Recipes for Two: 18 Flex Dinners for the Nutrisystem Partner Plan

Dinner for two? Come this way. On our menu, you’ll find 18 restaurant worthy meals for two people that are designed to serve you and your weight loss partner on the Nutrisystem Partner Plan.

You’re smart to not take this weight loss journey solo. Research has found that people who start a weight loss plan with a buddy are more likely to lose weight and keep it off. Add these recipes to your “dinner for two” repertoire and celebrate your weight loss together.

1. Filet Mignon with Mushroom Cream Sauce >

You can save this for a special occasion or serve it up just because you deserve something special on a plain old weeknight. Two 5-ounce filets are smothered in a rich-tasting mushroom cream sauce made weight loss-friendly with light butter and light half-and-half. Serve with a side of grilled or roasted asparagus or green beans for an elegant meal. Only 433 calories a serving, this fancy meal is worthy of a date night or celebration! Want to add a SmartCarb? Try a baked sweet potato on the side. Yum!

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2. Sweet and Sour Chicken >

Chinese restaurant dishes can be surprisingly high in fat and sodium—and, consequently, calories. But they’re back on the menu if you make your favorites yourself. Pineapple juice, low-sodium soy sauce and rice vinegar are the secret ingredients that bring the sweet and sour to this iconic chicken dish (the dollop of ketchup might surprise you too!). Since there’s mincing, chopping and sauce-making, this easy recipe lends itself to you and your partner cooking together.

3. Sweet and Savory Spaghetti Squash Bowl >

A great choice for “meatless Monday,” this entrée combines cooked strands of spaghetti squash, sweet potato cubes, creamy goat cheese and honey with cinnamon and sage. You might want to cook your squash in advance and have it ready for this meal which will then cook up quickly in a skillet. At only 288 calories per serving, this “veggies as good as dessert” dinner for two fits perfectly into your weight loss plan. You can add a PowerFuel with shredded chicken.

4. Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash >

For fans of sweet and savory, this is your go-to dinner for two. The sweet acorn squash, roasted in the oven, becomes the bowl into which you place cooked ground turkey crumbles, a blend of onions, garlic and cherry tomatoes, then top with spinach leaves sautéed with basil and mozzarella chunks. Yum. It sounds decadent, but it’s only 356 calories per serving.

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5. Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Mango Salsa >

You’re going to want to make extra salsa so you can have it on other dishes, like grilled chicken. But you’re going to love it on fresh mahi mahi, a mild tasting fish with a firm texture that can handle grilling (which you can substitute for the skillet in this recipe). The salsa is a combo or diced pineapple and mango, red onions, jalapeno and cilantro. The fish cooks up in less than 10 minutes so it’s a quick after-work dinner for two. Enjoy it with a side of grilled pineapple to add a SmartCarb.

6. Seared Scallops in Saffron Cream Sauce >

The secret to perfect scallops? Quick cooking! Otherwise these sweet, tender mollusks take on the texture of rubber. This also makes them a quick dinner for two to throw together in a flash. They’re flavored with saffron, which has a subtly sweet floral taste, and is readily available in your supermarket spice section. Light butter and light half-and-half make the sauce 100 percent Nutrisystem-friendly. After all, one serving is only 115 calories! Serve with Pumpkin Risotto for another PowerFuel, SmartCarb and Extra.

7. One Pan Greek Fish and Vegetables >

To get in the mood for a culinary trip to Greece, play the theme from “Zorba the Greek” while whipping up this one-pan meal. What makes it Greek? Olives, savory and briny, that bring some earthy umami to tender, mild-tasting white fish such as tilapia, flounder, cod or halibut. There’s also a dressing of Mediterranean herbs, oregano and rosemary, made with two tablespoons of olive oil. Chickpeas, grape tomatoes and red onions round out the meal which comes it at only 364 calories per serving. It’s up to you if you want to shout, “Opa!” after you’ve tasted it.

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8. Crispy Salmon with Pomegranate Salsa >

This unusual salsa, combining pomegranate seeds and pomegranate molasses with jalapeno, red onion, jicama, cilantro and lime, will give you a pop in every bite of the crispy salmon. (A few minutes under the broiler will crisp the top of the fish.) Full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, this salmon dinner for two is only 232 calories. You can add a SmartCarb like seasoned quinoa or brown rice

9. Teriyaki Chicken Sushi Burrito >

In this unusual dish, Mexican goes Japanese with delicious results. Instead of a burrito wrap, you use traditional sushi nori, a wrap made from dried seaweed that’s used to make sushi rolls. Quinoa takes the place of rice and shredded cooked chicken flavored with teriyaki sauce substitutes for raw fish, with avocado and asparagus spears taking up their usual place in this roll, which you can easily make by laying your sushi nori on a sheet of plastic wrap and rolling it up. One roll is one serving at 291 calories. Double up the chicken for another PowerFuel.

