Date night should be special, so it’s fun to step outside of your comfort zone and try some new dishes that you can make together as a couple. From filet mignon to an easy crab cake recipe to shrimp scampi, these dinner recipes will kick off the night on a romantic note! Of course, date night is all about spending time together, so you can always opt for easy dinner recipes, too! That being said, this list of 25 romantic dinner ideas is a little bit of everything, so I know you’ll find something to suit your taste buds. Let’s get started!
1. Marry Me Chicken
I’m sure you’ve seen this gorgeous dish popping up all over social media, and for good reason. Not only does it have the cutest name, but it lives up to the hype. The best thing about this dish is that it doesn’t take a lot to make it shine. The combination of garlic, chili flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, and a light dash of cream is all it takes to bring your chicken to life. Oh, and don’t forget to go for the good parmesan cheese. It makes all the difference.
2. Lobster Mac and Cheese
Lobster mac and cheese is the ultimate union of comfort food and luxury. The creamy mac and cheese will bring a smile to just about anyone’s face, but the lobster is something a little special. Broiling your lobster tails is a great way to get them cooked with plenty of extra flavors. I like to brush mine with garlic butter, and lots of it!
3. Chicken Piccata (Easy Recipe)
Chicken piccata might sound like an extravagant dish, but it really couldn’t be easier. In fact, you can have it on the table in just over 30 minutes. Using thin chicken cutlets will ensure that it cooks fast, and the sauce is a dreamy mix of white wine, capers, and lemon juice. The fresh flavors will pair perfectly with some roasted potatoes or a simple salad. You might want to add some bread to the table so you can soak up all the incredible sauce.
4. Filet Mignon with Garlic Butter
If you usually avoid making steak at home, I feel you. It’s easy to go wrong and ruin a good steak, and I used to think it was best left to the professionals. And since filet mignon is so thick, I know it can be intimidating. But I have you covered! Add your room temperature meat to a screaming hot pan and let it cook, without moving, for 2 to 3 minutes on either side. For a normal steak, that should be enough, and you can baste it with melted butter before leaving it to rest. For the thicker filet cut, it needs about 5 minutes in a low oven to cook it all the way through. It yields perfection every time!
5. Caprese Garlic Bread
If you want to impress your significant other, why not pull out all the stops and go for a three-course meal? Starters don’t have to be complicated, after all. This garlic bread is seriously delicious, combining crunchy, garlicky bread (who doesn’t love that?) with juicy tomatoes and tangy balsamic. Nobody has to know that you threw it together in just 5 minutes!
6. Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp is another one of those luxury ingredients I like to save for a special occasion. It can be expensive, so I don’t often include it in my normal cooking. But when I want to impress, there’s nothing like a bowl full of beautiful pink shrimp. I love the simple sauce in this recipe. It’s made with just lemon juice, white wine, garlic, and some red pepper flakes. It’s light and doesn’t take away from the natural shrimp flavor. Once you’ve tossed everything together, squeeze some extra lemon over the top and add a touch of cracked black pepper.
7. Caprese Grilled Filet Mignon
The trick to cooking steak at home is to start with room temperature meat that needs to be cooked in a super hot pan. Cast-iron works especially well, but for this recipe, any pan that can go into the oven will do. Once you’ve perfected the technique, it’s just a matter of topping your steaks with some thick slices of mozzarella, tomato, and a drizzle of balsamic.
8. Easy Crab Cakes Recipe
Crab cakes are a crunchy, light, tasty way to start any meal. Crabmeat has some amazing texture, and it can be quite sweet, depending on the type you buy. I usually get mine from the seafood counter. Between the Old Bay Seasoning and dry mustard, these cakes are everything you’ll want in a crab cake. Though they’re super tender and moist, I highly recommend trying this remoulade sauce to go on the side.
9. Sushi Rice and California Rolls Recipe
Making sushi at home is so much easier than you think, and if you’re looking for something fun to do for your next romantic dinner, this is it. California rolls are universally loved and are quite simple to make. Once you see just how easy they are to make, you can start making all kinds of fun sushi recipes.
10. Linguine with Clams
Even I used to avoid clams at home. They always seemed like too much effort, and I worried they would come out rubbery and bland. Boy, was I wrong. Cleaning them is the most time-consuming part of the process, but not a step you want to skip! But the beauty in cooking them is that they tell you when they’re ready. Watching them open up in the sauce is so satisfying. Just don’t forget to throw away any that don’t open.
11. New England Clam Chowder
Clam chowder looks and tastes like you spent hours slaving away in the hot kitchen. Let’s agree not to tell just how easy this is, ok? Your prep time for this recipe is just 15 minutes, and involves cooking off your bacon and chopping potatoes. Once they’re fork-tender, you can add in your creamy base followed by the sweet little clams.
