53 Dinner Ideas for Two That Work For Any Occasion (2024)

Cooking for two sounds romantic, but it can be a challenge. Not only do you have to decide what the two of you want to share, but many meals are portioned to feed a crowd, or call for so many components that it's too much work for just two.

Whether you're planning a date night, roommate dinner, or just cooking for someone you love, we compiled dinner ideas for two that don't demand you spend most of the evening in the kitchen. Most of these recipes serve four, but you can accommodate just the two of you by halving the recipe or making room in the fridge for leftovers to enjoy one more time.

Italian Dinner Ideas for Two

When you think of Italian dinners for two, pasta certainly comes to mind, but there's more to this popular cuisine than a bowl of noodles.

Fast Italian Fish Stew

This stew topped with halibut is healthful, elegant, and packed with flavor. Loaded with cannellini beans and cherry tomatoes in a chicken broth, it comes together in just 30 minutes, so the two of you can get on with...whatever.

Cacio e Pepe

Once you master this peppery, cheesy spaghetti recipe for two, you've found a new Italian staple. Make sure your pasta is al dente and you're ready to eat as soon as you're done mixing the ingredients together, because cacio e pepe tastes best when it's fresh.

Neapolitan-Style Margherita Pizza

Making personal pizzas side-by-side is the perfect Italian-inflected, at-home night for a duo of cooks. It calls for homemade dough that you can make ahead—or get store-bought and not make it at all—to save some time day of. Get creative with toppings or stick with the classic mozzarella and basil.

Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage

This recipe features store-bought chicken sausage and orecchiette—a pasta that translates from Italian as "little ears" to describe its shape—for a quick, easy, one-dish meal. Fresh green beans, frozen peas, Parmesan, and your favorite pesto round out the dish, which comes together in just 20 minutes.

Slow-Cooker Squash Lasagna

This vegetarian version of the Italian classic replaces the familiar tomato sauce with frozen winter squash puree, giving it a deep, rich flavor. And don't let the 4¼-hour prep time put you off! It takes only 15 minutes to assemble the layers, and then the slow cooker does the rest. The recipe serves six but, in this case, you'll look forward to leftovers.

Roasted Eggplant and Olive Pasta Salad

If a pasta salad could capture the essence of the Mediterranean, it would probably taste like this one. Starting with casarecce, fusilli, or other short pasta, add cubes of eggplant and olives roasted on the same baking pan. To finish, toss with feta, cherry tomatoes, and an herby oil-and-vinegar dressing for a light-yet-filling meatless meal.

Deep-Dish Eggplant Parmesan

This classic vegetarian staple takes longer to prepare than most of our recipes here (total time is 1¼ hours), but isn't a creamy, cheesy, tomato-y casserole worth the wait? Most of that time is spent passively roasting eggplant slices and then baking the assembled dish. During the final bake, toss a simple mixed greens-and-cherry tomato salad with oil and vinegar for a full, well-balanced meal.

Gnocchi Alla Vodka

This recipe takes a package of potato gnocchi and a jar of marinara from plain to insanely delicious. "How?" you ask. A shot of vodka and some heavy cream in the sauce to start, and chopped almonds and lemon zest to finish. This meal's a great choice to pair with a glass of wine on a cold night.

Healthy Dinner Ideas for Two

Fill your body with nutritious superfoods such as quinoa and sunflower seeds, courtesy of these healthy dinner ideas for two.

Nicoise-Inspired Summer Salad

Making this beautiful, composed salad is as simple as laying out prepped ingredients on a plate. Swap the trout fillets for any type of cured fish you like, or make this healthy salad vegetarian using cooked tofu instead.

Skillet Quinoa with Olives and Crispy Tofu

A one-pot meal that's packed with flavor and nutrients, this unexpected combo of olives and crisp tofu is a total winner. The quinoa pilaf and crispy tofu triangles are seasoned with a Moroccan spice blend that may well become your next go-to seasoning.

Orange Chicken With Bulgur Pilaf

Juice and zest from a fresh orange help turn a plain chicken breast into something special. Its dinner companion is a pilaf featuring bulgur—one of a dozen or so ancient grains that is enjoying a resurgence of late as a "health food." It takes on a Mediterranean flair with tomatoes, olives, scallions, and oregano.

Superfood Lentil Salad

This salad is so delicious, you'll forget it's good for you! Zucchini quick-charred in the broiler and a sunflower-seed vinaigrette are just two nutritional powerhouses that give this salad depth, texture, and of course, plenty of health benefits.

