Looking for yummy vegetarian recipes for two? From easy weeknight dinners to mouthwatering sandwiches, light snacks, and of course desserts you’ll find over 50+ perfectly-portioned recipes to fill you up without packing the fridge full of leftovers!
If you’re cooking for one or two people it can be challenging to downsize your favorite recipes or come up with fresh ideas to keep things exciting.
To make your life simpler (at least the cooking portion that is) we’ve pulled together our most popular vegetarian recipes for two. They’ve been cut down in size but are still big in flavor!
Load up on veggies with a quick lemony pasta or try something new like a pair of cheesy spaghetti squash burrito bowls. For a light dinner that’s full of flavor you can’t beat our veggie hummus pitas, they’re ready in 30 minutes and easy to customize with whatever vegetables are in season.
If you love to bake but have been avoiding it because of all the leftovers, you’ll find lots of fun desserts and small-batch baking recipes.
Dinners For Two
Leftovers are fun sometimes but not all the time. They can get boring and gross pretty fast.
With these perfectly-portioned dinners, you can make a yummy meal (that’s packed full of veggies) without worrying about lots of leftovers or having to throw out food.
Lemon Veggie Pasta For Two
Eating well doesn’t have to mean spending lots of time in the kitchen. The secret to this speedy and nutritious dish is cooking the frozen vegetables along with the pasta!
We like to use frozen broccoli but any frozen veggies (like cauliflower or green beans) will work.
Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
New to eating vegetarian or just looking to change up your Meatless Mondays? Either way, this is the recipe for you.
The combination of spicy salsa, hearty beans, cheese, and lots of filling veggies is so satisfying it will win over even your most die-hard meat-eater.
No worries, if you’ve never cooked spaghetti squash before. We’ll walk you through it step by step.
Vegetarian Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Perfect for busy weeknights, this sheet pan supper is ready in just 30 minutes!
Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and apple bring a variety of savory-sweet flavors that pair well with the vegetarian sausage.
The best part, since it’s all cooked on a single pan – cleanup is a breeze.
Roasted Gnocchi and Vegetables
Have you roasted gnocchi before? It turns crispy and chewy and is just all kinds of fun to eat.
This recipe is ideal for using up leftover veggies and is endlessly customizable. Try swapping the marinara for some pesto or Buffalo sauce.
Salsa Quinoa Bowls
This is a great recipe to make if you happen to have an open jar of salsa to use up.
Scoop the filling into lettuce wraps, tortillas, or add to a bowl along with your favorite toppings (I recommend shredded cheese, black olives, and crisp lettuce).
Even better, you can make this easy 30-minute meal in a 3-Quart Instant Pot or on the stovetop!
BBQ Tempeh Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If you’ve never had tempeh before, it’s got a nutty flavor, and chewy texture, and is packed with protein. Crisped in a skillet and slathered in BBQ sauce, it’s pretty darn delicious.
Pile it onto creamy baked sweet potatoes and top with crunchy red cabbage and avocado for a hearty dinner that’s ready faster (and tastes better) than getting takeout.
Vegetable Pot Pie For Two
Perfect for special occasions, this vegetable pot pie for two is cozy, and comforting, and will make your house smell amazing as it bakes.
To save time try substituting frozen or canned mixed vegetables.
Roasted Vegetables and Hummus Bowls
These flavorful bowls are a fairly effortless meal to pull together.
Just toss your favorite veggies into the oven (or toaster oven) and roast until tender. Then pair with a package of pre-cooked wild rice and add a generous dollop of hummus.
A drizzle of balsamic and fresh lemon juice ties everything together.
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
A 3-Quart Instant Pot is a great size for smaller households and convenient for cooking so many things from rice tohard-cooked eggs, beets, and more.
But one of my favorite things to make with our mini instant pot is this small-batch pea soup.
The dried peas always break down (no matter how old they are) and turn into a cozy and comforting bowl of soup.
Sandwiches and Salads
In my book, nothing is better than a good vegetarian sandwich or salad. They’re easy enough for a quick lunch and make weeknight-friendly dinners too!
But I’m not talking about rabbit food here. Nope, you’ve got to have lots of colorful layers, a variety of textures, and some knock-your-socks-off flavors.
Zucchini and Hummus Pita Sandwiches
These wraps may look impressive but are surprisingly easy to throw together in just 30 minutes.
The trick is using quicker-cooking veggies (like zucchini and red bell pepper) and chopping them into smaller pieces.
