Cheap Easy 2 Person Dinner Recipes – 7 Simple Meals For $50.51 (+ grocery list!)

1. The “Loaf Pan” Lasagna

The ultimate hack for two. A standard bread loaf pan is deep enough to get those beautiful layers, but narrow enough that you don’t waste ingredients.

The Shortcuts: No boiling water required (oven-ready noodles) and no grating cheese.

Ingredients

• 6–8 Oven-ready lasagna noodles
• 1.5 cups Marinara sauce (jarred, high quality like Raos)
• 1 cup Ricotta cheese
• 1.5 cups Shredded Mozzarella
• Optional: 1 tsp Dried oregano or Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with a pinch of salt, pepper, and oregano.
3. Spoon a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a standard loaf pan.
4. Layer: Noodle (break them to fit) -> Ricotta mixture -> Sauce -> Mozzarella. Repeat for 3–4 layers.
5. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes until bubbly and browned.
6. Crucial Step: Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing so it holds its shape!

2. The “No-Chop” Chicken Pot Pie

Comfort food usually means lots of chopping. Not this time. We are using a rotisserie chicken and the freezer aisle to do the work for us.

The Shortcuts: Pre-cooked chicken, frozen veggies (no washing!), and refrigerated biscuit dough.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Shredded rotisserie chicken (save the rest for Recipe #4!)
• 1 cup Frozen mixed veggies (peas/carrots/corn), thawed
• 1 can (10oz) Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 tube Refrigerated biscuits (like Pillsbury Grands)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a bowl, mix the chicken, veggies, and soup. Season with plenty of black pepper.
3. Pour the mixture into a small 8×8 baking dish or two deep oven-safe ramekins.
4. Top with the raw biscuits.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

3. The 15-Minute Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is usually a labor of love involving peeling and boiling potatoes. We are outsourcing the labor.

The Shortcuts: Refrigerated mashed potatoes (like Bob Evans brand) and Worcestershire sauce for instant depth of flavor.

Ingredients

• 0.5 lb Ground beef (save the other half for Recipe #5!)
• 1 cup Frozen peas and carrots
• 0.5 cup Beef broth (or water + bouillon cube)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 package Refrigerated mashed potatoes

Instructions

1. Brown the beef in a skillet (approx. 5-7 mins). Drain excess fat.
2. Add the frozen veggies, broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly.
3. Transfer meat mixture to a small baking dish.
4. Spread the cold mashed potatoes over the top. use a fork to make little peaks—they get crispy!
5. Broil on high for 5 minutes just to warm the potatoes and brown the top.

4. The “Unrolled” Skillet Enchiladas

Enchiladas are delicious but rolling them is messy. This version gives you all the flavor of a wet burrito in a single skillet, eaten with a fork.

The Shortcuts: Kitchen shears to cut tortillas directly into the pan, and leftover rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Shredded rotisserie chicken (leftover from Recipe #2)
• 1 cup Red enchilada sauce
• 4–6 Corn tortillas (cut into 1-inch strips)
• 1 cup Shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Optional: Black beans or corn

Instructions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the chicken and enchilada sauce until bubbling.
2. Stir in the tortilla strips and coat them in the sauce. They will soften instantly.
3. Flatten the mixture with a spatula and top heavily with cheese.
4. Cover with a lid for 2 minutes until the cheese melts.
5. Serve immediately with sour cream or chips.

5. The Ground Beef Stroganoff

Traditional Stroganoff uses expensive steak and requires slow simmering. This version tastes just as rich but cooks in the time it takes to boil noodles.

The Shortcuts: Ground beef cooks fast, and Cream of Mushroom soup replaces the homemade roux.

Ingredients

• 0.5 lb Ground beef (leftover from Recipe #3)
• 2 cups Egg noodles (dried)
• 1 can (10oz) Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup Sour cream
• Milk or water (to thin the sauce)

Instructions

1. Boil a small pot of water and cook egg noodles (approx 6-8 mins).
2. While water boils, brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain fat.
3. Add the can of soup to the beef. Fill the empty soup can half-full with water or milk and add that too. Stir and simmer until hot.
4. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sour cream (don’t let it boil once the cream is in, or it might curdle).
5. Toss the cooked, drained noodles directly into the sauce.

6. Sheet Pan Gnocchi & Sausage

This is a trendy “magic trick” dinner. Most people think you have to boil gnocchi. You don’t. Roasting them makes them crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside.

The Shortcuts: One pan, no boiling water, and shelf-stable ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 package (16oz) Shelf-stable potato gnocchi (found in pasta aisle, NOT frozen)
• 2–3 Pre-cooked sausages (Chicken Apple or Andouille), sliced into coins
• 1 Bell pepper, chopped roughly
• Olive oil, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Dump the uncooked gnocchi, sliced sausage, and peppers onto a sheet pan.
3. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Toss with your hands to coat everything.
4. Spread into a single layer.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until gnocchi are golden and crispy.

7. French Bread “Pizzas”

Friday night is pizza night. Instead of ordering delivery or making dough, we use the bakery’s discount rack.

The Shortcuts: The crust is already baked! You are just melting cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Soft French bread (or Italian bread)
• 1/2 cup Pizza sauce
• 1.5 cups Mozzarella cheese
• Toppings: Pepperoni, leftover peppers, or leftover sausage

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Cut the bread in half horizontally, then cut those pieces in half vertically (4 pieces total).
3. Place on a baking sheet. Bake plain for 3 minutes to toast the bread slightly (this prevents sogginess).
4. Remove, spread sauce, cheese, and toppings.
5. Bake for 8–10 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.

The “No-Waste” Shopping Strategy

The beauty of this meal plan is that the ingredients overlap, so you aren’t throwing away half-used groceries at the end of the week. Here is how it works:

• The Chicken Strategy: Buy 1 Rotisserie Chicken on Day 1. Use the breast meat for the Pot Pies and the dark meat for the Enchiladas.
• The Beef Strategy: Buy a 1lb pack of ground beef. Use half for the Shepherd’s Pie and half for the Stroganoff.
• The Cheese Strategy: One large bag of Mozzarella covers the Lasagna and the Pizzas.
• The Veggie Strategy: One bag of frozen “Mixed Veggies” covers the Pot Pies and the Shepherd’s Pie.