Broiled Salmon on Rice With Broccoli

This classic combo of salmon and rice gets all dressed up with a brown sugar-soy sauce drizzle that livens the whole dish. The salmon is broiled (not baked), saving you time, and the white rice and broccoli florets cook together, leaving you one less burner to manage and one less pot to wash.

Green Coconut Curry With Zucchini Noodles and Tofu

This Asian-style recipe subs traditional rice or noodles with zoodles (spiralized zucchini), making this dish a low-carb superstar. It's loaded with more vegetables—onions, bell peppers, green beans, and snap peas—and packs in the protein with sautéed tofu. A coconut milk broth with tamari and a touch of honey bring together all the elements of this sweet-and-savory dish.

Ratatouille

This vegetable-rich stew starring eggplant, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes is an iconic rustic staple of French Provencal cuisine. This highly versatile dish accommodates lots of customizing: Serve hot or cold, with eggs or other protein, tossed with pasta, or over rice. Whatever you do, include a loaf of crusty French bread to sop up all that tomato-y sauce.

Balsamic Steak With Radicchio and Pears

When you're cooking to impress, you can't go wrong with a grilled steak dinner, and for this one, the flank steak isn't alone on the grill. It's joined by radicchio quartered lengthwise and pear halves, which we bet you didn't know you could grill. Top everything with a vinegar-shallot-mustard dressing and blue cheese crumbles for a coherent, low-carb, stay-out-of-the-kitchen dinner,

Scallops in Parchment

To be more descriptive, we should call this recipe "scallops, white beans, fennel, and cherry tomatoes in parchment." Seasoned with just olive, salt, and pepper, each packet cooks evenly for just 15 minutes in the oven. The dramatic opening of the parchment at serving belies just how easy this meal is to prepare.

Easy Dinner Ideas for Two

Who doesn't love an easy meal? These dinner ideas for two are filled with bold flavors and varying textures, yet require 30 minutes or less of hands-on prep.

Hanger Steak with Buttery Mashed Carrots

While steak and mashed potatoes are a match made in culinary heaven, this recipe has a surprising side. Tender hanger steak is served with buttery mashed carrots. Once you try them, you won't even miss the potatoes.

Seared Tilapia With Watercress-Mango Salad

This lean, healthful meal could hardly be easier to make. While the tilapia is sautéing to a golden brown, you have plenty of time to whisk a lime-honey-ginger dressing. Next, plate the fish, watercress, mango, and onion, and then drizzle with the dressing. Dinner is served!

Thai Peanut Butter Ramen

Made from pantry staples you probably already have, these instant noodles with peanut sauce are super easy to whip up and fully open to interpretation. Add protein or fresh veggies, make them spicy, or add some crunch on top.

Lobster Tails With Cilantro Butter

It's just butter, cilantro, and two lobster tails each to make this easy-yet-decadent dinner for two. Serve with roasted Brussels sprouts or sautéed spinach, corn on the cob, and rolls to dip the butter in and you're golden.

Slow Cooker Coq au Vin

Bold and rich in flavor, this slowly braised chicken dish comes together slowly but easily for a special dinner for two, plus leftovers that taste even better the next day after they're reheated in the sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, or a baguette.

Cheesy Chicken Nachos

Fill a sheet pan with tortilla chips and the toppings of your choice and voila, dinner for two! Have some fun and eat them right off the tray, or be a little more proper and plate your nachos: your call. Cleanup's easy either way.

Harissa Salmon and Potatoes

In this easy-to-make meal, the salmon and potatoes roast in the same pan, making cleanup easy, too. If you're unfamiliar with harissa, you won't be for long. This newest "it" condiment, which usually comes as a paste, is sometimes referred to as the ketchup of Northern African and Middle Eastern cuisine. It lends a sweet-hot flavor that turns any meal into a special occasion.

Cold Peanut Noodles

In the time it takes to cook a package of rice linguini noodles, you can prepare this meatless dish. While a pot of water is coming to a boil on the stove, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, and garlic to make an Asian-style sauce. Top the cooled al dente noodles-and-peanut butter-sauce mixture with herbs and peanuts for a refreshing yet satisfying bowl.

Quick and Easy Shepherd's Pie

When you think about quick-and-easy meals, shepherd's pie doesn't readily come to mind, but this recipe proves an exception. This ground-beef version of the rustic Scottish-English pie is loaded with shortcuts—namely frozen mixed vegetables and ready-made mashed potatoes—resulting in a total prep time of only 20 minutes.

Noodles With Flaked Salmon and Crispy Bok Choy Slaw

This 20-minute meal is nutritious, easy, and tastes great: the total package. It stars teriyaki-marinated salmon, with lo mien noodles and bok choy playing supporting roles. Lime juice adds tartness and a chopped red chili lends a kick, resulting in a brilliant, ensemble performance.