If you’re out of zucchini, you can substitute mushrooms, asparagus, or whatever you have in the fridge!
Chickpea Salad Wrap
With a mix of crunchy textures and savory-sweet flavors, this easy recipe is always a lunchtime favorite.
It features a creamy blend of chickpeas and herby Greek yogurt with lots of celery, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans.
We like it wrapped in a tortilla (with a few dill pickle slices) but this salad’s also tasty served on sandwich bread or scooped into lettuce cups.
Kale Apple Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Endlessly adaptable, this filling salad is guaranteed to be a new weeknight favorite.
It’s made with a mix of hearty kale, crunchy apple pieces, and the best smoky roasted sweet potatoes. Plus a sprinkle of feta, almonds, and dried fruit for a salty-sweet flavor.
Then the whole thing is drizzled with a zippy dijon dressing that pulls it all together.
Grilled Cheese with Apple and Havarti
It’s easy to forget how satisfying agrilled cheese sandwichcan be. Especially when it’s loaded up with tart apple slices and creamy Havarti cheese!
We like to assemble the sandwiches and cook them in the toaster oven. The apple softens slightly while the buttered bread turns golden and toasty.
Spicy Chickpea Edamame Salad Pitas
These spicy pitas are everything you want in a nutritious lunch: they’re easy to prepare, loaded with flavor, and high in protein.
Made with Greek yogurt, chickpeas, edamame, spicy sriracha sauce, and smoky-sweet sun-dried tomatoes, there’s a lot going on here that you won’t want to miss.
Broccoli Ranch Salad For Two
This salad checks all of the boxes. It’s crunchy, fresh, and loaded with flavor thanks to a homemade ranch dressing.
The recipe comes together quickly but tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge, so it’s a great make-ahead option for busy weeks.
Serve with a batch of thesecrispy baked potato wedgesfor a tasty summertime dinner.
These savory subs have all of the delicious flavors of a Philly cheese steak without the meat.
Featuring juicy marinated mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers topped with melty provolone cheese.
These hoagies are a fun dinner option that’s always a hit (even with meat-eaters!).
Veggies and Sides
Sides dishes are one of the best parts of any meal, especially if we’re talking about potatoes!
While these tasty recipes can be served alongside any main dish, some make for a filling snack or even a light meal all on their own.
Quick Baked Sweet Potatoes
Creamy and delicious, you can’t go wrong with sweet potatoes but they can take over an hour to bake.
If you slice the sweet potatoes in half before baking, you can cut your wait time down to just 35 minutes!
Want to turn those tasty potatoes into a meal? Try one of theseyummy topping ideas.
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Do you need an air fryer to make a tasty baked potato? Nope, these classictoaster oven baked potatoesare fantastic.
But if you’ve got an air fryer (or an air fryer toaster oven) you can make them faster. So why not use it!
Roasted Frozen Broccoli
My favorite thing about roasting frozen broccoli is how little prep there is. You can take the broccoli straight from the freezer to the roasting pan.
Toss it with some oil and your favorite seasoning and pop the pan in the oven (or toaster oven). Less than 30 minutes later you’ve got a delicious pile of broccoli to enjoy.
Even better, this simple no-fuss method works for cooking frozen cauliflower and carrots too.
Broiled Zucchini and Summer Squash
With the help of your broiler, you can have a tasty batch of buttery sweet zucchini ready in just a few minutes.
There are no fancy ingredients required, just oil and seasoning. But you can add more flavor with a dusting of grated parmesan or fresh lemon juice.
Potatoes Au Gratin For Two
Take your potatoes to the next level with this delightfully indulgent side dish.
Thin potato slices are baked until tender in an herby cream sauce and topped with bubbly melted cheese. The results are heavenly.
Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Not a Brussels sprouts fan? This recipe will make you reconsider.
The sprouts are roasted until caramelized and crisp-tender. Then tossed with a sticky sweet and spicy sauce. Lastly, a quick sprinkle of toasted pecans is the perfect final touch.
They’re so good, you’re going to want to lick your plate clean.
Instant Pot Mini Quinoa
Quinoa is a fantastic plant-based protein that’s full of fiber and other nutritious goodies. While it’s fairly easy to cook on the stovetop, quinoa can sometimes end up mushy.
That’s why we like to make it in our 3-quart Instant Pot Mini. The quinoa turns out nutty, light, and fluffy every time!
Our recipe makes enough or two generous servings but can easily be doubled for meal prepping.
