Recipes Holidays + Events Valentine's Day 16 Impressive Recipes for Valentine's Day Dinner By Bridget Hallinan Bridget Hallinan As an Associate Food Editor, Bridget Hallinan primarily focuses on home cooking content for Food & Wine.com. She writes and edits recipe content, interviews chefs for helpful tips and tricks, and works on franchises such as our cookbook roundups and taste tests. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 13, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: John Kernick You have two choices for Valentine's Day dinner: jockey for a reservation, or make a meal from scratch. If you decide to cook, we've gathered a few elegant recipes to help fill out your menu. Think white truffle tagliolini, herbes de Provence-crusted branzino, and steakhouse-style rib eyes, with a few salads and vegetable sides to match, too. Add a nice bottle of wine and some candles, and you'll be glad you stayed in. 01 of 16 Lobster Thermidor Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Classic lobster thermidor stuffs gently cooked lobster meat back in its shell with a wine-based sauce and a touch of cheese before coming together under the broiler. We can't think of anything more impressive (and delicious) for date night. Get the Recipe 02 of 16 Oysters with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Karin Olsen This simple appetizer is perfect for romantic special occasions. The dish combines citrusy and slightly spicy yuzu kosho with briny oysters on the half shell. Get the Recipe 03 of 16 White Truffle Tagliolini White truffles are undeniably a special occasion ingredient, and there’s no better time to use them than a Valentine’s Day dinner. The best part? The whole dish is ready in 20 minutes. Get the Recipe 04 of 16 Roasted Beet, Ruby Red Grapefruit, and Warm Honey Salad Christopher Testani If you’re going for a red and pink theme for dinner, look no further than this roasted beet and grapefruit salad. Get the Recipe 05 of 16 Baked Goat Cheese Salad Greg DuPree Don’t be put off by the long timestamp on this recipe — almost all of it is devoted to letting the goat cheese rounds refrigerate overnight. Besides, the end result is so good that we named the dish one of our 40 best recipes of all time. Get the Recipe 06 of 16 Sweet Potato Gnocchi Oriana Koren The grooves in these homemade gnocchi help the sauce cling to every bite. Get the Recipe 07 of 16 Roast Chicken with Hot Honey John Kernick Save any leftover hot honey from this recipe to drizzle on pizza, cheese plates, and more. Get the Recipe 08 of 16 Garlicky Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet Peppers Greg DuPree This recipe — another one of our 40 Best — can be braised the day beforehand for extra flavorful, tender meat. Get the Recipe 09 of 16 Herbes de Provence–Crusted Branzino and Fingerlings Greg Dupree Butter, Dijon mustard, salt, and herbes de Provence make a tasty spread for this easy meal. Plus, since it’s all cooked on one sheet pan, cleanup is minimal. Get the Recipe 10 of 16 Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Oranges, Olives, and Herbs Antonis Achilleos Rich salmon is brightened up by winter citrus, paired with tartness from pomegranate molasses and butteriness from Castelvetrano olives. Get the Recipe 11 of 16 Steakhouse-Style Rib Eyes Christopher Testani Skip the steakhouse and make your own impressive rib eyes at home. All you need is salt and time. Get the Recipe 12 of 16 Grilled Lobster Tails with Stelline and Lemon Antonis Achilleos Paula Disbrowe loves to make grilled lobster tails for Valentine’s Day, serving them over stelline (a small, star-shaped pasta) with a nice glass of white wine on the side. Get the Recipe 13 of 16 Blackened Skillet Pork Chops with Beans and Spinach Victor Protasio In just three steps and 25 minutes, you’ll have an entire meal ready. For wine, we’d suggest going with a smoky, dark-fruited Malbec. Get the Recipe 14 of 16 Thousand-Layer Duck Fat Potatoes Victor Protasio Duck fat lends richness to these crispy, fluffy potatoes, a worthy labor of love for an impressive dinner. Get the Recipe 15 of 16 Charred Vegetable Ragù Victor Protasio Comfort food takes many forms, and this complex, satisfying vegetarian pasta is comfort food at its finest. Get the Recipe 16 of 16 Scallop Grenobloise Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Grenobloise means in the style of the southeastern French city of Grenoble, and refers to a classic French sauce of lemon and capers. Here, beautifully seared scallops with a golden crust are served in a sauce popping with acidity from lemon, brininess from capers, and slight warmth from mildly piquant jalapeños. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit