35 Romantic Dinner Recipes For Cozy Date Nights At Home
No reservations required!
Who needs reservations? Instead of going out and bearing long wait times and pricey menus for your much anticipated date night, enjoy a restaurant-quality, romantic dinner for two in the comfort of your own home. You will not be missing out on anything with these romantic dinner ideas, straight from the loving arms of our Test Kitchen. These dinner recipes are worthy of any romantic occasion, from Valentine's Day or an anniversary celebration to a second date you definitely don't want to mess up. Whip up a prime cut of flank steak that's even juicer than its steakhouse counterpart, or try your hand at a tender stuffed chicken recipe that's pretty as a picture. Celebrate the romantic dinner with a creamy and decadent chicken risotto, or indulge in rich fettuccine covered in Cajun sauce.
Enjoy these 35 romantic dinners for two from the cozy comfort of your own dining room.
Marry Me Chicken Casserole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
We turned the famous "Marry Me Chicken" into a comforting rice casserole. It has the same flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, and whipping cream—but made saucier and more casserole-like with additional brothy sauce and wild rice.
Herb-Crusted Roasted Leg Of Lamb
Pull out all the stops for Valentine's Day dinner or a holiday with a whole leg of lamb. By pre-seasoning before cooking, you'll create a concentrated flavor and crispy crust. Then cook it low and slow, turning up the heat at the end so the exterior can brown.
Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak
This is the best way to cook a thick, juicy bone-in steak restaurant-style without smoking up the house. Use your grill to heat the cast-iron skillet; the skillet surface area promotes a more assertive flavor and better sear than grill grates, yielding a steak with the proper steakhouse crust. We spoon herbs and melted butter over top for ultimate flavor.
Lemony Slow-Cooked Salmon With Potatoes And Fennel
You have a personal chef for your romantic dinner: the slow cooker! The licorice-forward fennel, subtly-sweet leeks, and bright lemon all come together seamlessly in this easy slow-cooker salmon dish. So sit back, relax, and pour a glass of wine.
Beef Stew Pot Pies
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
You can easily prepare these pot pies in individual ramekins, which are great for date nights or hungry houseguests—or in a single skillet for the family. Topped with puff pastry, it's filled with a rich and meaty stew of beef, carrots, peas, and potatoes,
Chicken Thighs With Tomato-Caper Sauce
Even chicken can dress up for a fancy romantic dinner. In this simple chicken dish, we reimagine the classic tomato sauce, adding one secret ingredient—capers—to revolutionize the flavor. Serve over creamy grits or polenta and don't forget to garnish.
Seared Scallops With Lemon-Herb Rice
Juicy, golden scallops sit atop a fluffy bed of rice gently perfumed with scallions and parsley. Don't be intimidated by the scallops—just make sure to thoroughly dry them before searing, which ensures they'll develop a nice crust. Beautifully seared scallops don't require much dressing-up to make a five-star meal.
Ultimate Tomato Soup And Big Batch Fancy Grilled Cheese
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Sometimes, taking something nostalgic and turning it into a fancy-fied version is all you need for a perfect night at home. Pepper jelly and lots of cheese take this French bread grilled cheese to the next level.
Shrimp Scampi Linguine
Decadently simple: In 15 minutes, you have a shrimp-and-garlic-laden pasta dish. Serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of chopped parsley and lemon zest for a restaurant-worthy presentation. A glass of fine white wine will complement the garlicky white wine butter sauce.
Mississippi Pork Chops
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
The secret ingredient of this Mississippi-style dish are the jarred pepperoncini peppers. Acidic, spicy, and a little sweet, they add the perfect tangy surprise to succulent pork chops.
Smothered Pork Chops with Rice
It doesn't get much more Southern, but with a special flair, than these smothered pork chops in a creamy mustard sauce.
Pan-Seared Flank Steak with Herb Sauce
This easy weeknight dinner brings just enough sophistication to make it an acceptable dish for a romantic evening. A puree of parsley, cilantro, shallot, vinegar, and garlic accompanies pink and tender slices of flank steak. Serve with your favorite roasted potatoes recipe.
Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken And Potatoes
This winner of a chicken dinner is our new favorite roasting-pan supper for date night or any night. Sear the chicken on the stovetop, add potatoes and an herby lemon mixture, then roast in the oven. Serve with a crusty French bread.
Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes
These restaurant-worthy crab cakes will transport you to an oceanside picnic setting. The secret to delectable crab cakes is ensuring you don't overmix the crab meat with the other ingredients. Tossing until just combined creates a better texture and more intriguing flavor in each bite.
Creamy Salmon Fettuccini And Spring Vegetables
Asparagus and peas keep this cheesy pasta light, meaning there'll be room for dessert. The spring vegetables makes the most of seasonal produce and are reminiscent of a pasta primavera. Lemon zest and dill make this dish as bright as a warm spring day.
One-Pan Garlic-Butter Shrimp With Orzo
Succulent shrimp and garlicky, buttery pasta? That's a match even Cupid would approve of. Rather than boiling in water, the pasta cooks in a glorious mixture of sautéed shallots, white wine, butter, oil, and vegetable broth.