10. Shrimp Stuffed Fish >

Shrimp makes a nice surprise wrapped inside your choice of tender white fish. Especially since it’s coated in a delicious, creamy sauce made from low-fat cream cheese, onion, garlic, parsley and fresh ground black pepper. Rolled up in a piece of flounder or sole (or your favorite mild-tasting fish), it’s baked in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, covered by a sauce made with light butter, lemon juice, minced garlic and parsley. Enjoy it with a non-starchy veggie and a SmartCarb like spinach and brown rice.

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11. Spicy Inside Out Cheeseburger >

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a burger. And this one satisfies. Made with lean grass-fed ground beef, it’s mixed with Worcestershire sauce, jalapeno pepper, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes and ground pepper. Then it’s shaped into four thin patties, two of which are mounded with shredded reduced-fat pepper jack cheese then covered by the remaining patties. You can cook them on the grill or on the stovetop, then tuck them into whole grain sandwich thins and serve them with chunky salsa, lettuce leaves and tomato slices.

12. Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks >

Three cheers for the air fryer. Finally, crispy “fried” chicken is back on the weight loss menu. Since you use far less oil in an air fryer, you get all of the flavor and texture and none of the unhealthy stuff. These skinless drumsticks are coated in a little bit of olive oil with Cajun seasoning (cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano) in which they marinate for 30 minutes. Then it’s into the air fryer basket to cook for 15 minutes or so. You can double the chicken for more protein and add a SmartCarb like air fryer fries.

13. Salmon Burger with Herb Cream Sauce >

Grind five ounces of uncooked salmon in a food processor, then mix with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne and black pepper. Form two patties and broil on high for three minutes. The lunch-sized burgers are served on whole wheat buns with an herb cream spread made from reduced fat cream cheese, nonfat Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh dill and fresh parsley. Double up the salmon for another PowerFuel.

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14. Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Haddock >

Imagine being able to have breaded fried fish while on a weight loss plan. You don’t have to imagine. In this easy 12-minute recipe, flour and panko crumbs coat eight ounces of haddock which is seasoned with lemon pepper then popped into the air fryer for the crispy magic to happen. Each four-ounce serving is only 232 calories. You can add another PowerFuel by topping it with cheese.

15. Carrot and Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai >

Invest in an inexpensive spiralizer so you can enjoy “pasta” guilt-free any time you want. This handy kitchen tool can turn veggies—carrots and zucchini in this case—into “noodles” which form the basis of this Thai-inspired shrimp and veggie meal. You simply spiralize carrots and zucchini then sauté them in flavorful sesame oil. Follow up by sautéing 6 ounces of shrimp with garlic in sesame oil. The shellfish and noodles are tossed with a sauce of rice vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, honey and red chili flakes along with bean sprouts, sautéed green onions and scrambled eggs. The dish is topped with peanuts, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Add a SmartCarb with some whole wheat soba noodles.

16. Eggplant Margherita Pizza >

When can you ever have four pieces of pizza on a weight loss plan? With this recipe you can. The reason: It uses sliced baked eggplant rounds as a crust. Top them with some low-sugar marinara, part-skim mozzarella and whole or shredded basil leaves, then bake for 15 minutes. Result: gooey, bubbly cheese and a whole lot of flavor. You can add more protein with a PowerFuel like shredded chicken. Craving a SmartCarb? Enjoy the cheesy eggplant slices over some whole wheat pasta.

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17. Blackened Fish Sandwich >

Cod filets are seasoned with Cajun seasoning, onion powder and pepper, then set to sizzle in a skillet for four minutes in olive oil over medium high heat for four minutes. The next step is to sauté some red cabbage until tender. Assemble your sandwich on whole wheat hamburger buns, then top with a mixture of plain nonfat Greek yogurt and sriracha and mixed greens. Feel free to add another PowerFuel like cheese or extra Greek yogurt.

18. Crunchy Turkey Taco Wrap >

A crunchy tostada in the center of the soft wrap will give your Taco Tuesday some snap, and that doesn’t even take into account the perfectly seasoned ground turkey topped with sour cream, lettuce, tomato and cheese that fills this delicious Mexican-inspired meal. Pump up the protein with another PowerFuel by adding more chicken and cheese.

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