Easy Dinners for One — Cook Once, Eat Twice

This collection of recipes is perfect for anyone living on their own. They are all recipes that make four servings, but are perfect for cutting in half to two servings. What you are left with is a delicious dinner that you can eat now, and have leftovers for tomorrow.

I love the idea of planning a week of eating around this, with alternating what nights you cook and spacing out your leftovers so that you aren’t eating the same thing every night. Monday night have some salmon, Tuesday night make some Mexican Pizzas, Wednesday skip cooking and have leftover salmon, and Thursday celebrate the end of the week by popping your one last Mexican Pizza in the oven!

4.96 from 49 votes

Broccoli Pasta

This is especially good for when you are looking for an inexpensive dinner that still has amazing taste. It is a simple meal but one that will leave you feeling satisfied both with the original dish and with the leftovers.

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5 from 1 vote

Marry Me Chicken

This recipe cuts in half perfectly, and the creamy sauce will keep it from feeling like leftovers. Serve it with a small amount of pasta or rice and you have two complete dinners.

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4.75 from 8 votes

Ground Beef and Broccoli

What is better than a recipe that is easy to reduce? One that is made in just 25 minutes! Cutting this recipe in half is very straightforward. Additionally, the leftovers last for a few days and they reheat really well.

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5 from 29 votes

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

This dinner comes together in just 21 minutes, and is a breeze to cut in half. When reheating it, just add a little more cream to loosen everything up and high-five your past self for leaving you something so delicious in the fridge.

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5 from 2 votes

Blackened Chicken

This recipe is done in just 35 minutes and it is packed with flavor. The leftovers of this recipe would be perfect to throw over a salad or in a wrap to feel like you are truly eating something different the next day.

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5 from 5 votes

Pineapple Chicken

I love cutting stir-fry recipes in half, because you can do it without having to change the cooking method at all. And this is true for this recipe as well. Plus, you just can't beat the flavors in this one.

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5 from 9 votes

Salisbury Steak

The recipe makes four patties, which makes this so easy to halve to two. This is also the kind of comfort-food meal where having one ready to reheat the next day is actually a plus.

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5 from 60 votes

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

This is the perfect recipe for someone who wants something truly delicious but doesn't feel like going to the trouble of cooking something elaborate just for themselves. With this recipe you are getting a complete meal in one recipe and you will be so grateful for the leftovers.

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5 from 5 votes

Smothered Pork Chops

Because this recipe starts with four pork chops, you can just as easily start it with two and cut everything else in half without a headache. And the delicious gravy will make this taste like anything but leftovers.

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5 from 1 vote

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

This is another recipe that just naturally cuts in half without any casserole dish sized issues or cooking times that need to be adjusted. Just store your rice separately and combine them before rehating.

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Lemon Pasta

This is the perfect low effort dinner. It is done in just 20 minutes but is, light, refreshing and full of flavor.

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Broiled Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce

This is the ideal recipe to cut in half, because you are simply buying two salmon filets instead of four. The leftovers are amazing cold and would be great in a salad or in a wrap.

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5 from 1 vote

Black Bean Tacos

Not only is this recipe easy to cut in half, it is inexpensive. Additionally, with tacos, you are just reheating the filling, so the leftovers don't actually taste like leftovers.

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5 from 1 vote

Mexican Pizza

With this recipe, you can make everything up to the point of putting the pizzas together and popping them in the oven. Store everything separately for dinner the next night, put it together in under 10 minutes, and you can eat it again without it tasting like leftovers.

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