Valentine's Day starter recipes
Oysters with ginger Japanese dressing
A special light but flavoursome starter for any romantic Valentine's meal. Salmon roe is available from fishmongers and supermarkets, or look for tobiko (smaller eggs) in Japanese shops or at japancentre.com.
'Nduja prawns with focaccia
Use the hob to recreate this deliciously garlicky prawns pil pil for two, where plump prawns sit in a spicy oil. Don’t forget the focaccia for mopping up all of those wonderful juices.
Baked feta with roasted grapes and rosemary
Salty feta pairs perfectly with sweet, juicy roasted grapes and makes for a luxurious starter with zero prep time on the day.
More like this
Prawns pil pil
Kickstart your Valentine's meal with deliciously plump prawns in a garlicky, spicy oil. Pair with their favourite wine and don’t forget the crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.
Grilled goat’s cheese with hot honey and pink peppercorns
Throw together this impressive-looking starter in just 20 minutes start to finish. Grilling the goat's cheese gives it extra oomph, along with the drizzled hot honey.
Classic manti
These classic manti take quite a bit of work to make but are well worth it for a showstopping Valentine's meal. A great way to start off an indulgent meal.
Truffled spinach and ricotta ravioli
Ever deep-fried ravioli? It's great date food! A few cheat's ingredients make this impressive starter quick and easy to make, which means more time to spend with your Valentine! It's got to be one of our best ever Valentine's Day recipes for two.
Grilled oysters with garlic butter
These on-trend oysters are a great way to start your romantic Valentine's meal. They are rich with flavours of garlic and butter. Plus, they look impressive too.
Seared tuna tataki
This simple Asian dish is super healthy and an alternative way to start your date night.
Scallops with Vietnamese herb sauce
These grilled scallops are super easy to make, low in calories and look impressive. Served with a vibrant Vietnamese herb sauce, this recipe is fresh and a great starter for two.
Gildas
Just three ingredients – anchovies, guindilla peppers and olives – are all you need to make this effortless Spanish-style snack. Serve on a tray as an appetiser while you prepare your main.
Breaded goat’s cheese stuffed with beetroot and ginger chutney
For all you goat's cheese lovers out there, this is next-level goodness. The crunchiness of the breadcrumbs works wonders with the melting middle and the sweetness of the chutney to create the perfect flavour combination.
Whipped goat’s cheese with baked figs
Save time and still impress with this super-simple starter. Ready in 20 minutes, it's perfect for a romantic date this Valentine's Day.
Cheese grazing board
Choose comfort with this cheesy grazing board. To make it suitable for two, choose from one of three baked cheeses: lemony baked goat’s cheese, baked camembert in a cob or baked feta with chipotle. Serve with plenty of crackers, crudités and chutneys.
Padella's pici cacio e pepe
Three of the most comforting words you'll read: pasta, butter, cheese. This classic Tuscan recipe for pici cacio e pepe comes from Borough Market's Padella.
Valentine's Day main course ideas
The perfect steak
Impress your valentine with THE perfect steak. Heres how’s to cook the best steak of your life with the help of olive cookery writer and ex-chef Adam Bush.
Angel hair pasta with lobster
The perfect date-night food. Lobster tails are a good-value way to buy lobster, though if you have access to a whole lobster add the claw meat to the recipe as well. What better way to treat your Valentine?
Spatchco*ck chicken traybake
Combine harissa-coated roast chicken, crispy chorizo and caramelised orange to make this impressive one-tin dinner. It's a real centrepiece but cuts corners to speed up the process – perfect for Valentine's!
Dill butter prawn linguine with chilli crisp fried eggs
Cook a special seafood pasta main without the hassle, with the help of potted brown shrimp. Good-quality linguine elevates this dish to new heights, while the fried egg adds extra richness to the sauce.
Steamed sea bass
Wow your date with a soy-steamed sea bass. Serving the whole fish at the table means less prep and it looks really impressive, whilst cooking en papillote means the fish delicately steams to perfection without having to stand over it.
Lobster mac ’n’ cheese
Everyone loves mac ’n’ cheese, but the addition of sweet, rich lobster turns this into a luxurious treat. Make it for the one you love this year.
Prawn orecchiette with roasted-shell olive oil
This simple pasta dish is just posh enough to wow your date without too much effort. The large, juicy prawns and cute pasta shapes create a pretty dish packed with plenty of flavour.
Tomato tart with olive oil pastry
Wow your veggie Valentine with this colourful tomato tart with moreish olive-oil pastry. Olive oil pastry can be a bit crumbly to work with but just patch up any holes with extra pastry. It cooks to a much paler colour than classic butter pastry yet the finished texture is lovely and flaky.
Linguine alle vongole
The crunchy, chilli-laced pangrattato adds an extra kick to the salty, gloriously glossy sauce made from emulsified clam juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Crab thermidor
Crab thermidor is such a beautiful Valentine's Day dish. It takes a little effort, but surely she/he is worth it?
Chargrilled steak with Tabasco butter and avocado salad
This recipe for chargrilled steak with Tabasco butter and avocado salad is guaranteed to be a new favourite. The Tabasco butter adds a spicy kick and the avocado salad keeps it fresh.
