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The Spruce
It can be a challenge cooking meals for two without filling your fridge with containers and containers of leftovers. Luckily, there are scaled-down recipes that are healthy and flavorful and won't leave you in a leftovers rut. Choose from lean chicken breasts, vegetarian main dishes, hearty salads, and fresh seafood for a romantic dinner or a quick weeknight meal.
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Steamed Mussels in Thai Basil-Coconut Sauce
PK6289 / Getty Images
For a romantic dinner that only takes minutes to prepare, serve steamed mussels in a fragrant basil-coconut sauce. Pair with a simple salad and crusty bread to soak up all of the delicious broth.
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Mushroom Risotto
The Spruce
Risotto is a dish worthy of a special occasion, but simple enough to serve on any old night. All it takes is some patience and a bit of arm strength for stirring. It's also easy to scale up and down depending on how many people you're feeding. Reduce this vegetarian mushroom risotto recipe by half to feed two.
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Shrimp Boil Foil Packs
The Spruce / Milena Perrine
Shrimp boils—complete with corn, sausage, potatoes, and Old Bay-seasoned shrimp—are a fun-to-eat, complete meal. Halve this recipe and make hefty two packets for dinner. Omit the sausage or replace it with chicken sausage for a healthier option.
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Vegan Black Bean Veggie Burgers
The Spruce
Homemade black bean burgers are a fun meal for two, especially when served with oven fries. Split the recipe in two to make two large patties and leave off the bun and serve the burgers on a bed of lettuce for a lighter version.
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Easy Vegan Ratatouille
The Spruce
Ratatouille is a classic French dish of gently cooked summer vegetables in a sauce of tomato, red wine, and herbs. This version is quick and easy, but still flavorful. Serve with rice, polenta, or bread and more red wine.
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Grilled Salmon
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Healthy grilled salmon is a delicious centerpiece for a meal for two. Adorn simply with lemon and salt and pepper or top with teriyaki or a lemon-caper sauce. Cook some veggies while the grill is hot for a complete meal.
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Chicken Breasts in Parchment Paper
The Spruce
Chicken breasts come out moist and tender when cooked in a parchment packet with lemon and herbs. They also look pretty served in their packet alongside some veggies and a grain.
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Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo
Spaghetti squash is a low-carb, tasty stand-in for pasta. Decrease this recipe, using half of the cooked squash for alfredo and saving half for another. Try using the leftovers for spaghetti squash with tomato and Parmesan for a quick weeknight meal.
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Easy Low-Calorie Shrimp Scampi
The Spruce
Super quick and easy to make, shrimp scampi is still worthy of a date night. For extra nutrition, add wilted spinach to the dish or replace some or all of the angel hair pasta with spiralized zucchini noodles. Serve with a glass of white wine.
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Grilled Caesar Salad
The Spruce / Anita Schecter
Put a spin on the classic Caesar salad by grilling lettuce hearts before sprinkling them with croutons and drizzling with dressing. If you're serving this as a first course or side dish, halve the recipe. Make the whole recipe to serve two as a main dish. Grill shrimp or a chicken breast and serve alongside the salad if desired.
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Curried Sweet Potato and Freekeh Salad
The Spruce/ Anastasiia Tretiak
Fragrant with curry spices and garlic, this Moroccan-influenced curried sweet potato and freekeh salad is a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal. Dried cranberries and apricots add texture and a mild sweetness while almonds add crunch.
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Thai-Flavored Pan-Fried Salmon
The Spruce
A flavorful marinade of lemongrass, soy sauce, garlic, chili, and honey gives Thai-flavored pan-seared salmon tons of flavor. Serve with steamed snap peas or snow peas and brown rice.
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Baked Chicken With Spinach
The Spruce
This healthy baked chicken couldn't be simpler to make. Fresh spinach is added to a casserole dish and topped with pounded-thin chicken breasts, tomato, onion, and spices. Cheese can be added to the top afterward, but it's not required. Halve the recipe, using two medium-sized chicken breasts, or save some for leftovers.
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Vegetarian Pad Thai
The Spruce
Pad Thai is such a flavorful noodle dish that there's no meat necessary. This recipe includes nutritious bok choy and egg, but you can use your favorite veggie and swap the egg for tofu.
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Antipasto Salad
The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Combine the appetizer, salad, and main course into one with an impressive antipasto salad. Use high-quality greens, meat, cheese, and olives for the best possible experience. Split the recipe in half to feed two as a main course and reduce the cheese and meat to make it lighter.
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Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps
The Spruce / Darlene Schmidt
Thai basil chicken lettuce cups are a low-carb combination of ground chicken, veggies, and a savory stir-fry sauce. Served in lettuce cups, they're a complete meal and perfect for sharing.
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Sweet Potato Lasagna
The Spruce / Pete Scherer
Most lasagnas are huge, heavy dishes loaded with pasta and made to serve a crowd. This lasagna recipe swaps the noodles for thinly-sliced white sweet potato and comfortably serves four. It's perfect for a special meal for two with just enough leftovers.