40 Delicious and Romantic Dinner Ideas Perfect For Date Night

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

We’ve compiled a list of the 240 Best Romantic Dinner Ideas that you can easily prepare at home!

These recipes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversary dinners, candlelight dinners, or a quick date night dinner for two!

From tender Filet Mignon to delectable lobster tails with butter, as well as chicken, steak, fish, and pasta dishes. You’ll discover why broiling is a great way to cook steaks, and how can you not be curious about “Marry Me Chicken”?

WHAT IS A GOOD ROMANTIC DINNER TO MAKE FOR A DATE?

You could have made flowers and decorated the room. All that remains is for you to prepare a delicious and romantic meal for that special someone.

You can share some great dishes with your partner, such as a nice chicken dish with a creamy sauce, lobster, sirloin steak, or penne pasta with vodka sauce!

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s delicious but also simple to prepare.

ROMANTIC DINNER IDEAS FOR TWO AT HOME

1. LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE

The ultimate combination of comfort food and luxury is lobster mac and cheese. The creamy mac and cheese will make almost anyone happy, but the lobster is something a little different. Broiling your lobster tails is an excellent way to cook them with a variety of flavors. I like to brush mine liberally with garlic butter!

2. FILET MIGNON WITH GARLIC BUTTER

I understand if you usually avoid making steak at home. This filet mignon recipe features a tender steak that has been seared to golden brown perfection and topped with garlic and herb butter. A simple and elegant main course option that is sure to please family and friends.

3. CAPRESE GARLIC BREAD

If you want to impress your significant other, why not go all out with a three-course meal? After all, starters don’t have to be difficult. This garlic bread is insanely delicious, combining crunchy, garlicky bread (who doesn’t love that?) with juicy tomatoes and tangy balsamic vinegar.

Alternative Video: 4 Romantic Dinners for Date Night

Suggested Posts:

• Delicious Chinese Style Oven Baked Fish (Simple 25-minute Recipe)
• Amazing Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp – So Delicious Recipe!
• 35 Fun and Easy Family Dinner Ideas Your Family Will Love!

4. SHRIMP SCAMPI

Shrimp is another one of those high-end ingredients that I save for special occasions. It can be pricey, so I don’t use it in my regular cooking very often. But nothing beats a bowl full of gorgeous pink shrimp for impressing.

5. CAPRESE GRILLED FILET MIGNON

The key to cooking steak at home is to begin with room temperature meat that will be cooked in a very hot pan. Cast-iron pans work especially well for this recipe, but any oven-safe pan will suffice.

6. LINGUINE CLAMS

Linguine with clams in a garlicky white wine sauce is a simple and elegant Italian pasta dish. Linguine with clams may sound elegant – or at least like something you’d order at an Italian restaurant rather than make at home – but it’s actually one of the simplest and least expensive pasta dishes you can make.

ROMANTIC DINNER IDEAS AT HOME FOR HIM

7. COCONUT CURRY SALMON

The coconut milk and spice complement each other beautifully, resulting in a rich but not heavy sauce that tastes and feels far more complicated than it is.

8. CAPRESE STEAK

Because Valentine’s Day is in the winter, roasted red pepper is a great substitute if you can’t find a good tomato.

9. SLOW-COOKER SHORT RIBS

These short ribs are a great way to demonstrate your culinary skills, and the Slow-Cooker is ideal when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday. Thanks to a quick sear before slow cooking and a sauce that would make anything taste good, this version is fall-off-the-bone tender and insanely flavorful.

10. PERFECT FLANK STEAK

Because of its leanness, flank steak can be a fairly tough cut of meat. Our four-ingredient marinade is the ideal way to prepare flank steak for the grill. While the acidic citrus juice and salty soy sauce season and tenderize the steak, the olive oil keeps it supple and juicy.

11. BEEF TENDERLOIN

Don’t be put off by its beauty (and size). Beef tenderloin is a surprisingly simple dish to prepare, thanks to a marinade made up of ingredients you probably already have on hand and a surprisingly short cook time.

12. STEAK AU POIVRE

For good reason, steak au poivre has become a bistro mainstay. The lean, mild-flavored filet mignon may appear to take center stage, but make no mistake: the peppercorns and Cognac cream pan sauce are the stars of this dish.

ROMANTIC DINNER IDEAS AT HOME FOR HER

13. CACIO E PEPE

Cacio e pepe literally translates to “cheese and pepper,” and while those are the main flavors in this dish, it is so much more. It’s a game changer. And what makes it so ideal? Its straightforwardness.

14. PORK SCHNITZEL

There isn’t much that compares to a thinly pounded piece of meat, breaded and fried until golden brown. This recipe for pork schnitzel is just that, and it’s the ideal main course for a filling meal.

15. GARLICKY WHITE WINE SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS AND CLAMS

This dish features garlicky, buttery spaghetti and easy-to-cook clams and mussels, and while it looks and tastes luxurious, it is completely doable by anyone.

16. PARMESAN RISOTTO WITH ROASTED SHRIMP

This risotto is as much fun to make as it is to eat. Stirred meditatively, cooked slowly, with a glass of wine in one hand and the music turned up, this risotto is as much fun to make as it is to eat.

