How to cook one pescatarian dinner for two

Start with a satisfying shared base rather than a meat dish with something removed. Beans, lentils, eggs, cheese, rice, pasta, potatoes and tortillas all make the meal feel intentional, while fish or seafood can provide the pescatarian protein. If the second person wants meat, add a cooked portion at the table or on the side only when it takes almost no extra work, rather than building two separate dinners.

Build the plate around protein and starch, not vegetables alone. Beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, cheese, fish and seafood can all carry a main course, especially with rice, potatoes, pasta, bread or tortillas. A sauce, salsa, dressing or browned topping also matters because it gives the meal a clear centre instead of making it feel like a collection of side dishes.

Keep the parts that take the most time shared: cook one grain, pasta, tray of vegetables, casserole or sauce, and portion it onto both plates. Cook different proteins only if they can use the same pan, oven temperature and seasoning, and add them at the right point so neither dries out. Agree on the shared meal before cooking, because deciding at the table usually leaves one person doing the extra work.