Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas for Two

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These are the most amazing and simple Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas for Two. Included below are great weeknight dinner ideas. They consist of dinners ranging from steak to lamb, mussels, salmon, pasta, and vegetarian ideas, including all different types of ingredients.

You can make a 15-minute dinner, all the way to a 3-hour plus dinner, all of which are below. Enjoy!

Our Top Dinner Recipes

These dinner recipes can be served for any occasion! There is nothing like a good meal to end the night.

Chicken Recipes For Dinner

Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken

We are living for this simple; yet packed with juiciness and flavor, garlic herb roasted chicken. The herb roast chicken spice blend is simple: a mix of parsley, thyme, rosemary, garlic lemon, and of course, unsalted butter, all tossed and roasted to perfection.

Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken

Crispy Chicken Schnitzel Recipe

This crispy chicken schnitzel recipe is EPIC. A panko blend with fresh parsley and basil with dried herbs like oregano, garlic powder, ginger powder, and paprika makes this chicken super crispy. This is hands down one of my favorite dishes filled with so much flavor, and lots of crunch.

Crispy chicken schnitzel with sesame seeds, parsley, lemon wedges, and a salt dish.

Chicken Bulgogi Bowls with Gochujang Spicy Mayo

Feeling all the feels for these shredded chicken bulgogi bowls with gochujang spicy mayo. Paired with a super spicy, and super easy Gochujang spicy mayo. These would be great wrapped in lettuce wraps as well but I am living for it in a bowl with shredded carrots, Persian cucumbers, and jasmine rice.

Bowl with chicken bulgogi, rice, sliced cucumber, carrots, and a spicy sauce.

Steak and Lamb Recipes

The Best Steak Frites Recipe

Now, this is the BEST steak frites recipe! Tender, medium-rare steak tossed with homemade crispy fries and a Horseradish Cream Sauce. This is quite easy to come together, although it may seem intimidating at first. It is so impressive, and filled with so much flavor!

Sliced steak with crispy fries and a dish of creamy sauce on a plate.

Poblano Beef and Bean Chili

This Poblano Beef and Bean Chili is the ultimate cozy, comfort food. Combining smoky poblano peppers, two kinds of beans, and ground beef with loads of spices. Make this a perfect dish to prep for the colder months, or for any game days coming up! Simmered low and slow, this chili gives the ingredients time to get to know each other, imparting the most flavor possible. 

A bowl of beef chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, and green onions.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Charred Jalapeño Chimichurri

These grilled lamb chops with charred jalapeño chimichurri are the perfect dinner! Served with grilled zucchini, the heat of the chimichurri complements the fresh vegetables for a delicious summer meal. For more grilling recipes, try our Adobo Grilled Steak with Chimichurri, and Lemongrass Grilled Chicken Skewers next.

Grilled lamb chops with green herb sauce on a white platter.

Italian Pecorino Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

These Italian pecorino meatballs in marinara sauce will be on your weeknight dinner rotation! This dish is packed with flavor that we just can’t get enough of. This recipe is so easy and the tenderness of these meatballs is made perfect from the milk and panko.

Italian meatballs topped with Pecorino cheese and fresh herbs in marinara sauce.

Fish and Seafood Dinner Ideas

Steamed Mussels in White Wine & Lemon

Let’s make: steamed mussels in white wine and lemon juice! This steamed mussels recipe is everything. Seriously on heavy rotation as an appetizer for dinner on the weeknights for us. It’s super easy to make and very impressive, too!

Bowl of steamed mussels with herbs and toasted bread slices.

Saffron Salmon with Shirazi Salad

This Saffron Salmon with Shirazi Salad is a perfect, simple entree to make for dinner. The salmon is slow-roasted in olive oil and bloomed saffron, and paired with a cherry tomato and sumac, cucumber salad. The bright, lemony tang of sumac in the salad complements the richness of the salmon for a deliciously balanced meal.

Grilled saffron salmon with a vibrant Shirazi salad on a white platter.

Honey Ginger Glazed Salmon

Honey ginger glazed salmon! This honey-glazed salmon is a blend of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy and is a wonderful and quick dinner. This honey garlic and ginger mixture is just so beautiful and flavorful! I love how easy this is to put together, served alongside some fluffy rice and scallions. You can also serve alongside broccoli or avocado.

Salmon with honey glaze, topped with green onions and sesame seeds on rice.

Seared Scallops in Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

These Seared Scallops in Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce will be on your weeknight dinner rotation! You’ll start by searing your scallops and then making your lemon garlic butter sauce topped with chopped parsley. This recipe has less than 10 ingredients, and the flavors come together simply.

Seared scallops with lemon garlic butter and fresh parsley on a white plate.

Vegetarian Main Dishes

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Spinach & Mushrooms

This sun-dried tomato pasta with spinach and mushrooms is set to be in your weekly rotation! This spinach and sundried tomato pasta comes together all in one pot and it just has SO much flavor going on. The perfect weeknight meal!

A plate of pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms, held by hands.

Brothy Beans and Greens

Now, these brothy beans and greens are absolutely my everything! I made a big pot of them and saved them for the week and it keeps SO well. This is such an amazing vegetarian recipe and is easily adaptable to be vegan or to add protein as well. Top with parmesan cheese.

Brothy stew with white beans, kale, cheese shavings, and a spoon.

Black Pepper Tofu and Celery

This black pepper tofu and celery recipe is a super simple and delicious stir fry! The sauce is a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar, and it goes wonderfully with fluffy white rice! Black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar start off your sauce, and then crunchy and crispy celery is tossed with crispy tofu! Topped with a little bit of lemon juice to finish, this is the most epic 1-pan meal.

A bowl of black pepper tofu with celery and rice, garnished with scallions.

Rigatoni Alla Vodka

This Rigatoni Alla Vodka is a delicious and cozy pasta dinner to prepare for any occasion! It’s the perfect balance of creamy, rich, and deep flavors. This is a pasta recipe that we return to most often due to its accessibility by using pantry staples, and quick prep.

Rigatoni pasta in vodka sauce, sprinkled with parmesan cheese in a bowl.

Easy Dinner Ideas FAQs

What is the easiest thing to cook for dinner?

Some easy dinners to prepare are grilled or roasted salmon, stir fry, and fried rice, as well as pasta like shrimp scampi, to name a few.

How can I prep ahead for dinner?

Sunday night or Monday night, do your main prep! For example, marinating meat, making sauces, pickled onions, cubing squash, soaking beans, and whatever you can prep ahead. Also, blend up any sauces and clean up as you go, so when it’s time for dinner in the week, you can just cook and it is more seamless and streamlined!

What can I cook in a short time for dinner?

Easy skillet salmon and salad, and ground beef bowls are some quick dinners you can prepare.

Even More Dinner Recipes

Find all our Dinner Recipes in our index! Thanks for reading along to these Easy Dinner Recipes!

If you do make any of these Dinner Recipes, leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, we would love to hear what you think! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, we love to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest in your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter. We can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!

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