53 Impressive Date Night Recipes That You Can Actually Make At Home — Including Dinners, Desserts, And Drinks

    From dinner to drinks to dessert.

    Hannah Loewentheil
    by Hannah Loewentheil

    BuzzFeed Staff

    I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Whether you're a hopeless romantic or not really a Valentine's Day person at all, we can all agree that any holiday is just an excuse for a delicious meal. So whether you're cooking for your significant other, your galentines, or some other special person, these recipes are just what you're looking for. They feel a little bit fancy, but they're easy enough to whip up at home.

    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    Every holiday is only as good as the food, and bacon makes everything better, of course.

    Recipe: Goat Cheese–Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Dates With Honey

    2. Apple, Brie, and Prosciutto Crostini Recipe

    Crostini topped with Brie cheese, prosciutto, and sliced apple
    Chew Out Loud / Via chewoutloud.com

    Start off date night with some light bites like these crostini topped with creamy Brie cheese, crispy apple, and salty prosciutto. 

    Recipe: Apple, Brie, and Prosciutto Crostini Recipe

    3. Pan-Fried Feta With Peppered Honey

    Pan-Fried Feta With Peppered Honey on a plate
    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    In case you've been searching for the secret to love, it's melty cheese.

    Recipe: Pan-Fried Feta With Peppered Honey

    4. Puff Pastry Spinach and Artichoke Pinwheels

    Pinwheels stuffed with spinach artichoke filling
    House of Yumm / Via houseofyumm.com

    Deliciously decadent, yet so easy to whip up, these spinach and artichoke puff pastry pinwheels make any evening feel like a celebration.

    Recipe: Puff Pastry Spinach and Artichoke Pinwheels

    5. Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta

    Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta
    Carlsbad Cravings / Via carlsbadcravings.com

    Recipe: Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta

    6. Hot Crab Dip

    A skillet of hot crab dip
    Tastes Better From Scratch / Via tastesbetterfromscratch.com

    Recipe: Hot Crab Dip

    7. Whipped Ricotta Toast With Pistachios and Honey

    Ricotta toast with pistachios
    Fetty's Food Blog / Via fettysfoodblog.com

    Fancy open-faced toast — like this version with fluffy whipped ricotta, pistachios, and a little, sweet drizzle of honey — makes for the perfect appetizer.

    Recipe: Whipped Ricotta Toast With Pistachios and Honey

    8. Brown Butter Farro With Mushrooms and Burrata

    A bowl of mushrooms with burrata and herbs
    The Original Dish / Via theoriginaldish.com

    Consider yourself warned: This burrata-packed side dish might just steal the dinner show.

    Recipe: Brown Butter Farro With Mushrooms and Burrata

    9. Steak au Poivre

    Steak au poivre with fries
    Simply Delicious Food / Via simply-delicious-food.com

    Can't swing a trip to Paris this Valentine's Day? Bring a little bit of France into your very own home with this steak in pepper sauce (just don't forget the frites).

    Recipe: Steak au Poivre

    10. Pasta With Sausage and Mushroom Ragù

    Sidewalk Shoes / Via sidewalkshoes.com

    This savory, umami-packed ragù takes any old pasta and turns it into a meal worth feasting on.

    Recipe: Pasta With Sausage and Mushroom Ragù

    11. Mushroom and Butter Bean Ragù With Cheesy Polenta

    Mushroom and Butter Bean Ragù With Cheesy Polenta
    Rebel Recipes / Via rebelrecipes.com

    This hearty main just happens to be totally vegetarian, but you'd probably never realize it.

    Recipe: Mushroom and Butter Bean Ragù With Cheesy Polenta

    12. Lobster Scampi With Linguine

    Cooking for Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com

    If you want to pull out all the stops for date night, lobster is always an excellent idea. Here, it's tossed with garlicky linguine for an epic pasta night.

    Recipe: Lobster Scampi With Linguine

    A Thought for Food / Via athoughtforfood.net

    This Spanish-inspired seafood dish calls for just a few ingredients, but it tastes restaurant quality. Just don't forget about the crusty bread for sopping up all the garlic sauce.

    Recipe: Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Chili Oil)

    14. Old Bay Crab Cakes

    Crab cake with a bite taken out of it
    Grand Baby Cakes / Via grandbaby-cakes.com

    Serve these Maryland-style crab cakes with your favorite grain, a big salad, or some roasted vegetables for a complete meal that is simple yet satisfying. 

    Recipe: Old Bay Crab Cakes

    15. Halibut Piccata

    Halibut piccata in a skillet
    The Defined Dish / Via thedefineddish.com

    This classic chicken recipe calls for halibut instead of poultry, but you can really use any semi-firm white fish. Anything from monkfish to cod will taste amazing in the lemon caper sauce.

    Recipe: Halibut Piccata

    16. Spicy Miso Brown Butter Pasta

    Brown butter pasta shells in a pan
    Serving Dumplings / Via servingdumplings.com

    The secret ingredient in this flavor-packed pasta: white miso paste. Combined with browned butter, walnuts, sage, and pecorino, the flavor is pretty much irresistible.

