Simple Weekly Lunch Ideas for Two (Easy, Homemade & No Stress)

New week, new lunches. A little different, yet still everyday food: something creamy, something crunchy, something warm you eat with a spoon. No panic, no overthinking. Everything is written clearly, even for someone who prefers watching in the kitchen rather than taking charge. Quantities are for 2 people. Each dish comes with a Tip, and at the end you’ll find a Back to top button.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Monday

Time: 30–35 min • Difficulty: easy

Roasted turkey with honey-mustard glaze + roasted cauliflower

A proper lunch without the fuss. Cauliflower gets crispy edges, turkey stays juicy, and the glaze ties it all together.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 300–350 g turkey breast fillet or turkey cutlets
• 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (or a pinch of salt)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• freshly ground black pepper
• optional: 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven. Heat to 220°C (200°C fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Prep the cauliflower. Cut florets to similar size so they roast evenly. Toss on the tray with 1 tbsp oil, lightly salt (if not using soy), pepper, mix well.
3. Roast the cauliflower. Roast 20–25 minutes. After 12 minutes, pull the tray out and stir so more sides get browned.
4. Mix the glaze. Stir mustard, honey, soy sauce, garlic and 1 tbsp oil in a bowl. Add lemon if you want extra freshness.
5. Prep the turkey. Pat dry with paper towels (it browns better). Pepper lightly. If using soy sauce, go very light on salt.
6. Sear the turkey. Heat a pan well. Cook turkey 4–5 minutes per side (depends on thickness) until nicely coloured.
7. Glaze it. Lower the heat, pour in glaze and turn the meat for 30–60 seconds until it coats. Do not cook too long or honey can burn.
8. Serve. Plate cauliflower and turkey. Spoon any remaining glaze from the pan over the meat.

Tip: Not sure if turkey is done? Slice the thickest part. It should be white and juicy, not pink.

↑ Back to top

Tuesday

Time: 35–40 min • Difficulty: easy

Pearl barley with mushrooms, leek and thyme

Warm, soft and filling. Barley gives it body, mushrooms bring the flavour, and leek keeps everything gentle and spoon-friendly.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 160 g pearl barley
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small leek, sliced
• 200–250 g mushrooms (button or mixed), sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 700–800 ml stock or water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• salt, pepper
• optional: 1 tbsp butter and some parmesan to finish

Method

1. Rinse the barley. Put it in a sieve and rinse under water to remove excess starch.
2. Prep the veg. Chop onion. Split leek lengthwise and rinse well (leeks hide grit), then slice.
3. Build the base. Heat oil in a pot. Cook onion 4–5 minutes until soft. Add leek and cook 3–4 minutes more.
4. Add mushrooms. Tip in mushrooms. Do not salt heavily right away (they release water). Cook 5–7 minutes until some liquid cooks off and they smell rich.
5. Garlic and herbs. Add garlic, thyme and bay. Stir 30 seconds (do not let garlic brown).
6. Simmer. Add barley, pour in stock/water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick.
7. Adjust texture. Too thick? Add a splash of water. Too thin? Simmer uncovered 5 minutes.
8. Finish. Season with salt and pepper. Optional: stir in butter and parmesan for a creamier result.

Tip: Want mushrooms to really brown? Leave them alone for a minute before stirring. Constant stirring steams them.

↑ Back to top

Wednesday

Time: 35–45 min • Difficulty: easy

Sauerkraut-style turnip stew with potatoes and dried porcini

Turnip on the right side of the story: warm, deep and properly “homey”. Porcini adds that serious, earthy note.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 350–400 g fermented sour turnip (drained)
• 2 medium potatoes (about 300 g), diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 g dried porcini
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp marjoram
• 800 ml water or stock
• salt (if needed), pepper
• optional: a spoon of sour cream to serve

Method

1. Soak the porcini. Cover porcini with hot water (about 150 ml) and leave 10 minutes. Chop. Save the soaking liquid.
2. Cook the onion. Heat oil in a pot. Add onion and cook 6–7 minutes until soft and translucent.
3. Add garlic. Stir in garlic for 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).
4. Add turnip and herbs. Add sour turnip, bay leaf and marjoram. Mix well.
5. Add potatoes. Add diced potatoes. Pour in water/stock and also add porcini liquid (careful: pour slowly and leave any grit behind).
6. Simmer. Bring to a boil, then simmer 25–30 minutes until potatoes are tender.
7. Taste and adjust. Turnip can already be salty, so salt at the end only if needed. Pepper to taste. Too sour? Add a tiny pinch of sugar.
8. Serve. Serve hot. Optional: add a spoon of sour cream.

Tip: For a thicker stew without flour: mash a few potato cubes against the pot and stir back in.

