I recently stumbled upon this wild Twitter thread about someone’s “dinner for one”. It’s a disaster that had me cackling. This poor soul attempted to make a fancy shrimp scampi but ended up with what looked like rubber bands in garlic water.
They documented the ordeal. From accidentally setting off their smoke alarm with burned garlic to finding out their “fresh” shrimp was freezer-burned.
They ate cereal for dinner while their cat judged them from the counter. But this inspired me to prove that cooking for one doesn’t have to be a sad affair. This led me to create these recipes. Especially these 7 amazing dinner for one recipe.
1. Mediterranean Chickpea Power Bowl
Looks like a vibrant rainbow in a bowl with golden chickpeas nestled on fluffy quinoa.
Topped with jewel-like tomatoes and white feta crumbles.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$7.50):
- Chickpeas (1 can, $1.29)
- Quinoa (1/2 cup dry, $0.75)
- Cherry tomatoes (1 cup, $2.00)
- Cucumber (1/2 medium, $0.75)
- Feta cheese (2 oz, $1.50)
- Garlic (2 cloves, $0.20)
- Olive oil (1 tbsp, $0.30)
- Lemon (1/2 fruit, $0.50)
- Mediterranean herbs (1 tsp mixed, $0.21)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Rinse 1/2 cup quinoa thoroughly under cold water
- Combine with 1 cup water in a small pot.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes
- While quinoa cooks, drain and rinse chickpeas.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat,
- Add minced garlic and chickpeas.
- Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until chickpeas are slightly crispy
- Dice cucumber and halve tomatoes.
- Assemble bowl: quinoa base, chickpeas, veggies, and crumbled feta.
- Finish with a generous squeeze of lemon and herbs
Cook time: 20 minutes total
Servings: 1 generous portion
Note: Prices are estimates and may vary based on your location and current market rates.
Just like your local prices might be different!
2. Sheet Pan Salmon Situation
A gorgeous piece of flaky salmon with a golden-brown top.
It’s surrounded by colorful roasted veggies that have slightly charred edges.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$12.00):
- Salmon fillet (6 oz, $7.00)
- Broccoli crown (1 small, $1.50)
- Sweet potato (1 medium, $1.00)
- Olive oil (2 tbsp, $0.60)
- Garlic (2 cloves, $0.20)
- Lemon (1 whole, $1.00)
- Mixed herbs (1 tbsp, $0.70)
Step-by-step Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment
- Cut sweet potato into 1-inch cubes, broccoli into florets
- Toss veggies with 1 tbsp olive oil, half the minced garlic, and half the herbs
- Spread on the sheet pan, leaving space for salmon
- Rub salmon with remaining oil, garlic, and herbs
- Place salmon on pan, skin-side down
- Slice half the lemon thinly and arrange on salmon.
- Roast for 15-20 minutes until salmon flakes easily.
- Squeeze the remaining lemon half over everything before serving.
Cook time: 25 minutes (including prep)
Servings: 1 generous portion
3. Lean Turkey Veggie Paradise
A colorful medley of bright vegetables, danced around perfectly browned and crumbled turkey.
Steam rising with aromatic Asian-inspired flavors.
All glistening over a bed of fluffy brown rice.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$9.75):
- Ground turkey (4 oz lean, $3.50)
- Fresh ginger root (1-inch piece, $0.30)
- Garlic (3 cloves, $0.30)
- Mixed frozen vegetables (2 cups, $1.50)
- Brown rice (1/2 cup dry, $0.50)
- Low-sodium soy sauce (2 tbsp, $0.25)
- Sesame oil (1 tbsp, $0.40)
- Green onions (2 stalks, $0.25)
- Black pepper (to taste, $0.15)
- Cooking oil (1 tbsp, $0.20)
- Optional: sriracha sauce ($0.15)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Start by cooking 1/2 cup brown rice with 1 cup water
- And a pinch of salt in a small pot.
- While rice cooks, finely mince ginger
- And garlic together until you have a fragrant paste.
- Heat cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering
- Add turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into small crumbles.
- Once the turkey starts browning,
- Add ginger-garlic paste.
- Cook until turkey is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Push turkey to one side of the pan,
- Add frozen vegetables
- Cover the pan for 3 to 4 minutes to steam the vegetables
- Uncover and stir everything together.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring to combine
- Taste and adjust seasonings
- Serve over rice,
- Top with sliced green onions
- Add sriracha if desired for heat
Cook time: 25 minutes (rice) + 15 minutes (stir-fry)
Servings: 1 hearty portion
4. Elevated Chicken Salad Creation
A sophisticated twist on classic chicken salad featuring tender shreds of white meat.
Chicken enrobed in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing, studded with crisp apple bits.
Crunchy celery, and toasted walnuts.
All arranged artfully over a bed of vibrant mixed greens.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$11.25):
- Rotisserie chicken breast meat (6 oz, $3.50)
- Greek yogurt (1/2 cup plain, $1.00)
- Honeycrisp apple (1 medium, $1.50)
- Celery stalks (2 medium, $0.50)
- Walnuts (1/4 cup, $1.75)
- Fresh dill (small bunch, $0.75)
- Dijon mustard (1 tsp, $0.15)
- Mixed salad greens (2 cups, $1.50)
- Red onion (1/4 medium, $0.25)
- Lemon (1/2 fruit, $0.50)
- Black pepper and salt (to taste, $0.10)
- Optional: whole grain wrap ($0.75)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Toast walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Let walnuts cool, then roughly chop.
- Remove chicken meat from bones
- And shred into bite-sized pieces.
- Dice apple into 1/4-inch cubes, leaving the skin on for extra nutrition.
- Finely dice celery and red onion
- Chop fresh dill.