Saucy Shrimp and Noodle Stir-Fry

Shrimp cooks quickly, and so do rice-stick noodles and stir-fry dishes, so you probably won't be surprised that this Asian-inspired bowl comes together in 20 minutes. Bok choy adds color, shiitake mushrooms bring earthy flavor, and a sweet-and-spicy sauce coats everything for an umami-rich dish.

Vegetarian Dinner Ideas for Two

Don't eat meat? We've got you and your plus-one covered with these meat-free meals that taste delicious.

Curried Eggplant With Tomatoes and Basil

Many vegetarian recipes, like this one, feature eggplant as a meat substitute. Loaded with fiber and nutrients but low in calories, it gives a meaty bite and mild flavor to any dish. This recipe pairs eggplant with protein-packed chickpeas, another vegetarian staple, along with curry seasoning and an optional topping of Greek yogurt.

Cheese Soufflé

For a special night, whip up a decadent, fluffy soufflé for two that's as impressive as it is tasty. Take it easy on yourself and do most of the prep work the day before. On the day of, bake two soufflés in individual ramekins or dig into a big one with two spoons.

Grilled Halloumi Salad

Grilled cheese takes on a whole new meaning when it's the cheese that hits the grill. In this case, it's halloumi, a firm cheese that tastes salty like feta and withstands the heat of a grill.This high-protein salad makes for the perfect outdoor meal and is even good leftover.

Egg Salad Toast With Fresh Herbs and Capers

This is not your mother's egg salad sandwich. This elegant toast is perfect for lunch or a light dinner, and is totally vegetarian. The herbs add a level of freshness and the tanginess from the capers makes this restaurant-worthy.

Lemony Lentil Soup

A pot of this bright, healthy plant-based soup is perfect for a cozy dinner. Red lentils combine with carrots, onions, and spices in a rich vegetable broth. Top with crispy roasted kale and serve with pita on the side to dip.

Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl

Mexicanmole (pronounce mo-lay) is a complex sauce made with over a dozen ingredients simmered over a long time and then blended until smooth. Well, not tonight! This recipe uses a jar of store-bought mole to effortlessly bring bold flavors to a bowl of cauliflower, black beans, and arugula. Top with creamy cotija cheese (or queso fresco) and roasted pumpkin seeds for a high-protein crunch.

Curry Rice Vermicelli

Is it a rice dish or a noodle dish? Yes. This recipe calls for rice vermicelli, which are dried noodles made of rice. It's a take on Singapore noodles, a stir-fry dish created in Canton and now popular throughout southeast China and Hong Kong. This meatless version combines a colorful array of bell peppers (although any stir-fry vegetable would do), red onion, noodles, scrambled eggs, and curry seasoning for an Asian-style meal-in-a-bowl.

Eggplant-and-Tomato Masala With Chickpeas

This Indian-inspired dish is hearty and packed with intense flavor. It stars Japanese eggplant—which is longer, thinner, and less bitter than the regular variety—chickpeas, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Given this dish's intense flavor, you'd never know it took only 25 minutes to put together.

Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta

If you're looking for a mayo-free vegetarian dish to take on an intimate summer picnic, this one's for you. It's loaded with summer veggies—eggplant, onion, bell pepper, and cherry tomato—spaghetti, and Parmesan for a light, flavorful meal served warm or at room temperature. Add mozzarella pearls or crumbled feta or goat cheese for extra hardiness.

Eggplant and Tofu Stir-Fry

With hearty eggplant and protein-packed tofu, you'll never miss the meat in this stir-fry dish. A hoisin-and-rice vinegar sauce brings flavor and jalapeño brings the heat. Swap out the white rice with your favorite grain or pasta, or omit it altogether for a low-carb meal.

Japanese Dinner Ideas for Two

Skip takeout and whip up a Japanese-inspired meal on your own.

Spicy Summer Squash Stir-Fry

Zucchini and yellow squash join Japanese eggplant to star in this stir-fry packed with summer vegetables. A Japanese-inspired sauce of soy (or tamari) and rice vinegar adds flavor and coalesces this meatless dish. Add slices of fresh jalapeño and red pepper flakes for a kick and peanuts for crunch.

Tempura Vegetables With Lemon-Soy Dipping Sauce

This recipe from celebrity-chef Carla Hall is light, flavorful, and fun to make when you work as a team. Decide on one of you to throw together the dipping sauce and the other to deep-fry the veggies. Add soft soba to these crisp homemade tempura vegetables for a refined dinner for two.

