Delish Dinner Recipes for Two (2024)

Want to make a super tasty meal for you and your man without spending hours over the stove cooking way too much food? Um, duh. Cue these recipes—they’re super quick and practical, so you spend less of your night in the kitchen and more time, ahem, doing other stuff.

If you're in need of a no-fail, one-pot meal idea that's guaranteed to be a hit with your guy, look no further. This savory soup recipe had us at the word "bacon."PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 20 minutesYOU'LL NEED… 3 bacon strips, diced 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3 cups chicken broth 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 cup half-and-half or light cream 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Shredded cheddar cheese (for garnish) Minced fresh parsley (for garnish)Cook your bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp, then drain the pan and set the bacon aside. Next, sauté the onion until it feels soft, then add in the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Stir in the flour, salt, basil and pepper, mixing well, and allow that to cook for about five minutes. Gradually stir in the broth and bring your soup to a boil, stirring for two more minutes. Then, add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through—but do not boil. Serve the soup into your bowls before garnishing with bacon, cheese and parsley.

Make it as a kickass appetizer for a meal with your man, or toss in some grilled chicken for a healthy entrée. The best part: No actual cooking required.PREP: 10 minutesYOU'LL NEED… 1 bunch spring spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups) 1 cup sliced strawberries 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons white sugar 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds 3/4 teaspoon poppy seedsToss together the spinach and strawberries in a bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat. Voila—it really is that easy.

It's a menu staple for practically every fancy restaurant, but surprise—it's actually insanely easy to make at home for date night. And when your guy acts all impressed about all the trouble you went through…well, our lips are sealed.PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 10 minutesYOU'LL NEED… 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 cup unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons minced parsley 2 tablespoons dry white wine 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt and pepper, to taste Lemon slices to garnish (optional) Parsley sprigs to garnish (optional)First, rinse shrimp and set them aside. Then heat up the butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat, and begin sautéing the garlic (one to two minutes). Bump the heat up to medium-high, then add in the shrimp. Sauté until they're pink and firm (another one to two minutes) before turning the shrimp and topping them with parsley. Sauté for an additional two minutes, then stir in the white wine and lemon juice. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste, sauté for another 30 seconds, and garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs.

If chicken's more your thing, give this quick-and-dirty recipe a try—perfect for a last-minute throw-together, since you probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.YOU'LL NEED… 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 2 tablespoons dry white wine, chicken broth, or water 4 thin fresh lemon slices 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley or 1 tablespoon driedPlace each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic or wax paper and pound it to 1/4" thickness. Heat the butter and olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Separately, mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, and place them in the warm skillet. Cook for 4 minutes per side until meat is tender, then place them on a plate and cover to keep warm. Next, add wine to the skillet and allow that to heat for a minute or two before adding the lemon juice and bring that to a boil. Put the cooked chicken breasts back in the pan, and place two lemon slices on each piece. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and continue to cook for three minutes (until sauce thickens) before serving.

Yeah, how much fun would that be to say when your boyfriend/roomie asks what's for dinner? If you've got a little bit of time to let it marinade, this sweet-and-sour combo is totally worth a test drive.PREP: 5 minutes MARINATE: 2+ hours (or overnight) COOK: 6 to 8 minutesYOU'LL NEED… 12-ounce flat iron steak 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons red wine 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon tarragon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepperTo make the marinade, first combine the honey, vinegar, wine, olive oil, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Put your steak into a re-sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade mixture in with it. Leave in your refrigerator for at least two hours (overnight works, too). When you're ready to eat, cook the steaks on a grill—three minutes per side if you want it medium rare. Once both sides are cooked, slip your steaks onto a plate, cover them with another plate, and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Consider this the nude stiletto of food—it's basic, super versatile and will go with anything. Just use vegetable broth if you're serving the dish with chicken, or beef broth if you're going with steak.PREP: 5 minutes COOK: 25 minutesYOU'LL NEED… 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided 1 tablespoon minced onion 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup long grain rice 3/4 cup chicken or beef broth 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme Dash of Worcestershire sauce Dash of hot pepper sauce 1 small bay leafMelt one half of the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic together, then add the rice and quickly stir the mix until the grains are coated. Next, stir in the broth and add the parsley, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and let it simmer for 18 minutes. Remove the cover, throw out the bay leaf, and stir in the remaining butter with a fork.

Your veggies just got a fancy new makeover. Pair it with the shrimp scampi or steak, or, hell, even with some plain grilled chicken—this side is the perfect accessory.PREP: 5 minutes COOK: 15 minutesYOU'LL NEED… 1/2 pound carrots, sliced thin or julienned 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon sweet vermouth Salt and pepper to taste Chopped fresh parsley (to garnish)Melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and sauté until they just begin to brown. Add vermouth, turn heat to medium low and simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

Not only does this combine two of our favorite things into one not-so-bad-for-you dessert, but the hardest step is pretty much chopping the fruit. Need we say more?PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 2 minutes CHILL: 2 + HoursYOU'LL NEED… 3/4 cup dry white wine 3 tablespoons white sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint 1/2 cantaloupe, cut into bite-size pieces 1/2 cup seedless green grapes, halved 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halvedCombine the wine and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring as you go to dissolve the sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the mint; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cantaloupe, grapes and strawberries. Pour the wine mixture over the fruit; toss together until all the fruit is coated, then cover the bowl and chill for at least 8 hours before serving.Source: Warren Caterson, chef and author of Table for Two—the Cookbook for Couples