59 Date Night Recipes for a Romantic Night In
Perhaps you’re looking for date night recipes because you just don’t want to waste your Valentine’s Day budget on a subpar prix fixe at a restaurant downtown. But of course, romantic meals needn’t be limited to one February evening, and cooking at home means a mellow time together, lingering over the kind of food you enjoy most. We’ve combed our recipe archives to find showstopping dinner ideas for two—or the whole household—that won’t feel like just any other night at your table. If you want to cook something special and you’re stumped for fancy dinner suggestions, scroll down to peek at a few of our favorites, including a wide range of risottos and pasta recipes, quick scallops, and impressive duck dinners that are secretly easy to pull off. There’s a recipe here that’s just right for whoever you’re cooking for. And if all else fails, try chocolate.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich1/59Swordfish Steaks With Peppercorn Butter
We want to set you up with date night recipes that taste like they came from a pro chef’s kitchen—and this foolproof method for swordfish is a great place to start. Grab your pepper mill; freshly ground peppercorns are crucial here for maximum flavor.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad5/59Chicken Tagine With Apricots and Almonds
This savory-sweet tagine is a favorite among our staffers—and one of the most popular recipes from Gourmet. Serve it for your Valentine’s Day dinner, lightly sprinkled with toasted almonds.
Photo by Kristin Teig6/59Seared Scallop Piccata
Some of our favorite date night dinner ideas take just a few minutes to prepare, like these gorgeous grilled scallops, napped in a quick white wine sauce flavored with preserved lemon, capers, shallot, and oregano.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich7/59Skillet Chicken Parmesan With Gnocchi
Start a new tradition with this no-stress take on the red sauce favorite. Be sure to buy shelf-stable gnocchi, which will hold up well as it cooks in the sauce.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell8/59Classic Sole Meunière
No, that’s not a typo—you can pull off this classic date night dish in just 15 minutes. Which means you might have time to make a French dessert too.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova9/59Cheese Fondue
Photo by Heami Lee10/59Chili Crisp Bucatini
Want pasta that’s luscious and rich, but also beautifully spiced? Reach into your chili crisp collection.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton12/59Brioche-Crusted Salmon
Does crispy salmon skin get you in the mood? (To eat, that is.) What about salmon crusted with a slice of buttery, crispy brioche? That’s a winning date night dinner idea, for sure.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li13/59Butternut Squash Steaks With Brown Butter–Sage Sauce
Applying the classic steakhouse technique of butter-basting to slabs of butternut squash turns the sweet, earthy vegetable into a special occasion-worthy vegetarian dinner. Just add Parker House rolls and a crisp salad.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Mira Evnine14/59Bangladeshi Wedding Roast Chicken
Although it’s called “wedding” chicken, we’re not suggesting you jump the gun. This deeply flavorful dish is served in Bangladeshi homes for pretty much every celebration.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich15/59Wild Mushroom Risotto
Dry vermouth builds on the mushroomy flavor of this risotto—while it’s open, you might as well make martinis for two.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell16/59Roasted Oysters With Warm Butter Mignonette
Oysters often sound like one of the best romantic dinner ideas, but shucking your own can be intimidating. This oven-popping method is much easier, so you can start your date night dinner right without any fuss.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton17/59Braised Chile-Marmalade Duck Legs With Brussels Sprouts
Photo by Suech and Beck19/59Seared Scallops With Remoulade
It’s simple to cook scallops—but they’re extra special with this zinger of a sauce.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova20/59Bouillabaisse
You want your date night meals to feel cozy and warming, but not too heavy—especially if you’re saving room for a slice of flourless chocolate cake. This seafood stew is just right.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad21/59Lemony Risotto With Asparagus and Shrimp
It takes just a few minutes for the shrimp to cook right in this pot of risotto, so you won’t add the seafood in until the rice is just about tender.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton22/59Chicken and Potato Gratin With Brown Butter Cream
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks23/59Wild Mushroom and Parsnip Ragout With Cheesy Polenta
This hearty vegetarian ragout—served on a bed of creamy polenta—gets a boost of rich flavor from umami-packed tomato and miso pastes.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne24/59Our Favorite Mac and Cheese
The ultimate comfort food? Yes. But there are also very few dishes that pair as well with sparkling wine as this creamy, crunchy-topped macaroni and cheese.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Toni Brogan25/59Crab Linguine With Arugula
This simple crab pasta recipe is one of cookbook author Giuliano Hazan’s all-time favorites.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi26/59Rosemary Rack of Lamb With Roasted Potatoes and Carrots for Two
Miso butter–basted hassleback potatoes, honey butter–glazed carrots, and rosemary-rubbed lamb make an elegant meal for two. Set the table with your favorite candles to really set the mood.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht27/59Lemony Salmon With Potatoes
A jar of store-bought lemon curd, mixed with Dijon mustard, garlic, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, transforms into a tart-and-savory glaze for broiled salmon fillets.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson30/59Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta
No one wants to be stuck washing a ton of dishes on date night. In this home run of a one-pan dish, the penne or ziti cooks right in the sauce.
