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 selection of elegant, romance-ready recipes to help fill out your menu. Think earthy mushroom and truffle pasta, Nobu’s classic black cod with miso, and fragrant Thai-spiced rib eyes, with a few salads and vegetable sides to match. Add a nice bottle of wine and some candles, and you’ll be glad you stayed in.
Lobster Thermidor
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
A rich sauce infused with cremini mushrooms and wine balances the natural sweetness of lobster in this classic French recipe, with Parmesan cheese adding a golden brown crust. We can’t think of anything more impressive (and delicious) for date night.
Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali
This dish from 1990 F&W Best New Chef Tom Valenti is a lesson in the art of seduction. Short ribs are cooked low and slow in red wine with thyme and a whole head of garlic, building anticipation with a glorious savory aroma for three hours before emerging with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a deeply flavorful sauce.
Chicken au Poivre
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
Nicole Hopper’s riff on the French bistro classic swaps steak for juicy chicken thighs, whose drippings form the base of a luscious pan sauce with shallots, garlic, thyme, and coarsely ground black pepper.
Wedge Salad with Candied Bacon and Gorgonzola Dressing
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
If steak is on your Valentine’s Day menu, this salad would make a sexy side. Crunchy iceberg lettuce, crispy candied bacon, and a creamy Gorgonzola dolce dressing combine for the ultimate version of the steakhouse classic.
Petite Beef Wellington
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
You know love is in the air when these Wellingtons are on the menu. The single-serving format feels especially extravagant; a higher ratio of crackling puff pastry and earthy mushroom duxelles envelops juicy roast beef to delight your guest of honor.
Venetian Shrimp with Polenta
Victor Protasio
Inspired by his travels in Italy, David McCann’s simple yet sophisticated recipe comes together in less than an hour, starting with creamy polenta followed by buttery shrimp simmered in chicken stock and white wine.
Black Cod with Miso
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Marinated in a signature blend of mirin, sake, white miso, and sugar, this streamlined version of the famous black cod from 1989 F&W Best New Chef Nobu Matsuhisa delivers all the elegance and flavor you’d expect at a five-star restaurant — only here, you get a delicate fish dish without booking a reservation.
Prakas’ Rib Eye
Aubrie Pick
2016 F&W Best New Chef Kris Yenbamroong marinates rib eye steaks in Thai seasoning sauce, white pepper, and soy sauce, then finishes them with an unexpected shower of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a nutty, savory twist. A quick sear builds a dark crust before the sliced steaks soak up a glossy pan sauce.
Creamy Seafood Risotto
Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans
Arborio rice simmered with onion, saffron, wine, and clam juice forms a fragrant, savory base for this seafood-rich dish, finished with tender shrimp and sweet crab. A spoonful of mascarpone adds an extra layer of lush, velvety creaminess.
Ricotta Gnocchi
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Prissy Montiel
Homemade gnocchi is a great way to say I love you. These pillowy ricotta-filled gnocchi from chef Geoffrey Zakarian are tossed in a simple sage-infused brown butter sauce with crispy bits of pancetta.
Pork Marsala with Mushrooms
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
F&W recipe developer Renu Dhar treats tender bone-in pork chops to a luxurious bath of creamy wine sauce studded with a fresh blend of wild and cremini mushrooms.
Scallop Grenobloise
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
It doesn’t get simpler than these seared scallops elevated by a Grenobloise sauce made of lemon and briny, tangy capers. Pair with your favorite pasta and you’ve got the ultimate couples’ dinner.
Cocoa-Spiced Steaks with Red Wine–Chocolate Sauce
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Chocolate is an essential part of Valentine’s Day, but it doesn’t need to be in candy form. These steaks are ready for date night, starting with a mildly spicy cocoa rub and finishing with a luxurious pan sauce of butter, cocoa, and red wine.
Oysters with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Karin Olsen
This easy appetizer is perfect for romantic special occasions. The dish combines fragrant and slightly spicy yuzu kosho with briny oysters on the half shell to set the mood.
Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur
Victor Protasio
Pan drippings become a French “hunter’s” sauce featuring mushroom and tomato that’s spooned over the carved bird. Rather than the usual demi-glace, cream thickens this version to allow the flavors to shine.
Dirty Martini Salmon
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg Dupree / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey
If your special someone takes their martini with an olive or five, this recipe is a no-brainer. It’s a largely hands-off affair: Salmon roasts over a bed of sliced lemon in a low oven before it’s topped with a briny gremolata made from gin-soaked Castelvetrano olives and plenty of herbs.