Corn Risotto With Spicy Shrimp
Though it feels fancy, risotto is relatively simple to make. The addition of corn kernels gives the dish a bright pop of color, and succulent shrimp are generously seasoned with Cajun seasoning, packing a punch. If you make this during summer's harvest, use fresh corn to sweeten the flavor.
Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken
It doesn't get any more classic than a roast chicken, but this one is dressed up with roasted rosemary potatoes and orange slices. The vinegar, honey, and orange dressing drizzled over everything elevates the meal even more. We scatter a mixture of green and black olives over the dish.
Lobster Mac And Cheese
Juicy chunks of lobster pair beautifully with melty Gruyère and Cheddar. Mac and cheese might not be a fancy dish, but the lobster takes it to the next level. Saffron, sherry, and chervil make this dish even more grown up.
Chicken Lombardy
This is the elegant, easy chicken dinner that makes the execution of a romantic meal a breeze. Fans of chicken Marsala will love this cheesier, richer version. Mushrooms, sautéed in butter and drippings remaining in the skillet, are piled onto lightly breaded chicken before a dreamy, creamy pan sauce gets spooned over the top.
Baked Chicken Roulade
Baked Chicken Roulade is fancy enough for a special occasion but quick to prepare. Stuff chicken breasts with a mixture of sautéed spinach, garlic, and asparagus, seared in a skillet, and finished in the oven. Then drizzle a fragrant and delicate butter sauce over top.
Chicken Risotto With Spring Vegetables
This flavorful recipe adds chicken, asparagus, zucchini, herbs, and cheese to a savory risotto. Broth is gradually added to arborio rice until rich and creamy. Top off this impressive dish with grated Parmesan.
Baked Pork Tenderloin
For this recipe, wrap the pork tightly with bacon to give it smoky flavor and a crispy crust. We use a simple seasoning blend of salt and pepper on the pork. Additional flavor comes from the shaved fresh vegetables dressed in a lemony vinaigrette.
Cast-Iron Pork Cacciatore
This colorful cacciatore looks beautiful atop a bed of pasta. The flavors of pork chops and mushrooms, red onion, bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes marry together in one cast-iron pan in 30 minutes. Serve with a tossed green salad, warm crusty bread, and a bottle of red wine.
Spicy Baked Snapper, Greens, And Carrots In Parchment
The technique of steaming fish in parchment stems from the French cooking technique called en papillote, where ingredients—often fish—are baked in a parchment paper parcel. It's also perfect for preparing individual servings for your dinner for two. We use freshly grated ginger in this recipe for an incredibly fragrant meal that can be served over couscous or rice.
Cast-Iron Steak Salad
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
This main dish salad makes a pretty plate, with nutrient-rich greens such as spinach, arugula, or kale; seasonal fruits or vegetables; and even cooked whole grains. Sourdough makes delicious croutons in this recipe, but you can use other types of fresh bread, such as Italian or a baguette.
Lasagna Roll-Ups
Unlike most lasagnas, this recipe looks downright elegant on the dinner table. Cook the pasta until al dente to avoid it unrolling on the plate. You can substitute sautéed mushrooms or spinach for the recipe's canned artichokes, though we enjoy the heft they have in the lasagna filling.
Braised Lamb Shanks With Parmesan-Chive Grits
The key to restaurant-quality lamb is to select shanks roughly the same size and trimmed of excess fat and the tendons along the bone. In this recipe, the lamb shanks are braised in the slow cooker in a red wine and tomato mixture until very tender. Serve them over cheesy grits with generous spoonfuls of sauce.
Mini Mushroom-And-Parsnip Pot Pies
These meatless pot pies pack a lot of flavor, and vegetables, into a small package. Use mini cast-iron skillets for the best presentation. You'll love the buttery and flaky puff pastry on top.
Cabbage, Mushroom, And Bacon Pasta
Your romantic partner doesn't need to know this quick and easy wilted cabbage dish comes together in under 30 minutes, all on the stovetop. A bit of pasta water is added to cream cheese for a smooth and creamy sauce. Crumbled bacon and thyme enrich the flavor in this satisfying meal.
Teriyaki Salmon Bowls With Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Poached salmon spends one to two hours in the slow cooker for a tender, not dry fillet. Then the salmon and Brussels sprouts are brushed with a sauce made of pineapple juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar before broiling. Your date will appreciate your efforts with each tasty, flavor-packed bite.
Slow-Cooker Honey-Garlic Chicken
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This date night-worthy meal of buttery-tender chicken thighs is enrobed in a sweet, salty, garlicky, sticky sauce that is great for leftovers. Plus, it all comes together in the slow cooker for ultimate ease.
Grilled Curried Chicken Thighs with Charred-Vegetable Rice
If you're looking to jazz up your usual grilled chicken for a fun night in, this curry-infused recipe is the perfect bright and peppy addition to your lineup. Pair with grilled veggies and rice.
One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Cooking the pasta noodles right in the sauce is a great way to infuse them with flavor while also keeping cleanup a breeze later on. Cajun seasoning adds just enough zippy heat.
Marry Me Chicken
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This apparently engagement-worthy skillet dinner is comprised of sautéed chicken breasts cooked in a sun-dried tomato and cream sauce. White wine, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, and butter are other star ingredients.
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