Photo by Alex Lau31/59Seared Duck Breasts With Blood Oranges
The rosy hue of blood oranges makes a striking presentation, but you can sub Cara Caras or other types of orange here.
Photo by Laura Edwards33/59Salmon Confit With Lime, Juniper, and Fennel
If cooking salmon makes you nervous, confit is the move you need to know. Gently cooking the fish in olive oil means it’ll be supple and tender, not overcooked.
Photography by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen36/59Golden Chicken With Mustard and Shallots
If chicken breast recipes don’t sound like great romantic dinner ideas to you, you haven’t tried this stunner of a dish.
Photo by Ronnie Woo37/59Mussel and Clam Soba With Browned Anchovy Butter
Good cooks know that brown butter can enhance pretty much any dish it touches. Same with anchovies. But together? Watch out.
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich38/59Tamarind-Glazed Black Bass With Coconut-Herb Salad
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell39/59Cauliflower Gratin
You say “fancy dinner recipes” and we say soufflé, but this one is part casserole. It’s warm and comforting while feeling light and virtuous.
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell40/59Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops
A little sweet, a little saucy: Sounds like your Valentine, right? A pinch of sugar helps these pork chops caramelize and develop an exceptional golden-brown crust. It’s one of our favorite dinner recipes for two; just add a loaf of bread for getting every bit of that sauce, and a salad.
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich41/59Pasta With Brown Butter, Whole Lemon, and Parmesan
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano42/59Roast Chicken
This dish—just chicken, thyme, butter, salt, and pepper—is simple, sure. But making it is also a declaration of love and care.
Photo by Shay Harrington43/59Leek and Potato Galette With Pistachio Crust
Since this recipe makes four galettes, you can stick half the dough in the freezer for a future impromptu night of romance. Serve the remaining two with a quick pear salad.
Photo by Gentl & Hyers44/59Chicken-Leg Confit With Potatoes and Escarole
Here’s a formula for a relaxed romantic evening: these chicken legs and potatoes can be cooked up to two days before, then simply crisped on the stove when you’re ready to eat.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich46/59Spicy Lamb Meatballs With Raisin Pesto
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell47/59Sheet-Pan Potato Hash with Fixins
This play on breakfast for dinner is fun and a little fancy. We love the way the trout roe adds pops of texture.
Chelsie Craig50/59White Pesto Pasta
No basil is required for this toasty pesto, which brings together walnuts, ricotta, garlic, Parmesan, and a bit of oregano.
51/59Chicken Marsala
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones and Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley54/59Orange-Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson55/59Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Almost any type of mushroom would work deliciously here; we recommend using a mix. Seek out maitake, oyster, and shiitake, and feel free to supplement with criminis to keep it budget-friendly.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell56/59Crispy Fish With Brown Butter Sauce and Kohlrabi Salad
Photograph by Jessica Pettway, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh57/59Pork Tenderloin With Agrodolce Cherries
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kat Boytsova, prop styling by Gerri Williams58/59Creamy Ricotta Gnocchi
While you can make quick gnocchi from instant mashed potatoes, nothing says I love you like homemade ricotta gnocchi. Dress them in creamy lemon sauce, or go with brown butter and sage.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova59/59Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart
You’ll need a mandoline to get these picturesque slices of squash and sweet potato, but we promise this is one of those date night recipes that is absolutely worth the effort.
