If you and your Valentine are opting to have a cozy night in this Valentine's Day, we love cooking up one of these homemade dinners for two.
It can be a bit of a challenge to find dinner recipes that aren't created for a full table, but you deserve to enjoy cooking at home without having to worry about the leftovers going to waste! Especially if you go the formal route and decide to cook something a bit fancier and more elegant, and likely a little more expensive, for Valentine's.
To help you plan the ultimate Valentine's Day meal, we've rounded up some of our favorite dinner recipes with smaller serving sizes. We've got vegetarian dinner recipes, pasta recipes, some healthy and seasonal salads, and even some recipes for the grill.
If you need to polish off the evening with something chocolaty or maybe a healthier dessert, we've got plenty of dessert recipes too!
More Dinner Recipes for All Occasions:
Filet Mignon with Duck Fat Potatoes
Steak and potatoes gets some very serious, very delicious upgrades in this dinner fit for royalty.
Marry Me Chicken
Will it cause your partner to declare their undying love and/or immediately drop to one knee and propose? Who can say? But one thing is for sure: if you make this dish, they'll definitely feel well-cared for.
White Wine-Garlic Pasta with Scallops
If you love seafood, these pan-seared scallops are a great option for a delicious and slightly elevated dinner.
Steak au Poivre
This French bistro dish is as tasty as it is simple: a very good cut of steak, crusted in cracked peppercorns and cooked perfectly, then doused in a rich pan sauce made from brandy and heavy cream.
Pasta Carbonara
This dish is incredibly rich and filling. We love it as a simple dinner-for-two with a glass of red wine.
Peach-and-Bacon Pizza
The best thing about this pizza is that you can split it with your significant other, or make two individual pizzas! And you can swap out the toppings with whatever you like.
Coconut Curry Chicken
Who says you can't have an elegant and delicious dinner in the middle of the week? This rich homemade curry is about as easy and delicious as it gets.
Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta
This easy pasta dish is bursting with fresh flavor thanks to some lemon and asparagus. You can have this one on the table in under 30 minutes!
Stovetop Cheeseburgers
Of course we wouldn't blame you if you wanted to grill up two cheese burgers with that classic smoky, grilled flavor. But it's also pretty easy to make a couple on your stovetop!
Quiche Lorraine
An easy quiche for any occasion (yes, even Valentine's!), this cheesy dish pairs perfectly with a salad and a glass of something bubbly.
Asparagus White Pizza with Prosciutto and Gremolata
Make it a pizza night! Think beyond the red sauce and give this white pizza a try. This pizza gets a base layer of creamy ricotta and it just keeps getting better from there!
Get the recipe for Asparagus White Pizza with Prosciutto and Gremolata.
Truffled Risotto with Mushrooms and Parmesan
Though it has a reputation for being fussy, risotto is actually pretty easy to make. It just takes a little bit of stirring. (We like to do it with a glass of wine in one hand, and some good music on.)
Get the recipe for Truffled Risotto with Mushrooms and Parmesan.
Oysters Rockefeller
Though they're often served as an appetizer or even h'ors d'oeuvre, we think they make an absolutely decadent dinner for two, as well as a lighter main dish for four (served with a side salad, for instance).
Linguine with Clam Sauce
If you love seafood but have been reluctant to cook it at home, this is a great starter dish. It makes an excellent date-night meal, and the cooking will infuse your kitchen with an alluring ocean-like scent!
Creole Shrimp Caesar Salad with Cheesy Croutons
When a light dinner is just what you're looking for, this flavorful shrimp salad is just the thing. Serve it with a glass of white wine and biscuits for an elegant dinner for two.
Get the recipe for Creole Shrimp Caesar Salad with Cheesy Croutons.
Beef Stroganoff
This comfort-food stew is rich and tasty — but also surprisingly easy to make. If you want to make a dinner-for-two that's also hearty, give it a whirl.
Chicken and Snap Pea Pasta
If you're looking for a fast, veggie-forward pasta dish that doesn't involve red sauce, then look no further.
Baked Halibut with Gremolata
If you're looking to eat a fancy seafood dinner, halibut is a first-rate choice. Like other quality ingredients—steak, or lobster—it doesn't need a whole lot to make it taste great.
Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Honey-Mustard Sauce
This upgrade on basic baked chicken is an absolute must-try. Finely chopped pecans add rich, nutty flavor that will surprise and delight.
Chicken Parmesan
Crispy, cheesy, and comforting, chicken Parmesan is a classic restaurant dish. But it's sneakily easy to make at home.
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