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20 Romantic Dinner Recipes

20 Romantic Dinner Recipes

By Megan Soll

Updated February 05, 2020

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Con Poulos

Whether you’re serving a rich cheese fondue, roasted rack of lamb, or fresh linguine and clams, a romantic dinner for two can make an ordinary evening a little more special. Go big with a veal stew or a classic cacio e pepe pasta, or try something different with homemade pizza or a bowl of fresh ramen. For a special holiday, anniversary, or a spur-of-the-moment surprise, add these romantic dinner recipes to your arsenal; you’ll come back to them time and time again.

Related: Full guide to Valentine's Day

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Classic Cheese Fondue

© Bill Bettencourt

Pretend you’re at a Swiss ski chalet with this old-school cheese fondue. Pop open a bottle of light Pinot Grigio for the perfect pairing.

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Rack of Lamb with Mustard-Shallot Sauce

A rack of lamb is the right move for a special dinner for two, as it’s the perfect portion of meat to split and works with almost any side dish.

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Oysters with Pikliz

Oriana Koren

Easily elevate a home-cooked dinner by serving oysters on ice. This recipe from Eduardo Jordan can be prepped beforehand, too.

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Juicy Lemon-and-Herb  Roast Chicken

Greg DuPree

Pulling off a restaurant-quality roast chicken at home starts with bagging the best bird you can find. This recipe is the other essential piece.

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Littleneck Clams In the Style of Escargot

Victor Protasio

Easy-to-find littleneck clams stand in for snails in this riff on the French classic. We can’t imagine a better snack to pair with Champagne while enjoying each other’s company.

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Steak Frites with Black Garlic Butter

Victor Protasio

Nothing says romance like a perfectly cooked steak and crispy fries. This one with black garlic butter is marriage material.

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Sweet Potato Gyoza with Beet Puree

Victor Protasio

Try something a little more elegant and light with this gyoza with sweet potato and hazelnut butter.

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Tomato-Braised Baccalà with Olives and Polenta

Justin Walker

Simmering soaked salt cod in a tomato sauce filled with peppers, onions, and olives infuses the fish with flavor and leaves it flaky and tender. Pour a glass of Pinot Nero and it’s the perfect meal.

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Oven-Braised Veal Stew with Black Pepper and Cherries

Victor Protasio

Low and slow is the name of the game with this delicious dish. It’ll fill your home with the best aromas. Swap in pork shoulder instead of veal for an even juicier dish.

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Charred Vegetable Ragù

Victor Protasio

Plant-based can be just as rich and romantic as a meat dish, and this ragù is the perfect example. Make even a weeknight dinner a special occasion with this recipe.

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Hot and Sour Soup with Ramen

Molly Yeh

Warming yet not overly hearty, Molly Yeh’s hot and sour soup is elevated with ramen noodles.

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Three-Pepper Cacio e Pepe 

Victor Protasio

Nothing evokes yearning like fresh noodles being stirred into the layers of buttery pepper and cheese in cacio e pepe. A winning romantic dinner idea.

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© Evi Abeler

Pizza night is the perfect low-lift option for an evening for two. We never knew a better match than pizza and wine.

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Sweet Brown Rice Risotto with Kale and Cremini

Con Poulos

A creamy risotto is our love language, and this one is set off with kale and cremini mushrooms.

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Linguine with Clams and Fennel

© Tara Fisher

We can’t get enough of this pasta, and if you’re less inclined to red meat and cheese, this is the ultimate entrée.

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Gambas al Ajillo 

Christopher Testani

The simplest and best tapas dish to make is also the ideal part of a romantic evening.

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Steak and Brassicas with Red Wine Sauce 

Con Poulos

This recipe is the complete package: hearty, elegant, and simple.

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Tomato-and-Mozzarella Salad with Orange Oil

© John Cullen

As a first course, try an update on the classic caprese salad. Something this fresh and simple will set off your heartier main course.

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Calabrian Carbonara

© Christina Holmes

Calabrian 'nduja, a spicy spreadable sausage, brings loads of delicious heat and flavor to his silky carbonara.

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Slow-Cooker Classic Beef Stew

Greg DuPree

This stew is the gift that keeps on giving (the leftovers are a blessing). The slow cooker also makes it fairly hands-off, so you can focus on your pre-dinner drinks.

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By Megan Soll