40 Impressive Date Night Recipes That You Can Actually Make At Home — Including Dinners, Desserts, And Drinks
Maybe you're celebrating Valentine's Day at home this year or perhaps you're just looking for a special dish to upgrade date night. Whatever the case, these recipes will do the trick. They feel just a little bit fancy, but they're manageable enough to make in your own kitchen.
1.Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Honey
Every holiday is only as good as the food, and bacon makes everything better, of course.
2.Apple Brie and Prosciutto Crostini Recipe
Start off date night with some light bites like these crostini topped with creamy Brie cheese, crispy apple, and salty prosciutto.
3.Puff Pastry Spinach Artichoke Pinwheels
Deliciously decadent yet so easy to whip up, these spinach and artichoke puff pastry pinwheels make any evening feel like a celebration.
4.Whipped Ricotta Toast With Pistachios and Honey
Fancy open-faced toast — like this version with fluffy whipped ricotta, pistachios, and a little sweet drizzle of honey — makes for the perfect appetizer.
5.Brown Butter Farro with Mushrooms and Burrata
Consider yourself warned: this burrata-packed side dish might just steal the dinner show.
6.Steak Au Poivre
Can't swing a trip to Paris this Valentine's Day? Bring a little bit of France into your very own home with this steak in pepper sauce (just don't forget the frites).
Recipe: Steak Au Poivre
7.Pasta With Sausage and Mushroom Ragu
This savory, umami-packed ragu takes any old pasta and turns it into a meal worth feasting on.
8.Mushroom and Butter Bean Ragu With Cheesy Polenta
This hearty main just happens to be totally vegetarian, but you'd probably never realize.
9.Lobster Scampi with Linguine
If you want to pull out all the stops for date night, lobster is always an excellent idea. Here, it's tossed with garlicky linguine for an epic pasta night.
Recipe: Lobster Scampi with Linguine
10.Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Chili Oil)
This Spanish-inspired seafood dish calls for just a few ingredients, but it tastes restaurant quality. Just don't forget about the crusty bread for sopping up all the garlic sauce.
11.Old Bay Crab Cakes
Serve these Maryland-style crab cakes with your favorite grain, a big salad, or some roasted vegetables for a complete meal that is simple yet satisfying.
Recipe: Old Bay Crab Cakes
12.Halibut Piccata
This classic chicken recipe calls for halibut instead of poultry, but you can really use any semi-firm white fish. Anything from monkfish to cod will taste amazing in the lemon caper sauce.
Recipe: Halibut Piccata
13.Spicy Miso Brown Butter Pasta
The secret ingredient in this flavor-packed pasta: white miso paste. Combined with browned butter, walnuts, sage, and pecorino, the flavor is pretty much irresistible.
Recipe: Spicy Miso Brown Butter Pasta
14.San Francisco Cioppino
Grab any of your favorite seafood — like mussels, clams, shrimp, lobsters, or fish — and turn it into a cozy tomato-based soup that'll warm you right up.
Recipe: San Francisco Cioppino
15.Hoisin Glazed Pork Chops
This Asian-inspired glaze — a blend of sesame oil, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, and rice vinegar — turns your average pork chops into a delicacy. Serve it with rice or a simple cabbage slaw.
Recipe: Hoisin Glazed Pork Chops
16.Chicken Marsala
This classic Italian recipe never fails to impress. With some butter noodles on the side, it's a no-brainer.
Recipe: Chicken Marsala
17.Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe
If your love language is cheese, look no further.
Recipe: Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe
18.Pasta Pomodoro With Chicken and Goat Cheese
Or, if your love language is carbs, here ya go.
19.Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Bacon wrapped scallops might seem fancy, but in reality they're so easy to whip up on a single sheet pan.
Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
20.Classic Eggplant Parmesan
Breaded, crispy eggplant is layered with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce, then it's baked until golden perfection and sprinkled with fresh herbs.
Recipe: Classic Eggplant Parmesan
21.Slow Baked Salmon With Herb Shallot Butter
Forget any fears you might have about cooking fish at home. Slow cooked at a low temperature, it's guaranteed to be perfectly fork tender.
22.Beef Negimaki (Japanese Steak and Scallion Rolls)
These juicy and tender Japanese-inspired beef roll-ups taste just as good as the Izakaya favorite.
23.Stuffed Tuscan Chicken
Looking for a way to upgrade boneless chicken breasts into a creative meal? Stuff them with a blend of cream cheese and Parmesan, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs.
Recipe: Stuffed Tuscan Chicken
24.Shrimp Risotto
It may look totally fancy, but this simple-meets-elegant dinner can be on the table in about 40 minutes. All it takes is a little bit of stirring.
Recipe: Shrimp Risotto
25.Cast Iron Ribeye Steak with Chimichurri
With a few simple tips, cooking incredible steak at home is a breeze. Plus, it's way more affordable than any ribeye you could order at a restaurant.
26.Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Burrata Pizza
Turn date night into DIY pizza night. Fire up the oven, pick your favorite toppings, and that's amore.
27.Air Fryer Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass
Coated in a mixture of butter, miso paste, mirin, maple syrup, and ginger, this supremely savory fish tastes like a real treat. If you don't have Chilean sea bass accessible, try it with cod or salmon.
28.Vegan Pesto Cream Gnocchi
This pesto is so rich and decadent you won't believe there's no cream or dairy at all.
Recipe: Vegan Pesto Cream Gnocchi
29.Date Night Fish for Two In Lemon Sherry Pan Sauce
Lightly coated in flour and pan-seared in butter, garlic, and lemon, this deceptively simple fish recipe might just be your new go-to.
30.Molten Chocolate Brownie Bites
Nothing says "I love you" like a homemade chocolate dessert.
Recipe: Molten Chocolate Brownie Bites
31.Cream Cheese Lemon Bars
Add a little zest to your date night with these citrus-packed lemon bars.
Recipe: Cream Cheese Lemon Bars
32.Raspberry Brie Dessert Pizza with Rosemary and Pecans
For those who prefer savory to sweet, this Brie pizza makes for a totally appropriate dessert.
Recipe: Raspberry Brie Dessert Pizza with Rosemary and Pecans
33.Rustic Spiced Pear Galette
Pro tip: serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream à la mode for the full effect.
Recipe: Rustic Spiced Pear Galette
34.Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Grab two spoons and dig on in.
Recipe: Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
35.Pecan Sandie Truffles
All you need are four ingredients: Pecan Sandies, cream cheese, pecans and powdered sugar. Just form them into balls and dip them in vanilla chocolate.
Recipe: Pecan Sandie Truffles
36.Winter Pear Sangria
It may not be summer time, but sangria is always in season. This winter version is crisp and refreshing and packed with winter fruits.
Recipe: Winter Pear Sangria
37.Clover Club Cocktail
Turn your kitchen into a cocktail bar with this pretty-in-pink drink. The secret ingredient is egg white.
Recipe: Clover Club Cocktail
38.Paper Plane Cocktail
Campari (or Aperol, if you prefer) gives this whiskey drink its appealing clementine color.
Recipe: Paper Plane Cocktail
39.Cucumber Margaritas
Transport yourself to the beach with the help of this seriously refreshing cucumber cocktail. Add some jalape?o too if you like it spicy.
Recipe: Cucumber Margaritas
40.Pomegranate and Orange Champagne Punch
It's a special occasion, so pop the Champagne and use it to make this fruity and bubbly cocktail.