- In a medium bowl, mix Greek yogurt with Dijon mustard and lemon juice.
- Add shredded chicken, diced apple, celery, and red onion.
- Fold in toasted walnuts and dill
- Season with fresh black pepper and salt to taste.
- Let sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Arrange mixed greens on a plate or in the wrap.
- Top with a generous scoop of chicken salad.
- Finish with extra dill
- And cracked pepper if desired
Prep time: 20 minutes (no cooking required)
Servings: 1 large portion, enough for lunch the next day
5. Loaded Southwest Sweet Potato Experience
A tender, steaming sweet potato split open like a blooming flower.
Overflowing with black beans and colorful toppings that create a mountain of textures and flavors.
All crowned with a pristine dollop of Greek yogurt.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$8.25):
- Large sweet potato (1 medium, $1.50)
- Black beans (1 cup, canned, $1.00)
- Fresh salsa (1/2 cup, $1.75)
- Avocado (1/2 medium, $1.50)
- Greek yogurt (1/4 cup, $0.75)
- Red onion (1/4 medium, $0.25)
- Fresh cilantro (small bunch, $0.75)
- Lime (1 whole, $0.50)
- Ground cumin (1/2 tsp, $0.10)
- Chili powder (1/4 tsp, $0.10)
- Optional: corn kernels (1/4 cup, $0.30)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Wash the sweet potato thoroughly and pat dry
- Pierce potato 8-10 times with a fork all around
- Place on a microwave-safe plate with a paper towel underneath
- Microwave for 3 minutes, turn over and microwave another 3-4 minutes until tender
- While the potato cooks, drain and rinse the black beans
- Heat beans in a microwave-safe bowl with cumin and chili powder
- Dice red onion finely
- Chop cilantro leaves and tender stems
- Cut avocado into small cubes
- Slice lime into wedges
- Once the potato is done, let it rest for 1 minute
- Cut potato lengthwise and fluff inside with a fork
- Layer: seasoned black beans, salsa, avocado
- Top with Greek yogurt, red onion, cilantro
- Finish with a generous squeeze of lime
- Season with extra salt and pepper if desired
Cook time: 15 minutes total
Servings: 1 filling portion
6. Single-Pan Veggie Frittata Dreams
A golden-brown, puffed-up frittata with a perfectly crispy edge.
Studded with colorful vegetables that peek through the surface like stained glass.
Finished with melted cheese that creates tempting stretchy pulls.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$7.85):
- Fresh eggs (3 large, $1.50)
- Whole milk (2 tbsp, $0.25)
- Bell pepper (1/2 medium, $0.75)
- Baby spinach (1 cup, $1.00)
- Cherry tomatoes (1/2 cup, $1.50)
- Shallot (1 medium, $0.50)
- Goat cheese (2 oz, $2.00)
- Fresh basil (small handful, $0.75)
- Olive oil (1 tbsp, $0.30)
- Salt and pepper (to taste, $0.10)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Preheat broiler to high
- Dice bell pepper and shallot into 1/4-inch pieces
- Halve cherry tomatoes
- Roughly chop spinach
- Whisk eggs with milk, 1/4 tsp salt, and fresh pepper until frothy
- Heat olive oil in an 8-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat
- Add shallots, and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes)
- Add bell peppers, and cook until slightly softened (3-4 minutes)
- Add tomatoes and spinach, cook until spinach wilts
- Spread vegetables evenly in a pan
- Pour egg mixture over vegetables
- Cook without stirring until edges start to set (3-4 minutes)
- Crumble goat cheese over top
- Transfer to broiler for 2-3 minutes until top is set and golden
- Remove carefully with oven mitts
- Let rest for 2 minutes
- Top with torn fresh basil leaves
- Run a spatula around the edges and slide them onto the plate
Cook time: 20 minutes total Servings: 1 generous portion
7. Zesty Shrimp Zoodle Symphony
A tangle of vibrant green zucchini noodles twirled artfully around plump.
Pink shrimp glisten with garlic and herbs,
Brightened by bursts of red from cherry tomatoes and finished with delicate lemon zest.
Ingredients (Cost per serving: ~$11.50):
- Large shrimp (8 pieces, peeled and deveined, $5.00)
- Zucchini (2 medium, $2.00)
- Cherry tomatoes (1 cup, $2.00)
- Garlic (3 cloves, $0.30)
- Fresh basil (small bunch, $0.75)
- Lemon (1 whole, $1.00)
- White wine (2 tbsp, optional, $0.50)
- Red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp, $0.10)
- Olive oil (2 tbsp, $0.60)
- Salt and pepper (to taste, $0.15)
- Optional: Parmesan cheese ($0.50)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper
- Spiralize zucchini using a medium blade (or use a vegetable peeler for ribbons)
- Mince garlic and halve cherry tomatoes
- Chiffonade basil leaves
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
- Add shrimp in a single layer, and cook 2 minutes per side until pink
- Remove shrimp to a plate
- In the same pan, add the remaining oil and garlic
- Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds
- Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until tomatoes start to burst
- Add white wine if using, and simmer for 1 minute
- Add zucchini noodles, and toss gently for 2-3 minutes
- Return shrimp to pan
- Add lemon zest and juice from half the lemon
- Toss everything together until heated through
- Season to taste
- Plate and top with fresh basil and optional Parmesan
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 generous portion
Conclusion
While that Twitter disaster may have given us all a good laugh.
It proves that cooking for one doesn’t have to be a choice between sad microwave meals or kitchen catastrophes.
These seven recipes show that solo dining can be both simple and sophisticated.
They’re proof that you deserve to eat well,
Even when it’s just you, your favorite Netflix show, and maybe a judgmental pet.