Vegetarian dinners that work for two people

Build the meal around more than vegetables alone. Beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, cheese, whole grains and potatoes provide substance, while browning, spices, herbs, salsa or a sharp sauce add the savoury contrast people often miss. A baked enchilada, a crisp quesadilla or a well-seasoned fried rice feels like dinner in its own right, rather than the meat course with its centre removed.

Keep the base mild and put the strong flavours on the table. Salsa, hot sauce, pickled onions, herbs, grated cheese, yoghurt or chopped avocado can be added separately, so neither person gets a customised second meal. This works especially well with wraps, quesadillas, rice dishes and casseroles, where the shared filling remains the same.

Choose a main that already has a complete structure, then separate optional additions from the cooking. For example, serve a substantial bean, lentil, tofu, egg or cheese dish with bread, rice or potatoes, and let the other person add a ready-cooked meat topping only if they genuinely want one. Nomme’s shared shortlist is designed around this kind of compromise, so both people choose from the same set before the week begins.