↑ Back to top

Thursday

Time: 35–45 min • Difficulty: easy

Stuffed peppers (rice + cottage cheese + herbs) in tomato sauce

A lighter classic. Cottage cheese keeps the filling soft, rice holds it together, and tomato sauce smooths out every edge.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 2 large bell peppers
• 100 g rice
• 200 g cottage cheese (or ricotta-style fresh cheese)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley (or chives)
• salt, pepper
• Sauce: 1 tbsp oil
• Sauce: 1 small onion
• Sauce: 1 garlic clove
• Sauce: 500 ml tomato passata
• Sauce: 150–200 ml water
• Sauce: 1/2 tsp sugar (if needed)

Method

1. Cook rice to 80 percent. Boil rice in salted water but keep it slightly firm. Drain and cool 5 minutes.
2. Make the filling. Mix rice, cottage cheese, egg, herbs, salt and pepper until evenly combined.
3. Prep the peppers. Cut off the tops, remove seeds and white ribs. If peppers wobble, trim a thin slice off the bottom so they stand.
4. Fill. Spoon filling in, but do not pack too tightly. Leave a little space as it expands slightly.
5. Make the sauce. Heat oil, cook onion 5–6 minutes. Add garlic, then passata and water. Add sugar if the sauce tastes too sharp.
6. Simmer. Place peppers into the sauce. Cover and simmer 25–30 minutes on gentle bubbling.
7. Finish. Taste sauce, adjust salt. If too thin, simmer uncovered for the last 5 minutes.

Tip: Afraid peppers will tip over? Place them tight together or prop with a chunk of onion.

↑ Back to top

Friday

Time: 25–30 min • Difficulty: easy

Chicken strips in peanut sauce + jasmine rice

When you want something “different” without ordering in. Peanut sauce is creamy, salty-sweet and very forgiving.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 250–300 g chicken breast, cut into strips
• 120 g jasmine rice
• 1 tbsp oil
• Sauce: 3 tbsp peanut butter
• Sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Sauce: 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• Sauce: 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• Sauce: 120–150 ml water
• optional: chilli

Method

1. Cook the rice. Rinse rice in a sieve so it is not sticky. Cook (usually 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water). Once boiling, cover and lower heat.
2. Mix the sauce. Stir peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, citrus juice and water until smooth. Too thick? Add a little more water.
3. Cook the chicken. Heat a pan, add oil. Cook chicken 5–7 minutes until coloured. If it starts steaming in its own liquid, raise the heat.
4. Combine. Pour sauce over chicken. Stir and simmer 2–3 minutes until it thickens and coats the meat.
5. Serve. Fluff rice with a fork and serve with chicken and sauce. Add chilli if you like.

Tip: If the sauce tightens too fast, add 1–2 tbsp water and stir. It will turn silky again.

↑ Back to top

Saturday

Time: 25–30 min • Difficulty: easy

Pasta with roasted squash, sage and brown butter

Squash is sweet, butter turns nutty, sage brings the “wow”. Looks fancy, but it is actually quick.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 200 g pasta
• 300–350 g squash (Hokkaido or butternut), diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 60 g butter
• 8–10 sage leaves
• 30–40 g parmesan (to taste)
• salt, pepper
• optional: a little lemon

Method

1. Roast the squash. Heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Toss squash with oil, salt, roast 18–22 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
2. Cook pasta. Boil salted water and cook pasta al dente. Save 1/2 cup pasta water.
3. Brown the butter. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. It foams, then turns golden-brown and smells nutty.
4. Add sage. Add sage and stir 30–60 seconds until crisp. It darkens fast, so watch it closely.
5. Combine. Add pasta and roasted squash. Add a splash of pasta water to make a light sauce and help everything coat.
6. Finish. Add parmesan, black pepper, and a small squeeze of lemon if you want.

Tip: Pull the butter off the heat a second earlier than you think. The hot pan keeps browning it.

↑ Back to top

Sunday

Time: 2 h (mostly hands-off) • Difficulty: easy

Slow-roasted beef flank + carrot-potato mash

A Sunday lunch that mostly cooks itself. You do the start, then the oven holds the rhythm.

Ingredients (for 2)

• 400–500 g beef flank (or similar roasting cut)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 400 ml beef stock (or water)
• salt, pepper
• Mash: 300 g potatoes
• Mash: 200 g carrots
• Mash: 40–50 g butter
• Mash: 60–80 ml milk (as needed)

Method

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 160°C.
2. Season the meat. Salt and pepper the beef. If it is very thick, score 2–3 shallow cuts so it cooks more evenly.
3. Sear. In an oven-safe pot, heat oil and sear meat 2–3 minutes per side until browned.
4. Add the base. Add onion, garlic and bay leaf. Pour stock to about 1/3 the height of the meat.
5. Slow roast. Cover (lid or foil) and bake 1 h 45 min to 2 h 15 min. It is ready when a fork slides in with little resistance.
6. Make the mash. Peel and dice potatoes and carrots. Boil until tender, drain, add butter and mash. Add milk gradually until creamy.
7. Optional sauce. Simmer the cooking liquid 5 minutes if you want it thicker and more “saucy”.
8. Serve. Rest meat 10 minutes, then slice or pull apart. Serve with mash and sauce.

Tip: This cut does not need “magic” spices. Time is the main ingredient here.

↑ Back to top