They May Not Be Marry Me Chicken, but These 17 Valentine's Day Recipes Are Damn Good for Date Night

Impress your significant other with one of these restaurant-worthy meals.

By
Rabi Abonour
Rabi Abonour is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Rabi Abonour
Rabi Abonour is a planner specializing in transportation, but has also been a photojournalist, writer, and editor for several online and print publications.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated February 12, 2025
Mussles in a grey Staub Dutch oven and a side of fries.

Serious Eats / Jen Causey

Nothing says love quite like a home-cooked meal. A Valentine's Day spent at home gives you the perfect excuse to spoil your loved one with whatever their heart desires, all without the hefty price tag that comes with dining out. So what will it be? A platter of oysters, a hearty plate of spaghetti and meatballs, or luxurious pasta with uni? Below, we've gathered 17 of our favorite date night recipes, including appetizers, mains, and desserts, to help you make a restaurant-worthy meal for your favorite human.

February 2019

  • Radicchio, Endive, and Anchovy Salad

    20190114-radicchio-chicory-anchovy-salad-vicky-wasik-9

    Who needs roses when you could have radicchio? In this wintry salad, bitter greens like radicchio, Belgian endive, and parsley take on a surprising sweetness when paired with fennel and celery. An anchovy vinaigrette offers a savory punch, while toasted bread crumbs provide additional crispness.

  • Raw Oysters

    20181115-how-to-serve-oysters-vicky-wasik-19

    Kick off the evening with a glass of bubbly and sweet, briny oysters complete with a classic mignonette.

  • Rich and Creamy Lobster Bisque

    20170407-lobster-bisque-vicky-wasik-32.jpg
    Photograph: Vicky Wasik. Video: Natalie Holt

    Lobster bisque isn't an everyday soup, but it's great for a romantic dinner for two. The bisque is packed with tender chunks of lobster and is deeply rich and flavorful. It takes some work to get this on the table, but it's well worth the wait.

  • Scallop Crudo

    Overhead view of scallop crudo

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Pristine raw scallops done up Italian-style with little more than olive oil, salt, and a few drops of lemon juice. The quality of your scallops will make or break this dish; be sure to look for fresh, dry scallops that have not been frozen or preserved in brine.

    Continue to 5 of 19 below

  • Savory Cheese Soufflé

    spoon dipping into cheese souffle
    Vicky Wasik

    This savory cheese soufflé is so easy it's practically foolproof—and we promise this pillowy, savory soufflé will rise to lofty and flavorful heights.

  • Uovo in Raviolo (Runny Egg Yolk Ravioli)

    20150225-egg-yolk-ravioli-primary-niki-achitoff-gray (1).jpg
    Niki Achitoff-Gray

    Homemade tortellini is spectacular, but uovo in raviolo—pasta filled with a soft egg yolk cradled in a ring of ricotta—is even more impressive. As intimidating as this extravagant pasta recipe may seem, it's 100% doable at home. The ricotta filling creates a buffer that prevents the yolk from breaking during cooking, and rolling the dough thinly—but not too thinly—helps the pasta hold its shape.

  • Classic Risotto

    Overhead view of plate of risotto

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Whoever said risotto was a laborious task has clearly never tried this method, which is relatively quick, relatively easy, and guarantees grains that are perfectly al dente. Packed with Parmigiano-Reggiano, it's rich and satisfying, and particularly comforting on a chilly February evening.

  • Classic Steak au Poivre

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    Vicky Wasik

    Steak au poivre is a classic bistro dish we usually leave to restaurant chefs. But our in-house pro and editorial director Daniel assured us this dish isn't as complicated as we think. Pre-salting the steaks seasons them well while also allowing the surface of the meat to dry out, making it easier for the peppercorns to adhere. For a better sear, we encrust the steaks on just one side—and use the remaining peppercorns to make a creamy, tangy pan sauce.

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  • Red Wine–Braised Beef Short Ribs

    red wine braised short ribs on a white plate
    Vicky Wasik

    Braise your short ribs in red wine until they're meltingly tender, then glaze them in a reduced port wine syrup for the ultimate date night dinner. No time to spare? Not to worry—we have a pressure cooker version. Serve these with mashed potatoes, polenta, or some good crusty bread.

  • Pan-Seared, Butter-Basted Thick-Cut Steak

    The steak, fully cooked and basted with butter, sitting on a platter with cooking juices.

    Serious Eats / Julia Estrada

    Basting the steak with butter deepens the crust on the outside, and constantly flipping the steak ensures that it's evenly cooked. Slicked with butter and infused with flavor from herbs like rosemary and thyme, this dry brined steak is deeply flavorful and great for sharing.

  • Creamy Sea Urchin (Uni) Pasta

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    J. Kenji López-Alt

    Few ingredients are more luxurious than rich, briny sea urchin, or uni, and very few dishes are a better fit for Valentine's Day dinner than this creamy uni pasta. Pair the it with a glass of Champagne—or two.

  • Sole Meunière

    Sole Meuniere on a dark green plate on a marbled countertop

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This classic French preparation is quick, easy, and arguably one of the best ways to serve delicate fillets. It takes what would otherwise be an everyday lemon-and-butter sauce and turns it into a minor spectacle which is sure to impress your date, and maybe even yourself, too.

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  • Moules Frites

    A close-up of mussels.

    Serious Eats / Jen Causey

    With an aromatic broth for sopping up with fries, these briny mussels make even the most mundane weeknight feel like a date night out at a bistro.

  • Spaghetti and Meatballs

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    Vicky Wasik

    Create your own Lady and the Tramp moment with this updated take on classic Italian-American spaghetti and meatballs.

  • Trout Amandine

    Overhead view of trout almondine

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Trout almondine stems from amandine, the French term meaning “prepared or served with almonds.” In French cuisine, amandine is typically made with Dover sole, but it's expensive and can be difficult to find. In the US, trout is frequently given the amandine treatment: The fish, sauce, and almonds are all prepared in one skillet and the result is tender, flaky fish swimming in the most heavenly browned butter sauce. It's effortless, impressive, and ready in just a few minutes.

  • Lobster Fra Diavolo

    The pasta on a large serving platter, sprinkled with parsley-flecked breadcrumbs.
    [Image: Vicky Wasik].

    Too often, recipes for lobster fra diavolo fail to highlight the lobster sufficiently and obscure the protein under an avalance of tomato, oregano, intense spiciness, and brandy, not to mention rubbery nuggets of lobster meat. There's none of that here—just a spicy, tomatoey, lobster-packed spaghetti extravaganza that's full of shellfish flavor.

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  • Chocolate Cupcakes

    Chocolate cupcake with smoking candle in the frosting on a stack of colorful plates. In the background, there is a plate of more cupcakes and a bowl of birthday candles.

    Morgan Hunt Glaze

    A combination of bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder gives the cupcakes their rich, bold chocolate flavor, while fat from the sour cream keeps them tender. These take just 15 minutes to prep—no stand mixer needed.

  • Chocolate Mousse

    Side angle view of a spoon lifting up chocolate mousse

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Rich with bittersweet flavor and light as a cloud, chocolate mousse is a simple, elegant dessert fit for Valentine's Day—or any day, really.

  • Red Velvet Brownies

    red velvet brownie squares stacked together on a gold platter on top of a red velvet backdrop

    Serious Eats / Hannah Huffman

    Topped with a tangy frosting, laced with bittersweet cocoa powder, and flavored with rich white chocolate, these brownies taste like a fudgier version of classic red velvet cake. Plus: You don’t have to bake, stack, and frost an entire cake.

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