9 Dishes That Are Perfect for Date Night at Home

There’s nothing wrong with going out for a fancy dinner on Valentine’s Day, but cooking at home can be just as romantic—perhaps even more so. With that in mind, we dug into the WL recipe archives to bring you nine stunning dishes (including starters, mains and desserts) that are guaranteed to dazzle your date. Choose just one or go all-in and prepare a three-course meal.

Starters

Roasted Beets with Cashew Cream, Pistachios and Mint

With pops of pink and red, this dish from Jayme MacFayden will look right at home on your Valentine’s Day table. We also love that it can be prepped a day or two in advance. Less time spent chopping means you’ll have more time to romance your significant other.

Roasted Sweet Potato Bisque with Kale Salsa

If pick up lines were a dish, this would be it—Lawren Moneta’s roasted sweet potato bisque is that smooth. It has a luxurious, silky texture and a rich, creamy flavour that’s perfectly complemented by a zesty green salsa (a mix of finely chopped kale, shallots and lemon).

Salt and Pepper Buttermilk Calamari

Want to impress your partner with a restaurant-worthy dish? Calamari is something we so rarely make at home, but this recipe from Julie Van Rosendaal changes that. It’s delightfully crispy and generously seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic. While optional, we encourage you to turn up the heat by throwing some red chilies into the mix.

Mains

Green Ricotta Gnudi al Forno

A comforting dish for a cozy date night at home. These pillowy ricotta dumplings (think ravioli without the pasta shell) are cooked in a velvety bacon mushroom sauce and then garnished with extra grated parmesan. It’s cheesy so your Valentine’s Day card doesn’t have to be.

Grilled Mackerel with Chunky Romesco Sauce and Scallions

Make your Valentine’s Day dinner feel extra special by choosing an ingredient that you wouldn’t normally cook at home, like mackerel. Chef Frank Pabst’s recipe features an expertly grilled piece of the white fish and a smoky romesco sauce. Don’t worry! It looks incredibly sophisticated, but is actually quite easy to pull off.

Pan Seared Venison with Chimichuri

Speaking of proteins that you wouldn’t normally cook at home. For those that prefer meat over fish, we recommend this venison from chef Dan Hayes. Quickly seared and then topped with a parsley and cilantro chimichurri, it packs a flavourful punch.

Desserts

Balsamic Strawberry Sponge Cake

Red, shaped like a heart and linked to the goddess of love, Venus, strawberries are considered to be one of the most romantic foods. So, go ahead and feature them in your Valentine’s Day dessert. This sponge cake from Oh Sweet Day is topped with a heaping pile of the berries (which have been macerated in balsamic vinegar) and freshly whipped cream.

S’mores with Grand Marnier Graham Crackers

Why not end your meal with an intimate and interactive dish? S’mores are playful and a little messy, and will require you and your date to lean in close over a small flame or heater. Keep ‘em classic or make them a little boozy with Rachel Zottenberg’s homemade Grand Marnier graham cracker recipe.

Roasted Pear Belle-Hélène

Chocolate sauce, ice cream, caramelized fruit—this French dish has all the classic dessert elements, but with a few modern twists from Jackie Kai Ellis. Roast the pears instead of poaching them for a bit of extra texture and sprinkle on some Maldon sea salt at the end to keep it from being overly sweet.