Toaster Oven Roasted Asparagus Spears
There’s no better way to cook asparagus than roasting. It’s quick, easy, and enhances the asparagus’s naturally sweet flavor.
Crunchy walnuts and a quick drizzle of balsamic vinegar make it taste extra delicious.
Instant Pot Mini Beets
If you love sweet and earth beets but aren’t a fan of how messy they can be to cook, you’ve got to try steaming them in the Instant Pot.
It takes less than 30 minutes for small beets and a little longer for large beets.
Use them in salads or drizzle them with balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper for an easy and nutritious side dish.
Extra-Easy Desserts For Two
With minimal prep and cleanup, these recipes are perfect for when you want something simple and sweet. Each recipe makes just a few servings for a quick-fix treat without a bunch of leftovers!
Cake Mix Mini Cakes
This recipe needs just a few ingredients (4 to be exact) and a few minutes of hands-on time.
Use your favorite cake mix flavor and toppings like whipped cream and berries, frosting and sprinkles, or a scoop of ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Small Batch Whipped Cream
Speaking of whipped cream, this is our go-to recipe for making a small batch that’s perfect for feeding one or two people.
Many readers like to pair it with fresh fruit for a light dessert.
Toaster Oven S’mores
Trying to satisfy a late-night sweets craving? Look no further than these easy indoor s’mores!
All you need is your favorite chocolate bar, two marshmallows, graham crackers (or a creative substitute), and your toaster oven.
Small Batch Chocolate Cookies (8 Ways)
When you’re craving something rich and chocolatey make this easy small batch recipe. You’ll end up with 6 crispy, chewy, brownie-like cookies.
Even better, you can change the flavor by adding different spices and mixins.
You’ll find 8 flavor variations in this post plus even more tasty ideas in the comments.
Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Perfect for cooking in a toaster oven or air fryer, these crispy sweet chips are one of my favorite quick desserts.
They’re made with just 4 simple ingredients and ready in 15 minutes!
Apple Nachos For Two
Upgrade boring apple slices with chocolate chips (or peanut butter), shredded coconut, and chopped nuts!
We like to use the toaster oven to gently melt the chocolate while toasting the coconut and nuts.
Since that toaster oven heats up fast, these dessert nachos are ready in less time than it takes to heat up a regular “big” oven.
Mini Berry Skillet Cake
This tiny cake is easy to make using basic pantry ingredients and frozen berries.
No worries, if you don’t have a mini skillet on hand. We’ve included a few pan substitution ideas in the post.
Baked with a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a few melty chocolate chips tucked in the middle, these tender pear halves are a comforting fall treat.
Enjoy warm from the oven with yogurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Snacks and Small Bites
These snacktime munchies are easy to throw together and great for satisfying any sweet or salty craving.
You can make most of them in advance if you want. They’re nice to have on hand for those days when you don’t have a lot of time (or just don’t feel like cooking).
Addictive Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
One of the most popular recipes on our site, these sweet potato slices don’t just look great, they taste fantastic too!
The best part is how simple they are to make. Just slice up a sweet potato and toss it with a little oil, cinnamon, and salt.
Then pop them in your air fryer, oven, or toaster oven. Easy peasy.
Egg and Cheese Toasts
Warm and comforting, they’re like avocado toast’s more mature cousin.
Just imagine lightly toasted bread topped with an herby egg + cheese mixture, then baked until puffy and golden.
Take things over the top by adding apple slices, nuts, and a drizzle of honey. Yum!
Frozen Yogurt Bark
You’re going to want to eat this frozen bark all summer long. It’s deliciously sweet, tangy, and incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
The high-protein recipe is easy to throw together:
- Just mix Greek yogurt with lime juice, vanilla, and a splash of maple syrup.
- Top with sliced strawberries and crushed graham crackers.
- Once frozen, break the bark into pieces and enjoy!
Baked Pita Chips
Skip the greasy bag of potato chips and make some baked pita chips instead.
They’re super crunchy, delicious, and easy to customize using a variety of spices and seasonings.
Mini Cheese Balls
All the flavor of a classic cheese ball in single-serving form!
You can mix and match the coatings for a fun appetizer that’s great for holiday parties or a date night in.
As written, this easy small batch recipe makes about 8 mini balls. You can divide the ingredients in half to make less or double them to make more if desired.
Homemade Frozen Pizza Bagels
On lazy days it’s nice to have a bag of these mini pizza bagels stashed in the freezer.