    Recipe: Spicy Miso Brown Butter Pasta

    17. San Francisco Cioppino

    Seafood stew with bread on the side
    Diethood / Via diethood.com

    Grab any of your favorite seafood — like mussels, clams, shrimp, lobsters, or fish — and turn it into a cozy tomato-based soup that'll warm you right up.

    Recipe: San Francisco Cioppino

    18. Hoisin Glazed Pork Chops

    Asian-style pork chops with slaw
    The Modern Proper / Via themodernproper.com

    This Asian-inspired glaze — a blend of sesame oil, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, and rice vinegar — turns your average pork chops into a delicacy. Serve it with rice or a simple cabbage slaw.

    Recipe: Hoisin Glazed Pork Chops

    19. Chicken Marsala

    Foodie Crush / Via foodiecrush.com

    This classic Italian recipe never fails to impress. With some butter noodles on the side, it's a no-brainer.

    Recipe: Chicken Marsala

    20. Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe

    Cheese fondue with vegetables, crackers, bread, and fruit for dipping
    Platings and Pairings / Via platingsandpairings.com

    If your love language is cheese, look no further.

    Recipe: Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe

    21. Pumpkin Risotto With Bacon and Parmesan

    Pumpkin Risotto With Bacon and Parmesan in a bowl
    The Original Dish / Via theoriginaldish.com

    Restaurant-quality risotto at home is possible, and all that's required is a little bit of stove-top stirring. 

    Recipe: Pumpkin Risotto With Bacon and Parmesan

    22. Pasta Pomodoro With Chicken and Goat Cheese

    Pasta with chicken, blistered tomato, cheese, and torn basil
    Plays Well With Butter / Via playswellwithbutter.com

    Or, if your love language is carbs, here ya go.

    Recipe: Pasta Pomodoro With Chicken and Goat Cheese

    23. Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

    House of Nash Eats / Via houseofnasheats.com

    Bacon-wrapped scallops might seem fancy, but in reality they're so easy to whip up on a single sheet pan.

    Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

    24. Baked French Onion Meatballs

    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    This recipe calls for ground chicken, but you can use whatever meat or vegetarian ingredient you like best. It's the cheesy, fragrant caramelized onion sauce that really steals the show here.

    Recipe: Baked French Onion Meatballs

    25. Classic Eggplant Parmesan

    A simple Palate / Via asimplepalate.com

    Breaded, crispy eggplant is layered with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce, then it's baked until golden perfection and sprinkled with fresh herbs.

    Recipe: Classic Eggplant Parmesan

    26. Slow-Baked Salmon With Herb Shallot Butter

    Salmon with potatoes and baby broccoli
    Well Seasoned Studio / Via wellseasonedstudio.com

    Forget any fears you might have about cooking fish at home. Slow cooked at a low temperature, it's guaranteed to be perfectly fork tender.

    Recipe: Slow-Baked Salmon With Herb Shallot Butter

    27. Date Night Creamy Tuscan Ravioli

    Ravioli skillet with creamy sauce
    Little Spice Jar / Via littlespicejar.com

    Grab your favorite store-bought ravioli and turn it into a seriously impressive dish worthy of a special occasion.

    Recipe: Date Night Creamy Tuscan Ravioli

    Zestful Kitchen / Via zestfulkitchen.com

    These juicy and tender Japanese-inspired beef roll-ups taste just as good as the Izakaya favorite.

    Recipe: Beef Negimaki (Japanese Steak and Scallion Rolls)

    29. Stuffed Tuscan Chicken

    Jessica Gavin / Via jessicagavin.com

    Looking for a way to upgrade boneless chicken breasts into a creative meal? Stuff them with a blend of cream cheese and Parmesan, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs.

    Recipe: Stuffed Tuscan Chicken

    30. Shrimp Risotto

    Shrimp risotto in a bowl
    Platings and Pairings / Via platingsandpairings.com

    It may look totally fancy, but this simple-meets-elegant dinner can be on the table in about 40 minutes. All it takes is a little bit of stirring.

    Recipe: Shrimp Risotto

    31. Cast-Iron Rib-Eye Steak With Chimichurri

    A rib-eye steak sliced and topped with chimichurri
    Joyful Healthy Eats / Via joyfulhealthyeats.com

    With a few simple tips, cooking incredible steak at home is a breeze. Plus, it's way more affordable than any rib eye you could order at a restaurant.

    Recipe: Cast-Iron Rib-Eye Steak With Chimichurri

    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    Turn date night into DIY pizza night. Fire up the oven, pick your favorite toppings, and that's amore.

    Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Burrata Pizza

    33. Creamy Lemon Pappardelle With Scallops

    Spices In My DNA / Via spicesinmydna.com

    This pasta only calls for a handful of simple ingredients (seven, to be exact), but it tastes so extravagant, you'd never guess.

    Recipe: Creamy Lemon Pappardelle With Scallops

    34. Air Fryer Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass

    JZ Eats / Via jz-eats.com

    Coated in a mixture of butter, miso paste, mirin, maple syrup, and ginger, this supremely savory fish tastes like a real treat. If you don't have Chilean sea bass accessible, try it with cod or salmon.