Spinach and ricotta gnudi
Check out our super vibrant recipe for veggie gnocchi. This flavour packed dish may take a bit of time but you'll be sure to impress your date. You’ll need to start this the day before unless you can source a drier ricotta from a deli – supermarket ricottas are usually packed in a little liquid so need draining overnight. Find more impressive pasta recipes here.
Lamb cutlets with buttered radishes
A colourful idea for pan-fried lamb. The light pink buttery radishes make a pretty side for a romantic meal. Perk it up with a little dash of white miso paste.
Hidden-egg-yolk ravioli with crispy sage and ’nduja oil
Check out this impressive homemade ravioli recipe with egg yolk and crispy sage. Putting egg yolks into the middle of the ravioli means that they burst when cut into, mixing with the ’nduja and ricotta to give you a delicious sauce.
Roast chicken with fregola, squash and sage
Check out our easy roast chicken recipe with crunchy sage and butternut squash. This recipe makes full use of the chicken roasting juices, which are soaked up by the fregola. If you can’t find fregola, substitute with giant couscous or a hearty grain such as pearled spelt or barley.
Spiced lamb cutlets with smoked aubergine
Dan Doherty's romantic recipe for spiced lamb cutlets with smoked aubergine is the best ever Valentine's recipe for two; as long as you don't mind getting your hands dirty!
Valentine's Day dessert ideas
Double chocolate and passion fruit tart
You wouldn't believe how quick this zingy passion fruit tart takes to make, thanks to a few ready-made ingredients. It's easy to prepare ahead of time too, perfect for whipping out the fridge when the moment is right.
Strawberry sgroppino
Your dinner date would never guess this elegant strawberry pud takes just five minutes to whip up. If time is of the essence, look not further!
Raspberry chocolate pots
This will be the easiest restaurant-level chocolate dessert you've ever made, ready in under 20 minutes with just three ingredients required.
Berry tiramisu
Made with tart raspberries, rosé wine and creamy mascarpone, this is an elegant dessert to serve on Valentine's – the recipe makes 12 but can easily be scaled down. It might look impressive but you can whip it up in just 15 minutes using easy-to-find ingredients.
Passion fruit panna cotta
Check out this super creamy passion fruit panna cotta. This quick and simple panna cotta recipe can be made easily in advance, plus it looks impressive too.
Prune and Armagnac soufflé
You can whip up a soufflé in no time, if you follow our recipe carefully. Serve with boozy Armagnac custard for extra brownie points.
Rhubarb mess with candied rosemary
Rhubarb and rosemary work wonders together, especially in Eton mess. A sweet, pink and playful dessert to finish off a romantic evening.
Olive oil chocolate pots with orange and sea salt
These olive oil chocolate pots with orange and sea salt are seriously creamy and indulgent. They're super simple to make and are an indulgent way to end your date night.
Pistachio and white chocolate soufflé
Impress your loved ones with these light-as-air pistachio and white chocolate soufflés for a showstopping Valentine's Day dessert.
Nutty caramel tart with coffee ganache
Check out this impressive looking caramel tart from Edd Kimber. This decadent dessert recipe with nuts, chocolate ganache and coffee is the perfect way to finish off your Valentines meal.
Flourless chocolate cake (caprese)
Ground almonds make our caprese cake deliciously smooth. And who can resists chocolate on Valentine's Day?
Salted caramel chocolate fondants
Nothing says 'I love you' more than a chocolate fondant and we've made it even better by adding salted caramel.
Something for afters...
Chocolate truffles
Make pistachio-studded chocolate truffles to really impress your sweetheart. Try adding Baileys, dark rum or orange essence for an extra kick. Deceptively easy to make - promise!
Peanut butter fudge brownies
A foolproof traditional brownie recipe topped with indulgent peanut butter fudge. These easy decadent brownies are the ideal dinner party treat to serve with coffee, or an indulgent afternoon snack.
Valentine’s lemon meringue cupcakes
Show some love this Valentine's Day with these Valentine's lemon meringue cupcakes - easy to make and perfect for sharing.
Barazek shortbreads (Black and white sesame and pistachio biscuits)
Barazek cookies or biscuits are thin, crispy and usually come with sesame and pistachios. They're easy-to-make and are traditionally served as sweet treats in Syrian bakeries.
Strawberry and cream doughnuts
We've taken the classic British combination, strawberries and cream and transformed it into a doughnut. These doughnuts are not only incredibly moreish and easy to make, they're a picture-perfect Valentine's treat.
Valentine's Day co*cktail ideas
Rhubarb and rose gin fizz
We’ve given a classic ramos gin fizz an update for Valentine’s Day, swapping the usual orange blossom water for rose water and adding a touch of homemade rhubarb syrup to give it a blush of pink. It’s delicate in flavour and creamy enough to replace dessert, and is bound to impress.
Homemade grenadine and champagne co*cktails
These homemade grenadine and champagne co*cktails are an easy way to impress your Valentine... after all, it wouldn't be Valentine's Day without bubbles!
