Looking for dinner ideas for two? Catering for a couple doesn't need to mean boring and basic. Dinner is no less of an important occasion with a smaller crowd, so make the most of evenings in with our midweek meals that bring something special to your plate. From punchy kimchi noodles to creamy courgette risottos, you won't feel like you're missing out.

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Get healthy dinner ideas to see you through the midweek meal struggles or try our best easy 20-minute meals for colourful dishes you can put together in a flash. For romantic meals, check out our best date night recipes.


Dinner ideas for two

Easy spaghetti carbonara

Put together a creamy Italian pasta dish in just 20 minutes – this classic carbonara is beautiful in its simplicity. You'll only need a handful of ingredients, too – including a healthy grind of black pepper, salty streaky bacon and parmesan.

Spaghetti carbonara served on a black plate

Red lentil soup

You're just two steps away from a bowful of red lentil soup, brimming with subtle spice. Use jalapeño chillies and cumin to bring a fiery kick to this warming, everyday recipe. A squeeze of lime also adds a citrus freshness to your bowl. Simply blitz and serve with a dollop of cool natural yogurt.

Two bowls of red lentil soup with lime on the side

Taco bowl

Bring together your favourite taco trimmings to create a riot of colour and flavour. Our homemade taco bowls are filled with interesting textures; simple pile on salsa, spiced beef, crunchy tortilla chips and creamy avocado. Mix rice with lime, garlic and herbs, then add a generous grating of strong cheddar.

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A colourful bowl of rice, black beans, avocado, beef and sweetcorn

Spaghetti arrabiata

Every home chef should have a simple pasta supper in their repertoire. Our easy, meat-free tomato spaghetti is ready in just 25 minutes and you probably already have the ingredients to hand.

A white plate of tomato spaghetti

Venison steaks with caraway crushed swede

These succulent venison steaks with buttery crushed swede are the perfect quick midweek meal for two.

A plate of venison with crushed swede on a small plate

Courgette gratin

Use up a glut from the allotment with this simple, cheesy summer bake, made up of tomatoes, courgette and golden baked gruyère. For extra crunch, try adding a handful of breadcrumbs to the cheese. Serve with chunks of crusty bread for mopping up the juices.

Courgette Gratin Recipe

Lobster thermidor

Feel like pushing the boat out for a special night? This sensational seafood dish, paired with a simple green salad and crusty bread makes an impressive meal for two. The rich, creamy sauce and tender lobster is a heavenly pairing.

A lobster thermidor on a white serving plate

Meatball and chickpea traybake

This healthy traybake needs minimal prep but packs in plenty of texture and flavour. Mix some horseradish sauce into meatballs for a subtle heat and roast with chickpeas and beetroot. Serve with toasted pittas and mint leaves.

An oval-shaped black serving bowl filled with meatballs, beetroot, chickpeas and mint

Easy roast chicken

A roast dinner for two is the height of decadence and ideal for when you're craving something comforting. Ditch the endless washing-up and prep and serve crisp, golden potatoes with a whole roast chicken. Use any leftovers to make a quick caesar salad for lunch the next day.

A whole roast chicken with side dishes

Roast guinea fowl in white wine sauce

Check out this roast guinea fowl for an impressive roast dinner for two. It may just become your new go-to for a roast.

A black baking dish filled with a roast bird on a bed of creamy sauce

Lemon sole with brown shrimp butter

Let delicate white sole take centre stage in this quick and easy recipe. Simple enough to make midweek but elegant enough for an impromptu date-night, this light, summery dish has it all. Pair the fish with new potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli and a glass of chilled white wine.

A plate of sole topped with shrimp

Kimchi noodles

Give your standard stir-fry a fiery kick with a few spoonfuls of kimchi, chilli and fresh ginger. Our quick veggie noodles take just 20 minutes to make, topped with a runny fried egg to fill you up.

A navy-blue bowl of thick noodles with vegetables and a fired egg on top, and chopsticks resting on the bowl

Salmon fajitas

Stuff warmed tortillas with a colourful combo of grilled salmon, roasted sweetcorn, blistered red peppers and spring onions, all flavoured with aromatic cajun spices. Charring the peppers brings out a smoky flavour that goes perfectly with their sweetness. Serve straight from the tray with lime, avocado and a dollop of chilli sauce for a DIY dinner.

Salmon and sweetcorn fajitas

Lamb chops with green olive and orange salsa

Serve buttery lamb chops with a quick olive, orange and rosemary relish. Fresh and modern, it's a great dinner choice for when you fancy something light.

Lamb chops with an orange salsa on a green dinner plate

Courgette risotto

Baby courgettes are more tender than their grown-up counterparts. Flavoured with mint, lemon and salty parmesan, this easy summery main course is super satisfying. It's creamy and oozy without being overwhelming or stodgy.

Courgette risotto with mint, lemon and parmesan

Crispy pork noodles with chilli greens

Work wonders with a pack of pork mince. All you need is 20 minutes and a hot wok to create this speedy midweek dinner, made green with piles of pak choi.

Crispy pork noodles with chilli greens

Spicy peanut butter chicken breast

Getting bored of your recipe rotation? Try a new way to serve chicken breast. This speedy dinner sees roasted chicken paired with vegetable-spiked rice and a crunchy peanut butter and sriracha dressing.

Roast chicken breast with spicy peanut sauce

Baked orzo with harissa prawns

Flavour prawns with fragrant, warming harissa, dill, garlic and lemon, then serve swirled through orzo pasta for a speedy but sophisticated midweek dinner. Sub in kale, cavolo nero or whatever spring greens you have to hand.

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Baked orzo with harissa prawns on a blue plate with a wedge of lemon and fork

Chicken schnitzel burgers

Transform chicken breasts into a crisp and golden schnitzel burgers, made satisfyingly sloppy with a homemade buttermilk, green apple and fennel bulb slaw for added crunch. These golden-brown buns make a satisfying Friday night feast.

Chicken schnitzel burgers with apple and fennel slaw

Authors

Janine Ratcliffe Portrait
Janine RatcliffeFood director

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