12. Cheese Fondue
Why did we ever stop making fondue? Gooey melted cheese plus bread?! How is that not every meal? This won’t come as a surprise, but you’ll need good quality cheese for this recipe. It’s the main ingredient, after all, so spend a little time at the cheese counter. I like to make mine with some beer added to the pot. It lightens it up and provides some amazing flavor. You can also use white wine. Serve with a platter of bread cubes, breadsticks, veggies, cooked sausages, and so much more.
13. Julia Child’s French Onion Soup
This soup is the stuff of dreams. From the tender caramelized onions to the crunchy, cheesy bread on top, I will eat this as a main course. Though you can make this vegetarian-friendly by using vegetable stock, just remember that it won’t taste the same. It’s the beef stock that provides the incredibly rich and well-rounded flavor as the base.
14. Baked Salmon in Foil
Trust me; there’s nothing like putting a whole baked salmon on the table. Eyes widen, mouths open, and cameras fly out! The best part? This recipe needs just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of your time. Baking the salmon in the foil will lock in moisture and flavor, leaving you with a meaty piece of fish that will fly off the plate.
15. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto
I have to admit that I don’t make risotto too much, and that’s mostly due to my lack of patience. It needs a lot of love and attention. But if you have the time to gradually feed in the stock, you’ll be left with a creamy bowl of goodness that is as filling as it is delicious. To amp up the wow-factor, try drizzling with a little bit of truffle oil.
16. Whipped Sweet Potatoes
I don’t know about you, but I have sweet potatoes with everything. From roasted chicken and juicy pork chops to hearty beef stew, there’s nothing they don’t work with. Whipped sweet potatoes take an already tasty vegetable and turn it into something velvety smooth and super-rich.
17. Texas Roadhouse Prime Rib Recipe
Prime rib is probably every meat-lovers dream dish, though it is a little pricey. Because of the cost and care you’ll need to take while cooking, it’s not your everyday weeknight dinner. You’ll need to start this a couple of days before your big romantic dinner. The marinade needs time to come together, and the beef then needs to sit in it for at least a day.
18. Love Potion #9 Martini (Triple Berry Pomegranate Martini)
This cocktail is not only completely adorable, but it’s also absolutely irresistible. Strawberry vodka has been a favorite of mine for years, as has Chambord (Black Raspberry Liqueur). When they’re mixed, you’ll get such a powerful berry flavor. Throw in some pomegranate juice, as this goes down a little too easy.
19. Bésame (Kiss Me) Cocktail Recipe
Being a margarita lover, this recipe is pretty much perfect for me. It includes Agavero, which is a tequila liquor hybrid that’s so smooth, you’ll be reaching for another almost immediately. It’s also full of fantastic passion fruit juice and raspberry. This tequila-based tropical cocktail just needs to be shaken and poured, and don’t be shy with the fresh raspberries.
20. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Chocolate-covered strawberries might just be the ultimate lover’s dessert. Sweet, juicy, sinfully chocolatey, and perfect for sharing, they look just as good as they taste. Be sure to clean and dry your strawberries thoroughly so that the chocolate will stick, and always use good quality chocolate. Since dipping them can get a little messy, I like to put the chocolate in a piping bag and stripe them instead. You can switch up the chocolates to get color contrast if you want, and the texture looks amazing.
21. Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
When it comes to chocolate cake, it’s no surprise that Hershey knows their stuff. This cake is rich, perfectly flavored, and so moist, it will melt in your mouth. To really bring out the chocolate flavor, this recipe uses hot water to help activate the cocoa. But if you really want to punch it, try using hot coffee instead. You won’t believe the difference it makes.
22. Homemade Dark Chocolate Raspberry Hearts
These are the cutest little things! You’ll need silicone candy molds to make the heart shapes, and I recommended buying a bunch because once you see how easy these are to make, you’ll want to do it all the time. Since you’ll be flavoring chocolate, be sure to get flavored oils rather than extracts. Water-based flavors will seize the chocolate, making it lumpy and sad.
23. Conversation Hearts
What could be cuter than a bowl of homemade conversation hearts? Making this candy at home might take a while, but it’s so worth it. And if you’ve never used food pens before, you’re in for a real treat. Finish them with the usual declarations of love, or maybe go for something a little more naughty.
24. Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookie Recipe
It’s the end of the night, and you’re full of food and romance, but there’s still a little room left for something sweet. Enter: peanut butter blossom cookies. These little babies will melt in your mouth, and the peanut butter flavor is heavenly. Finish them off with a kiss, on the plate, and on the lips!
25. Philadelphia No-Bake Cheesecake
I’m pretty sure my love language is cheesecake! I can’t think of a better way to end a romantic dinner (or any dinner for that matter) than with a big slice of creamy, dreamy cheesecake. Bake it, don’t bake it, add chocolate, add fruit, keep it plain, make it crazy… it’s sensational no matter what you do. Click on a star to rate it!
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