Il aperitivo Italicus prosecco co*cktail
With hints of lavender, rose and ripe citrus, this refreshing floral co*cktail is a super easy drink to make for Valentine's Day.
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Negroni sbagliato
For Valentine's Day, why not swap gin for prosecco? This makes a lighter negroni and softens the bitterness, an ideal aperitif for those who find a classic negroni a bit much.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Valentine's Day is a special occasion to celebrate love and romance, and one way to make it memorable is by preparing a delicious meal for your loved one. In this article, you will find a variety of starter recipes, main course ideas, and dessert options to create a romantic Valentine's Day meal. Let's explore the concepts used in the article and provide information about each one.
Starter Recipes:
- Oysters with Ginger Japanese Dressing: This starter features oysters served with a ginger Japanese dressing. It is a light and flavorful option for a romantic meal. You can find salmon roe at fishmongers and supermarkets, or look for tobiko (smaller eggs) in Japanese shops or online at japancentre.com.
- 'Nduja Prawns with Focaccia: This recipe involves cooking garlicky prawns pil pil on the hob. The plump prawns are cooked in a spicy oil, and the focaccia is served alongside to soak up the delicious juices.
- Baked Feta with Roasted Grapes and Rosemary: This luxurious starter requires zero prep time on the day. Salty feta cheese is paired with sweet, juicy roasted grapes for a delightful combination.
Main Course Ideas:
- The Perfect Steak: Impress your Valentine with a perfectly cooked steak. Follow the instructions provided by olive cookery writer and ex-chef Adam Bush to achieve the best results.
- Angel Hair Pasta with Lobster: This dish features angel hair pasta with lobster tails. If you have access to a whole lobster, you can also add the claw meat to the recipe.
- Spatchco*ck Chicken Traybake: Combine harissa-coated roast chicken, crispy chorizo, and caramelized orange to create an impressive one-tin dinner. It's a real centerpiece that cuts corners to speed up the cooking process.
- Dill Butter Prawn Linguine with Chilli Crisp Fried Eggs: This seafood pasta main is made easier with the help of potted brown shrimp. Good-quality linguine elevates the dish, while the fried egg adds extra richness to the sauce.
- Steamed Sea Bass: Wow your date with a soy-steamed sea bass. Serving the whole fish at the table means less prep, and it looks really impressive. Cooking en papillote allows the fish to delicately steam to perfection.
- Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese: Elevate the classic mac 'n' cheese by adding sweet, rich lobster. It's a luxurious treat that your loved one will enjoy.
- Prawn Orecchiette with Roasted-Shell Olive Oil: This simple pasta dish features large, juicy prawns and cute pasta shapes. It's a pretty dish packed with plenty of flavor.
- Tomato Tart with Olive Oil Pastry: Impress your veggie Valentine with this colorful tomato tart. Olive oil pastry can be a bit crumbly to work with, but it cooks to a lovely and flaky texture.
- Linguine alle Vongole: This dish combines crunchy, chili-laced pangrattato with a salty, glossy sauce made from emulsified clam juice and extra virgin olive oil.
- Crab Thermidor: Crab Thermidor is a beautiful Valentine's Day dish that takes a little effort but is worth it for a special occasion.
Dessert Ideas:
- Double Chocolate and Passion Fruit Tart: This zingy passion fruit tart is quick to make, thanks to a few ready-made ingredients. It can be prepared ahead of time and is perfect for a romantic moment.
- Raspberry Chocolate Pots: These restaurant-level chocolate desserts are ready in under 20 minutes with just three ingredients required.
- Berry Tiramisu: Made with tart raspberries, rosé wine, and creamy mascarpone, this elegant dessert is perfect for Valentine's Day.
- Passion Fruit Panna Cotta: This super creamy panna cotta can be made easily in advance and looks impressive.
- Pistachio and White Chocolate Soufflé: These light-as-air pistachio and white chocolate soufflés are a showstopping Valentine's Day dessert.
- Nutty Caramel Tart with Coffee Ganache: This impressive-looking caramel tart with nuts, chocolate ganache, and coffee is the perfect way to finish off your Valentine's meal.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake (Caprese): Ground almonds make this caprese cake deliciously smooth, and it's a perfect choice for chocolate lovers.
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Fondants: These chocolate fondants are made even better by adding salted caramel. They are a classic and indulgent dessert option.
co*cktail Ideas:
- Rhubarb and Rose Gin Fizz: This floral co*cktail is a delicate and creamy drink that can replace dessert.
- Homemade Grenadine and Champagne co*cktails: Impress your Valentine with these homemade grenadine and champagne co*cktails. Bubbles are a must for Valentine's Day!
- Il Aperitivo Italicus Prosecco co*cktail: This refreshing floral co*cktail features hints of lavender, rose, and ripe citrus.
- Negroni Sbagliato: Swap gin for prosecco in this lighter version of a negroni. It's a perfect aperitif for those who find a classic negroni too strong.
These are just a few of the many recipes and ideas you can explore to create a memorable Valentine's Day meal. Whether you choose a starter, main course, dessert, or co*cktail, the most important thing is to enjoy the experience with your loved one. Happy Valentine's Day!