Potato Tarte Tatin with Bacon and Gruyère
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This dramatic inverted potato tart with caramel, bacon, and Gruyère — a savory take on the French dessert — brings golden sheen to a special Valentine’s Day meal. Parcook and shingle potatoes ahead; bake and flip just before serving.
Grilled Lobster Tails with Stelline and Lemon
Antonis Achilleos
Cookbook author and recipe developer 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.
Miso Carbonara White Beans
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
Creamy cannellini beans soak up the essence of smoky bacon, sharp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, rich egg yolks, and deeply savory white miso in Craig Ruff’s combo of Italian and Japanese flavors — a fusion cuisine called itameshi in Japan.
Steak Frites
Jerrelle Guy
Deceptively simple and universally appealing, steak frites demands a perfectly cooked steak and golden, piping hot fries. Instead of pan-frying his steak, author Steven Raichlen opts to grill the meat before anointing it with a dollop of creamy Roquefort butter.
Cod with Clams and White Wine
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Littleneck clams steam in a garlicky white wine broth that becomes the foundation of this quick, elegant dinner from chef Jose Garces. Simply seasoned cod fillets bake in the oven to complete each bowl.
Soppressata Pizza with Calabrian Chiles and Hot Honey
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Sweet meets heat in this pizza covered in hot honey, Calabrian chiles, and soppressata (Italian salami) plus torn mozzarella, thinly sliced red onion, and fresh oregano over an easy homemade tomato sauce.
Sauvignon Blanc–Steamed Mussels with Garlic Toast
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Called moules marinières in France, these mussels are steamed in Sauvignon Blanc and served in a sauce made from the cooking liquid, butter, and parsley. The dish is easy to customize and comes together is just about 20 minutes.
Lamb Loin Chops Sizzled with Garlic
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Las Pedroñeras, in the Castilla–La Mancha region, is considered the garlic capital of Spain. These juicy, meaty lamb chops sizzled in extra-virgin olive oil with plenty of garlic cloves are food writer Janet Mendel’s homage to the village.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This decadent macaroni and cheese has it all: a generous amount of lobster meat and a rich three-cheese sauce made with Fontina, Gruyère, and mascarpone, mixed with pasta and baked under a crunchy topping of panko and Parmesan cheese.
Pan-Roasted Chicken with Grapes, Garlic, and Rosemary
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
You only need one pan to bring this chicken dinner to life on Valentine’s Day. Cut a whole chicken into eight pieces before roasting with grapes, garlic cloves, and fresh rosemary sprigs to yield crispy skin and a schmaltzy pan sauce.
Teriyaki Salmon
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Elegant yet low-lift, this salmon from F&W recipe developer Nicole Hopper is glazed with a sweet-savory teriyaki sauce that includes soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and fresh ginger. Broiling the salmon on a rack set over green beans also seasons the veggies as they cook.
French Onion Soup
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali
Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s take on the timeless French onion soup, called “soupe à l’oignon” in France, includes beef stock, dry sherry, Worcestershire sauce, and plenty of caramelized onions. Use Emmental or Gruyère cheese for the golden, gooey topping.
Chili Crisp Shrimp Scampi
Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Jasmine Smith / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines
Bring the heat on date night with this tongue-tingling shrimp scampi. Packed with garlicky shrimp and topped with spicy chili crisp and crunchy fried shallots, it comes together in just 40 minutes.
Salad of Pink Radicchio, Citrus, and Mushroom Bagna Cauda
Gentl & Hyers
Delicate pink radicchio, Cara Cara oranges, and a warm, nutty brown butter bagna cauda enriched with porcini powder and anchovy make for a gorgeous and bright winter salad that’s almost too pretty to eat.
Farro Mafaldine with Black Truffle Butter and Mushrooms
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Truffles are undeniably a special occasion ingredient, and there’s no better time to use them than for a decadent Valentine’s Day dinner. Creamy butter and wild mushrooms lend maximum flavor to nutty farro pasta studded with black truffle.
Roast Chicken with Hot Honey
John Kernick
A salt and spice mixture ensures these chicken legs retain all their flavor and tenderness. Save any leftover hot honey to drizzle on pizza, cheese plates, and more.
Cacio e Pepe Duchess Potatoes
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Rich and elegant, these duchess potatoes combine mashed potatoes with egg yolk and butter plus pecorino cheese and freshly ground black pepper for a visually striking side that has all the delicious flavor of classic cacio e pepe.
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Strawberry–Merlot Sauce
Victor Protasio
Nothing says romance like a sauce of roasted strawberries and Merlot, which is the real star of this simply seasoned pork dish from chef Alex Hrabovsky.
French Seafood Bisque with Baguette
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
A rich, creamy bisque filled with fresh seafood is the perfect soppable start to your Valentine’s Day dinner.
Dining and Cooking