Japanese-Style Shrimp Salad

This healthy meal, which comes together in 15 minutes, is packed with rich, tangy, and spicy flavors. A mayo-based dressing with tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil brings that Japanese influence. Purchase pre-cooked shrimp to make prep time even shorter.

Salmon Nigiri

Make a date with this nigiri recipe that requires no special equipment, no precarious rolling, and no brittle sheets of seaweed. Not a fan of salmon? Swap it out for grilled shiitake mushroom caps or slices of mango. For the full Japanese experience, serve withmiso soup, seaweed salad, steamed edamame, and sake.

Japanese Cabbage Pancake

This rustic savory dish is also vegetarian and healthy. The pancake "batter" is made up of shredded cabbage bound with a flour-and-eggs mixture. The "Japanese" part comes from an infusion of tamari sauce in the batter and in the mayo-based "syrup" that's drizzled on top.

Miso-Mushroom Ramen With Jammy Eggs

This vegetarian dish transforms a simple instant-ramen package into an umami-packed bowl of comfort. The recipe also calls for cremini mushrooms and white miso, a delicately sweet, slightly funky paste. Seven-minute eggs and spinach sautéed in garlic and ginger round out the main ingredients to make this dish a complete meal.

Chicken Stir-Fry

The "Japanese" part of this stir-fry dish is the soy-and-teriyaki sauce that coats shredded chicken and vegetables. This recipe gives you a respite from the cutting board by calling for a bag of pre-cut shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix. It instructs you to grate a couple of carrots, but there's no shame in buying a bag of carrot shreds, too.

Mexican Dinner Ideas for Two

Mexican-inspired recipes are always crowd-pleasers, even when you're cooking for a crowd of two.

Skillet Mexican Pasta

It's meatless, simple, and cooks all in one pot. "Why haven't I heard of this before?" you might ask. This recipe is a twist on fideo seco, a traditional Mexican dish made with pasta cooked in a tomato-based adobo sauce. If you don't find fideo noodles in your grocer's pasta section, look for them in the international aisle or pick up a package of very thin egg noodles.

Black Bean and Sausage Mexican Pizzas

This Mexican-inspired pizza is easy to make, fun to eat, and entirely customizable. The pizza crust is a lightly baked flour tortilla, the cheese is Colby Jack, the sauce is a hearty black bean-chorizo mixture, and the topping is a bright, spicy jalapeño-cabbage slaw. Doesn't this dish scream to be paired with a margarita?

Mexican-Style Noodles With Fried Eggs

A bowl of pasta gets a Mexican twist for this recipe, creating a unique fusion. Think spaghetti and tomato sauce with chilies in adobo and black beans. Top each bowl with an egg, thinly sliced radishes, watercress, and grated Parmesan, and you have an easy, meat-free pasta bowl unlike any you've had before.

Skillet Chipotle-Pork Enchiladas

This recipe delivers the taste of enchiladas without the meticulous (and messy) filling and rolling. It also cooks and serves in one oven-safe skillet, making cleanup a breeze. Starting with a ground pork base, it layers red enchilada and adobo chili sauces, tortilla wedges, and a Mexican cheese blend, topped with avocado slices and sour cream.

Green Chilaquiles

For the uninitiated, chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish made with corn tortillas simmered in tomato sauce and topped with cheese, eggs, shredded meat, salsa, avocado, and sour cream. We're pitching this popular breakfast favorite as a light dinner that's fun to prepare, share, and customize. This recipe shows you how to make your own chips from corn tortillas, but a store-bought bag works, too.

Papaya and Jicama Aguachile

It's light, refreshing, and vegan but first, let's get some definitions out of the way. Aguachile, literally "chile water," is traditionally made with raw shrimp or white fish cured gently in an acid mixture, like citrus juice. This recipe replaces the seafood with fresh fruit and jicama, which is a root vegetable that tastes like a pear and potato had a baby.Served as a meal, you'll likely have room for dessert: Mexican fried ice cream anyone?

Spicy Crab Tostadas

This recipe for two gives a crab-salad sandwich an elegant Mexican twist. It starts with a crisp corn tortilla layered with a jalapeño-mayo spread and luscious cooked jumbo crabmeat. Each is topped with thinly sliced radish and celery leaves for freshness and hot sauce to bring the heat.

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Salsa Verde

A sheet-pan chicken dinner for two ready in 30 minutes? Winner, winner! Salsa verde and queso fresco or (cotija cheese) give this dish flavor, creaminess, and a Spanish accent. Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, and tequila,