I might be raising a big family of growing boys, but I know that so many of you are looking for easy dinner recipes for two! Whether you are an empty-nester, a small family with a baby, or a widow on your own, I get emails every day from readers just like YOU -- looking for quick-prep meals in smaller quantities. That's why I've put together a list of delicious dinner ideas that are simple to scale down to suit your needs. From chicken to steak, pasta, casseroles, salmon and pork, there's something here for everyone!
I'm going to make this as easy as possible for you! My goal with this collection is to provide you with a handful of easy dinners for two that you can turn to on your busiest weeknights! These ideas take advantage of a variety of ingredients and cuisines, so I know that you'll find at least a handful of new recipes to add to your regular rotation.
How do I cut down a recipe if I am cooking dinner for two and the meal is for four (or more)?
As you'll see, many of the recipes on this list can serve 4 or more people. I've chosen options that are easy to scale down, and that include alternative instructions for those folks who are cooking just for 2. Here are my best tips when adapting recipes for a smaller family:
- Cut the ingredients in half: In general, you can typically cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare half as much food. Just make sure that you keep all of the proportions the same. For instance, instead of using 2 pounds of ground beef, use just 1 pound of ground beef (and cut all of the other ingredients in the recipe in half as well).
- Use a smaller dish: If the directions call for a 9 x 13-inch dish, cut all of the ingredients in half and use an 8-inch or 9-inch square dish instead. Similarly, if the recipe calls for a 2-quart baking dish, use a small 1-quart dish. You get the idea!
- Freeze half: Instead of cutting the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller amount of food, you can often prepare the full recipe but divide the ingredients between two smaller pans. Bake one pan now for dinner, and freeze the extra for another meal. This gives you two dinners for one effort!
- Adjust the servings in the recipe card: on my site, each recipe box includes a suggested number of servings. If you click on that number, you can change it to accommodate the number of servings that you would like to prepare. For instance, if the recipe says it makes "4" servings, you can change that "4" to say "2" servings. Once you change the number of servings, the ingredient quantities will automatically adjust accordingly -- no special math necessary!
Favorite Dinner Recipes for Two
These are some of our favorite easy dinner recipes for two. In each post, I provide specific instructions for scaling down the recipe for a smaller family, as well as suggested side dishes that pair well with each entrée. As always, let me know if you have any questions!
Chicken
- One Skillet Chicken Dijon
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Pecan Crusted Chicken
- Dump-and-Bake Salsa Chicken
- Chicken and Rice Casserole with Mushroom Soup
- Potato Chip Chicken Strips
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
- Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast {Just 4 Ingredients!}
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Marinated Chicken Thighs {Grilled or Baked}
- Strawberry Chicken Salad
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast
- Country Chicken and Biscuits
Pork
- Oven Fried Pork Chops
- Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy
- Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin
- Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce
- Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
Beef
- Homemade Nachos
- Ground Beef Noodle Casserole
- Mini Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
- Steak Salad
- Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
- Reuben Sandwich
Fish, Shellfish, Seafood
- Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Salmon
- Garlic Butter Shrimp with Old Bay
- 4-Ingredient Brown Sugar Dijon Roasted Salmon
- New England Shrimp Rolls
- Marinated Grilled Shrimp
- One Skillet Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Crispy Fried Fish Sandwiches
- 5-Ingredient Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia
Vegetarian and Pasta
Date Night Dinner Recipes for Two
If you're celebrating a special occasion or just looking for a recipe to cook for a romantic dinner, here are a couple of my favorite fancier dinner recipes for two:
- Virginia Crab Imperial
- Filet Mignon
- Crab Cakes
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Crispy Virginia Fried Oysters
- Grilled New York Strip Steak
Let Us Know Your Favorite Easy Dinner Recipes for Two
Now it's your turn, friends! What are some of your favorite dinners for two? Share your ideas in the comments below to help others with even more delicious and easy ideas!
This post was originally published in July, 2017. It was updated in October, 2021.
Barbara
Thank you for this post. Saw several dishes that sound yummy that I want to try but found the link to pork schnitzel with mushroom gravy does not work. When I tried just using your search button, it linked back to this post.
Blair Lonergan
You're quick, Barbara! I just re-published this post today. The pork schnitzel recipe post will be live tomorrow! 🙂
Here it is below so that you have it today:
Pork Schnitzel
Serves: 4
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
1 – 1 ½ lbs. boneless pork chops, pounded to ¼-inch thickness
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons salted butter
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 (0.87 ounce) packet brown gravy mix
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley; lemon wedges
Place flour in a shallow dish, eggs in a second shallow dish, and Panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
Season the pork with salt and pepper on both sides.
Working with one piece of pork at a time, dredge the meat in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in the eggs, shaking again to remove any excess egg. Finally, coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat with remaining pork.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, fry the breaded pork in the skillet until browned and no longer pink, about 3 minutes per side. If the breading is browning too quickly, or if the skillet starts to smoke, reduce the heat. Remove browned pork to a paper towel-lined plate. While it’s still warm, season the pork with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Wipe out the skillet. Melt butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the gravy mix, cold water and wine. Add the gravy mixture to the skillet with the mushrooms; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly, for one more minute. Whisk in the sour cream.
Serve the pork with mushroom gravy, fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Barbara
Thank you. I just pulled a meal out of the freezer for tonight, but tomorrow is grocery shopping day so I can grab the needed ingredients for this recipe and cook it tomorrow!
Blair Lonergan
Awesome! Enjoy! 🙂
Margret
Hi....your picture of the article says plus shopping list and free cookbook but I have scrolled through the whole article and not found a link to the shopping list nor the cookbook and typing it in the search bar yielded nothing. How do I get that information?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Margaret! I think that the picture you saw was an old one from the previous version of this post. I've added new recipe ideas to this list, but there isn't a cookbook or shopping list associated with the updated post. I will send you the old e-cookbook/shopping list via email, but it won't exactly match up with the updated post. Hopefully you'll still find it helpful. 🙂
Jessica Quemado
love your dump and pour chicken recipe was super simple and was a hit fam loved best part is there is no chopping or waiting for the chicken to marinate in the bag. Thank you love this new cooking site 🙂
Blair Lonergan
Thanks, Jessica! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the recipes. 🙂