17. SHRIMP PASTA WITH WHITE WINE SAUCE

Succulent shrimp and linguini are tossed in a quick tomato cream sauce infused with aromatic garlic, shallots, and white wine.

18. ARTICHOKE RISOTTO WITH SEARED SCALLOPS

This recipe is a great starting point for experimenting with different ingredients. Swap the artichokes for peas or the scallops for seared shrimp.

ROMANTIC DINNER IDEAS VEGETARIAN

19. THAI RED CURRY COCONUT NOODLES

These vegan noodles are ideal for those late-night cravings when you’re pressed for time. Feel free to substitute your favorite quick-cooking vegetables, and adjust the amount of curry paste to your taste.

20. FRENCH ONION GALETTE

This rustic savory pie has a simple homemade crust and is brimming with deeply caramelized onions and melty Gruyère cheese.

21. GARLICKY MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

It’s everything you love about a traditional, slow-cooked Bolognese — but without the meat (and in a little less time, too).

22. STUFFED EGGPLANT PARM

Everything you love about classic eggplant Parm is stuffed into an eggplant shell and topped with melted mozzarella.

23. ONION AND MUSHROOM TART

With vinegar-roasted onions, mushrooms, and ricotta cheese, this vegetarian tart makes an excellent appetizer or dinner for two when served with a side salad.

24. HERBED COUSCOUS & GOAT CHEESE STUFFED TOMATOES

The tangy juices from the tomatoes in this dish permeate the couscous salad. The olives add a salty, umami punch to the dish, and the light sprinkle of panko crumbs on top adds texture.

ROMANTIC DINNER IDEAS CHICKEN

25. MARRY ME CHICKEN

It not only has the cutest name, but it also lives up to the hype. The best thing about this dish is that it doesn’t require much to shine. It only takes garlic, chili flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, and a light dash of cream to bring your chicken to life.

26. CHICKEN PICCATA

Chicken piccata may appear to be a complicated dish, but it couldn’t be simpler. In fact, you can have it ready in less than 30 minutes. The use of thin chicken cutlets ensures that it cooks quickly, and the sauce is a dreamy combination of white wine, capers, and lemon juice.

27. CREAMY CHICKEN AND GNOCCHI

Everyone benefits when everything cooks together. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce, making it the most simple and comforting meal. It’s the stuff that weeknight dinner fantasies are made of!

28. SKILLET CREAMY FRENCH MUSTARD CHICKEN

A combination of shallots, white wine, and two types of mustard transforms simple chicken thighs into a French-inspired dinner that’s simple enough to make any night of the week but feels fancy.

29. LEMON-THYME CHICKEN

This simple but flavorful chicken recipe will please even the pickiest eaters, and it’s one you’ll want to make again and again.

HEALTHY ROMANTIC DINNER

30. THAI-STYLE PEANUT CHICKEN WRAPS

Prep the insides of these wraps and roll them up with your partner for a romantic dinner that doubles as a date-night activity.

31. SPRING VEGGIE PASTA

This vegetarian recipe has a lot of bold flavors thanks to leeks, lemon, and garlic, and it’s a light dish that won’t leave you feeling sluggish and full after dinner.

32. MUSHROOM AND ARUGULA SALAD PIZZA

If you enjoy pizza but prefer something lighter and brighter than the traditional red-sauce recipe, this arugula-topped version will satisfy your craving for pizza while also providing a burst of freshness.

33. SUMMER SQUASH, MINT, AND PECORINO PASTA

If you’re looking to spice up your relationship, this summer squash, mint, and pecorino pasta is a must-try.

34. VEGETABLE AND THREE-CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

You can’t go wrong with cheesy shells in a tasty homemade marinara sauce. There’s also broccoli and spinach in there, so you can get your greens as well.

HOMEMADE DINNER DATE IDEAS

35. HOMEMADE BLOODY MARYS

When you want to make a meal special, look for items that can only be found in a restaurant. That also applies to beverages! A good Bloody Mary is super refreshing, with just the right amount of spice and booze kick.

36. THICK AND HEARTY SEAFOOD CHOWDER

If lobster isn’t your thing, this seafood chowder is a close second. It has a similar texture and flavor, with a creamy, thick base made from creams, stock, and potatoes.

37. ROASTED BEET SALAD

If you want to make your date night a little more special, incorporating pretty dishes like this is a great way to do so. Would I have combined roasted beets, pears, feta, and walnuts? No way, no how.

38. ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE

Orecchiette is a type of pasta distinguished by its round shape. Whereas most pasta recipes are weighed down by a thick sauce, this is quite light, with moisture provided by white wine, sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, and caramelized onions.

39. SEAFOOD PASTA

This is not your mother’s spaghetti, with its shrimp, clams, mussels, and scallops. Because the seafood must be cooked separately, this takes some time. However, if you both have a glass of wine, it will be enjoyable to do it together.

40. HOMEMADE GNOCCHI

Cooking together is one of my favorite ways to spend a date night. Instead of rushing through and serving the same old dinner, it’s so much fun to chat and laugh over a hot stove and a table full of ingredients. And making gnocchi is the ideal way to extend the magic a little longer.

Print

Frequently Asked Questions