50 Romantic Valentine's Dinners That'll Convince Anyone You Didn't Just Forget To Reserve A Table (2024)

A Caprese salad is great, but sometimes we crave those flavors (and something a little more hearty) in the dead of winter. The solution? Stuff sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and spinach into chicken breasts for an Italian-inspired meal you can enjoy year-round.

Get the Caprese Stuffed Chicken recipe.

Rich, juicy and extra-flavorful, ribeye is a great choice when you're looking for a homemade steak dinner to impress. Follow our tips & tricks for perfecting your ribeye right at home, and you just might have the most special date night-in yet.

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For this version of lobster ravioli, we used wonton wrappers instead of pasta dough. If you want actual pasta-encased lobster ravioli, then our pasta dough is great; otherwise, we promise you’re going to make these over and over again.

Get the Lobster Ravioli recipe.

This simple chicken is one of our most romantic recipes ever. If you (or your boo) is a sun-dried tomato hater (we feel you), use fresh ones instead. It won’t have as much of a tangy kick, but it’ll still be just as impressive.

Get the Marry Me Chicken recipe.

This veggie-packed paella comes together in under an hour, and, even better, most of the cooking happens in the oven. Briefly returning the skillet to the stovetop after baking is the key to achieving a crispy rice crust on the bottom, often referred to as socarrat (meaning “burnt” in Catalan).

Get the Paella Verdura recipe.

We switched up our creamy Tuscan chicken—one of our most popular chicken dinners—by swapping out the chicken for buttery, delicate scallops and keeping the well-loved iconic flavors.

Get the Tuscan Butter Scallops recipe.

We love this meal because it comes with lots of veggies and is perfect over orzo or rice. If you want to earn extra points, serve the salmon over a bed of arugula salad or spinach.

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This recipe is a perfect example of how versatile cabbage can be. Big wedges of the veg are seared, then simmered along with chickpeas, in a savory and slightly spicy coconut milk broth. You’ll be amazed how this humble vegetable is transformed into something to brag about.

Get the Coconut Braised Cabbage recipe.

Tomato butter works wonders on chicken. Not only does it keep the bird moist, but the healthy dose of tomato paste brings a slightly sweet, umami acidity, which chicken could often use.

Get the Tomato-Butter Roast Chicken recipe.

Cassoulet, one of France’s most heralded and sublime dishes, is a formidable stew made of white beans, sausage, confit (usually duck), and pork. Put it at the top of your list of comfort foods to tackle this Valentine's Day to really show the love—you won’t regret it.

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Here, a simple combination of fresh aromatics, white wine, and seafood stock transforms humble Italian rice grains into the dreamy, cheesy, luscious rice porridge that we’ve all come to love. Adding fresh, faintly sweet lobster meat is all that’s needed to take your risotto over the top.

Get the Lobster Risotto recipe.

For these mini baked pastas, you get the best of all worlds from a creamy, cheesy sauce reminiscent of your favorite oven-baked mac and cheese, plus crispy, savory bread crumbs and hearty, meaty mushrooms.

Get the Mini Mushroom Pasta Bakes recipe.

This easy mahi-mahi recipe comes together in 30 minutes or less. After searing the fish for a few minutes per side, make a super-simple lemon butter sauce with garlicky. We like to sauté some asparagus too, but use whatever vegetable you like.

Get the Garlicky Lemon Mahi Mahi recipe.

Cacio e pepe literally translates to “cheese and pepper." These two ingredients are usually thought of as small components to a dish, but in this pasta recipe, they take center stage. The fruity bite of freshly ground pepper adds complexity, and is earthy, sweet, and spicy all at once.

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If you’re the type to prefer deep-dish over thin crust pizza, let us introduce you to your new obsession—Detroit-style pizza. With a tender, airy crust (think focaccia), lots of crispy edges, tons of melty cheese, and savory pepperoni slices, there's a lot to love about this unconventional pizza.

Get the Detroit-Style Pizza recipe.

This steak dish comes together quickly and is so full of flavor. It makes us forget chicken fettuccine Alfredo ever existed. If you want the steak without the pasta, may we suggest Cajun butter steak?

Get the Creamy Steak Fettuccine recipe.

This Spanish dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleasing centerpiece for special occasions and parties, but honestly, this dish is enough reason to celebrate all on its own. With its beautiful and impactful presentation, we wouldn’t be surprised if a few tears are shed when you serve it.

Get the Classic Paella recipe.

Make this showstopper with a custom blend of your favorite funghi! If wild mushrooms are not accessible, creminis or button mushrooms would also work perfectly. If serving for a dinner party or event, the ragú can be made up to three days in advance; just reheat gently on the stovetop while you make the polenta.

Get the Polenta with Wild Mushroom Ragú recipe.

This salad is simple enough for a weeknight but worthy of planning a get-together around, thanks to its star ingredient—ribeye steak. You’ll grill it (and red onions), then combine it with cherry tomatoes, blue cheese, basil, and a drizzle of tangy balsamic dressing, turning it into the kind of impressive-but-secretly-easy dish you’ll be making all the time.

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When you want a bit of decadence and elegance at the dinner table, but don't have time to make a super-fancy meal, this your recipe. It's so simple, it can be thrown together in about 30 minutes. That wine sauce is perfection.

Get the Linguine With Clams recipe.