with za’atar, and serve it with crusty bread and Greek yoghurt.
#7 - Saucy Tofu Noodles with Cucumbers and Chili Crisp
In this easy dinner recipe, the tofu gets broken down and fried into a ground-beef kind of texture, added to a fragrant stir-fry, and smothered in a delicious tahini sauce. It’s paired with some lightly pickled vegetables for the perfect counterpart to the saucy tofu - and it's packed with so much flavor!
#8 - Brussel Sprout and Bacon Frittata
Frittatas are endlessly versatile, and as such they are some of the best easy dinner recipes for two. This one is particularly tasty, with the brussel sprouts melting down in the bacon fat to create a salty, silky tangle of vegetables that keep the other-wise simple frittata interesting. Serve with a little green salad to make the dinner idea complete.
#9 - Creamed Mushroom and Brie Chicken
A dinner recipe idea that involves melting a whole wheel of brie? Yes please! That’s exactly what you get when you make this creamed mushroom and brie chicken - a dreamy, cheesy mushroom sauce and perfectly cooked chicken breasts. Serve over rice or pasta for an incredible dinner recipe idea for two.
#10 - Pan-fried Lemon Sole with Salsa Verde
This homemade salsa verde comes together in a matter of minutes, but it’s the key to taking this recipe idea to the next level. The capers and pickles give it a brightness that’s the perfect accompaniment to the tender lemon sole fillets. Crush some new potatoes and you’ve got yourself an easy dinner idea for two.
#11 - Spiced Chickpea Stew with Turmeric and Coconut
This stew went viral back in 2020, and it’s easy to see why. The creamy coconut milk carries an intense punch of savoury flavor, and once you realize that this dinner idea also happens to be vegan, it’s no wonder that the people have been left wanting more.
#12 - Parmesan Oven Risotto
Risotto - a classic Italian rice-based dish - is typically made on the stovetop. It’s not one of the most popular easy dinner recipe ideas because it normally requires constant stirring to help it thicken. This recipe, though, gives you perfect creamy risotto - from the oven! You cook on the stove for about ten minutes and then put the pan in the oven to finish its work.
#13 - Roasted Vegetables with Tahini Dressing
This is one of the simplest easy dinner recipe ideas for two on this list - and it’s very versatile. You can make this roasted vegetable salad with pretty much any vegetables you need to use up, and the light char meets with the delicious tahini sauce to create such a comforting - and healthy! - dinner idea.
#14 - Winter Squash and Kale Pasta
This cozy dinner idea for two uses squash and kale to make a surprisingly decadent pasta dish. It’s finished off with pecan breadcrumbs for a fun and luxurious twist. Add red pepper flakes for a kick, parmesan cheese for richness, or even top it with some grilled chicken for something more substantial.
#15 - Five Spice Duck Salad
This salad uses mango and pomegranate seeds bring sweetness, cilantro and lime to bring freshness, and the five-spiced duck breast to bring a depth and richness. For a small salad, it’s packed with complexity!
#16 - Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka
Any easy dinner recipe that just involves whacking things onto a sheet pan and putting them into the oven is a weeknight win, and this sheet pan chicken tikka is just that. Chicken is baked on a bed of cauliflower and new potatoes, and the result is spicy, crispy, and an amazing easy dinner idea.
#17 - Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp with Pesto Pasta
A homemade pesto is always a beautiful thing, but this easy recipe takes everything a step further by adding Cajun-spiced shrimp into the mix. Sear the shrimp in the seasoning and add it to your pasta at the end - you won’t regret trying this one!
The Missing Ingredient When You Cook for Two
If you’re tired of cooking being a chore, it’s time to make it the highlight of your day. We have crafted The Adventure Challenge Dinner Dates to help you do just that! This book is a new twist on our classic Adventure Challenge Couples Edition. This time, the dates all just happen to involve cooking dinner. 30 glorious and chef-tested recipes come along with activities and challenges to do alongside the cooking process so that the whole evening is a chance to connect with your partner!
Did you enjoy this post? Pin it for later...