    Recipe: Air Fryer Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass

    35. Vegan Pesto Cream Gnocchi

    Vegan pesto gnocchi
    The Curious Chickpea / Via thecuriouschickpea.com

    This pesto is so rich and decadent, you won't believe there's no cream or dairy at all.

    Recipe: Vegan Pesto Cream Gnocchi

    The Life Jolie / Via thelifejolie.com

    Lightly coated in flour and pan seared in butter, garlic, and lemon, this deceptively simple fish recipe might just be your new go-to.

    Recipe: Date Night Fish for 2 in Lemon Sherry Pan Sauce

    37. Molten Chocolate Brownie Bites

    Stacked molten lava brownie bites
    Chelsea's Messy Apron / Via chelseasmessyapron.com

    Nothing says "I love you" like a homemade chocolate dessert.

    Recipe: Molten Chocolate Brownie Bites

    38. Ombré Raspberry Lemon Cookies

    Ombré pink heart cookies
    The Baker Chick / Via thebakerchick.com

    What says "I appreciate you" like an art project and dessert in one?

    Recipe: Ombré Raspberry Lemon Cookies

    39. Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

    Lemon bars cut into squares
    Le Creme de la Crumb / Via lecremedelacrumb.com

    Add a little zest to your date night with these citrus-packed lemon bars.

    Recipe: Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

    Completely Delicious / Via completelydelicious.com

    For those who prefer savory to sweet, this Brie pizza makes for a totally appropriate dessert.

    Recipe: Raspberry Brie Dessert Pizza With Rosemary and Pecans

    41. Rustic Spiced Pear Galette

    A galette filled with sliced pears and topped with vanilla ice cream
    Food Duchess / Via foodduchess.com

    Pro tip: Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream à la mode for the full effect.

    Recipe: Rustic Spiced Pear Galette

    42. Strawberry White Chocolate Cookies

    Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com

    Freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate chips give these sugar cookies a little extra oomph.

    Recipe: Strawberry White Chocolate Cookies

    43. Nutella Crepes

    Nutella crepes topped with raspberries
    Oh Sweet Basil / Via ohsweetbasil.com

    Dessert or breakfast, the choice is yours.

    Recipe: Nutella Crepes

    44. Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

    A skillet chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream
    Frosting and Fettuccine / Via frostingandfettuccine.com

    Grab two spoons and dig on in.

    Recipe: Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

    45. Triple Berry Tiramisu

    Berry tiramisu in a pan
    The Cookie Rookie / Via thecookierookie.com

    Strawberries are red, blueberries are blue, your date will fall in love over this tiramisu.

    Recipe: Triple Berry Tiramisu

    46. Pecan Sandie Truffles

    Vanilla chocolate dipped truffles
    Tastes of Lizzy T / Via tastesoflizzyt.com

    All you need are four ingredients: pecan sandies, cream cheese, pecans, and powdered sugar. Just form the mixture into balls and dip it in vanilla chocolate.

    Recipe: Pecan Sandie Truffles

    47. Winter Pear Sangria

    Glasses of pear and cranberry beverage
    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    It may not be summertime, but sangria is always in season. This winter version is crisp and refreshing and packed with winter fruits.

    Recipe: Winter Pear Sangria

    48. Clover Club Cocktail

    Two coups filled with a pink cocktail
    Savored Sips / Via savoredsips.com

    Turn your kitchen into a cocktail bar with this pretty-in-pink drink. The secret ingredient is egg white.

    Recipe: Clover Club Cocktail

    49. Paper Plane Cocktail

    An orange cocktail in a glass
    A Flavor Journal / Via aflavorjournal.com

    Campari (or Aperol, if you prefer) gives this whiskey drink its appealing clementine color. 

    Recipe: Paper Plane Cocktail

    50. 4-Ingredient Espresso Martini

    Platings and Pairings / Via platingsandpairings.com

    For an even creamier riff on this classic, try swapping Baileys in place of the Kahlúa coffee liqueur.

    Recipe: 4-Ingredient Espresso Martini

    51. Cucumber Margaritas

    A cucumber margarita with salted rim
    The Speckled Palate / Via thespeckledpalate.com

    Transport yourself to the beach with the help of this seriously refreshing cucumber cocktail. Add some jalapeño, too, if you like it spicy.

    Recipe: Cucumber Margaritas

    52. Pomegranate and Orange Champagne Punch

    Three glasses containing cocktails
    Foodie Crush / Via foodiecrush.com

    It's a special occasion, so pop the champagne and use it to make this fruity and bubbly cocktail.

    Recipe: Pomegranate and Orange Champagne Punch

    53. Spiked Hot Chocolate

    Cotter Crunch / Via cottercrunch.com

    Brrr, it's cold out there, but you can keep things toasty with spiked hot cocoa. Oh, and this cozy cocktail comes together right in your slow cooker.

    Recipe: Spiked Hot Chocolate