16 Impressive Recipes for Valentine's Day Dinner

Roast Chicken with Hot Honey Recipe
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

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.

02 of 16

Oysters with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette

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.

03 of 16

White Truffle Tagliolini

white truffle taglioni

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.

04 of 16

Roasted Beet, Ruby Red Grapefruit, and Warm Honey Salad

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.

05 of 16

Baked Goat Cheese Salad

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.

06 of 16

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Oriana Koren

The grooves in these homemade gnocchi help the sauce cling to every bite.

07 of 16

Roast Chicken with Hot Honey

Roast Chicken with Hot Honey Recipe
John Kernick

Save any leftover hot honey from this recipe to drizzle on pizza, cheese plates, and more.

08 of 16

Garlicky Braised Lamb Shanks with Sweet Peppers

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.

09 of 16

Herbes de Provence–Crusted Branzino and Fingerlings

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.

10 of 16

Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Oranges, Olives, and Herbs

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.

11 of 16

Steakhouse-Style Rib Eyes

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.

12 of 16

Grilled Lobster Tails with Stelline and Lemon

Grilled Lobster Tails
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.

13 of 16

Blackened Skillet Pork Chops with Beans and Spinach

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.

14 of 16

Thousand-Layer Duck Fat Potatoes

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.

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Charred Vegetable Ragù

Charred Vegetable Ragu
Victor Protasio

Comfort food takes many forms, and this complex, satisfying vegetarian pasta is comfort food at its finest.

16 of 16

Scallop Grenobloise

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. 

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