Just pop one or two in your toaster oven and in less than 15 minutes your mini pizzas will be ready.
They’re also a great way to use up leftover ingredients. From veggies to cheese and even condiments, clean out your fridge and make a batch today!
Rosemary Cashews
Crunchy, salty, and bursting with the flavor of fresh rosemary. These nuts are super addictive and hard to stop eating.
To make them all you need to do is mix cashews with a few pantry staples and pop them in the toaster oven.
The quick recipe is an easy way to make raw nuts more exciting.
Healthy Snack Ideas For Adults
We love snacking so much that we put together a list of 30+ easy single-serving snack ideas.
These quick bites are made with fresh fruits, vegetables, and filling vegetarian proteins – great for a late-day energy boost.
On days when you don’t feel like doing much cooking, you can combine a few for a fun tapas-style meal.
Small-Batch Baking Recipes
There’s nothing like a warm homemade muffin fresh from the oven but having to eat the same leftover muffins day after day will quickly make them feel less special.
With these scaled-down baking recipes, you can indulge your inner baker without a bunch of leftovers.
The recipes use basic pantry ingredients, are simple to throw together, and each one makes just a few servings!
Banana Bread For Two
This is our go-to way for using up a single banana. The moist and tender mini loaf has lots of great banana flavor in every bite.
With this easy down-sized recipe you can also make four muffins, a dozen mini muffins, or a small banana snack cake. Talk about versatility!
Toaster Oven Blueberry Muffins
This recipe is basically a blueprint for making six sweet and tasty muffins using whatever ingredients you have on hand.
Try fresh blueberries in the summer and cranberries in the winter. Swap the yogurt for sour cream or ricotta.
If you love baking muffins but don’t need a dozen or more, this recipe is for you.
Biscuits for Two
Light and tender, these small-batch biscuits are perfect for baking in a toaster oven.
They’re a great way to use up leftover heavy whipping cream and make a tasty base for strawberry shortcakes!
Small No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread
This easy downsized recipe is great for beginner bakers and smaller households.
It requires just a few ingredients, a 2 to 3-quart Dutch oven, and can be baked in a traditional oven or a large toaster oven!
The small loaf delivers everything you want in a homemade bread (crusty outside, soft, chewy, and flavorful inside) without lots of kneading or a bunch of leftovers.
Cornbread Zucchini Muffins
A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, these incredibly tender muffins are a fun way to enjoy zucchini.
A combination of yogurt and butter ensures each muffin is super moist. While whole corn kernels deliver an unexpected crunch and add lots of sweet corn flavor.
Apple Hand Pies
A whole pie is a whole lot of food for just one or two people. What’s nice about hand pies is that you can enjoy what you want and freeze the rest for later.
Plus they’re super easy to whip up using store-bought pie crust!
Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, these flaky single-serving pies are simple, yet impressive, and a great way to get your pie fix.
Downsized Cake Mix Recipes
While we love baking from scratch, some days you want a treat without a lot of effort. On those days we reach for a boxed cake mix.
These small-batch cake mix recipes for cookies, cakes, and muffins are designed to make enough for just a few people – great for smaller gatherings and celebrations!
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Packed with blueberries, this doctored-up cake mix recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again. The addition of yogurt or sour cream ensures it’s always super moist.
Pair a slice with coffee or tea for a delightful afternoon treat.
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Canned pumpkin, chocolate chips, and half a box of Devil’s Food cake mix transform into a small batch of deliciously fudgy chocolate muffins.
We love to bake mini muffins with this recipe and stash them in the freezer for a quick chocolatey treat anytime.
Small Batch Cake Mix Cookie Bars
These 4-ingredient bars taste like a cross between a cake, a cookie, and a blondie.
The trick to getting a great chewy texture is to bake them just until the edges are golden brown but the center is still soft.
Have some fun and use any flavor of cake mix that you like: classic yellow, funfetti, chocolate, lemon, or spice cake (my personal favorite). They all taste delicious!
Cake Mix Pumpkin Muffins
Cozy spiced pumpkin muffins made with just a few ingredients? Yes, please!
If you’ve never tried this cake mix hack, you are in for a treat. All you need is half a Spice cake mix, some canned pumpkin, and a couple of extra spices.
How to Make Half a Cake Mix
From small birthday celebrations to holiday dinners, make the perfect amount of cake for any occasion!
Baking half a cake mix is a great option if you’re cooking for just a few people. Get tips for dividing ingredients, substitutions, pan sizes, and baking in a toaster oven or convection countertop oven.
Breakfast and Brunch
Whether you’re running out the door or have a few minutes to sit down and enjoy your breakfast, these recipes will start your day off right.
Toaster Oven Muffin Tin Frittatas
Packed with protein, these egg muffins are fluffy and flavorful. They make a great grab-and-go breakfast, fun brunch addition, or a quick afternoon snack.
The easy recipe makes 6 frittatas and is excellent for using up leftover ingredients. You can swap the veggies and cheese for whatever you’ve got on hand.
Baked Oatmeal Without Egg
When I need something simple but comforting, this baked oatmeal is my go-to recipe. It smells like banana bread but is full of hearty oats, nuts, and ground flaxseeds.
We like to top the baked slices with a scoop of Greek Yogurt and a quick drizzle of maple syrup for a filling breakfast.
The recipe is so easy, you just mix, pour, and bake. It makes 2-servings but can be doubled for meal prepping.
Baked Breakfast Tostadas
These breakfast tostadas feature a corn tortilla topped with black beans, cheese, and an egg that’s cooked to your liking.
All that’s left to do is add your favorite toppings!
Coffee Greek Yogurt Parfaits
The star of these parfaits is the coffee Greek yogurt. It’s made with a little instant espresso powder and maple syrup.
If you’ve got some fresh fruit and premade or store-bought granola on hand, you can whip up a pair of these tasty parfaits in about 10 minutes.
Instant Pot Mini Oatmeal For Two
This oatmeal does take longer to cook than traditional stove-top oatmeal but it’s almost entirely hands-off.
We make a batch of it almost daily and love to add a splash of lemon extract to the water and old-fashioned oats before cooking.
The finished oatmeal is creamy (no lumps), delicious, and tastes fantastic topped with yogurt and berries.
Baked Eggs and Green Beans
This easy sheet pan meal feeds two people and cooks up in just 20 minutes.
It features tender roasted green beans, creamy baked eggs (with jammy yolks), and toast for dipping.
Add your favorite morning beverage and you’re good to go!
Small Batch Dressings, Sauces, and Dips
Making your own salad dressing is easy (and very inexpensive) but most recipes leave you with a giant bottle to use up.
These recipes make just a few servings and are customizable to suit your tastes and preferences. Enjoy them on salads, pasta, sandwiches, and more.
Orange Vinaigrette
This quick vinaigrette is super refreshing with a bright orange flavor. We love to use it on fresh salads but it’s also tasty drizzled over roasted vegetables (especially broccoli).
For a spicy kick, add a squirt of sriracha sauce to the bowl when you’re whisking it together.
Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip For Two
This quick dip is a staple in our house. We use it to liven up veggie wraps, for dunkingspicybuffalo cauliflower bites, and as a topping for baked potatoes.
To turn it into a salad dressing, just whisk in a few teaspoons of milk or buttermilk.
Peanut Lime Sauce For Two
If you’re trying to eat more vegetables, this 5-minute sauce is the answer. You’ll want to dip ALL the veggies in it!
Feel free to play around with this basic recipe and make it your own. Try adding garlic, sesame oil, or substituting coconut milk for the water.
Sriracha Vinaigrette
If you love a vinaigrette that packs a spicy kick and is more tangy than sweet, this one’s for you.
It tastes fantastic on salads and roasted veggies. And you can easily adjust the recipe to make it less spicy or even more if you prefer!
Tzatziki Sauce For Two
Creamy and refreshing, this sauce is so tasty you’re going to want to eat it with a spoon. It’s superb with pitas and falafel, raw veggies, or dolloped on roasted potatoes.
Shredding and squeezing the cucumber is essential for avoiding a watery sauce. It takes a few minutes but is absolutely worth the extra effort.
Greek Yogurt Salsa Dip
We use this creamy sauce on everything – veggie wraps, taco salads, and even pizza. It’s also great for dipping chips and taquitos.
To make it all you’ll need is Greek yogurt, green salsa, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. So easy and yummy!
Balsamic Roasted Cranberries
Fresh cranberries and balsamic vinegar are the stars of this grown-up condiment. It’s sweet, tart, tangy, and very pretty to look at!
The flavorful sauce makes a nice addition to cheese boards and is essential for creating an epic holiday-style grilled cheese sandwich.
New to cooking for two? We’ve got lots of fun resources to help you eat better and waste less.
