23 Restaurant-Worthy Valentine's Dinners You Can Make at Home

Yes, you can create a gourmet dining experience right in your very own kitchen! These recipes are restaurant-worthy and will feel elegant, special, and celebratory. From steaks to seafood to pasta, you’re sure to find something for your Valentine’s Day menu.

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Orzo

A skillet of Tuscan chicken with orzo. — Photo Credit: xoxo Bella.

This creamy Tuscan chicken orzo makes an incredible one-pot meal with major flavor you’d expect from a restaurant. Everything comes together in about 45 minutes, making it surprisingly quick and easy too. Serve with some crusty bread or garlic bread to ensure you don’t let any of that sauce go to waste.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken Orzo.

Surf and Turf

Plates of steak and lobster with veggies to the side. — Photo Credit: Garden in the Kitchen.

Surf and turf is the ultimate luxury meal! Tender steak and succulent lobster – what else do you need? Sharing it for date night at home means getting this special meal for a decent price. Add a veggie and your favorite drinks.

Get the Recipe: Surf and Turf.

Saffron Risotto

A bowl of golden risotto with edible flowers over the top. — Photo Credit: With Spice.

This is the most aromatic and delicious risotto recipe to recreate at home. This dish offers restaurant-quality flavors, from the golden color to the creamy, buttery texture with a mild saffron flavor. Serve with a green veggie or protein if desired.

Get the Recipe: Saffron Risotto.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Creamy, a little spicy and definitely robust-tasting, Cajun shrimp pasta makes a wonderful midweek dinner, perhaps paired with a side salad.

Get the Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

Fresh Oyster Champagne Mignonette

A hand holding an oyster. — Photo Credit: The Gourmet Bon Vivant.

Fresh oysters, champagne, blood orange juice, and fresh basil are all you need for this delicious dish! It’s light, unique, and festive, perfect for your Valentine’s menu. Head to the fish market for high-quality oysters.

Get the Recipe: Champagne Mignonette.

Chimichurri Herb Butter for Steak

A steak on a plate, topped with chimchurri butter. — Photo Credit: My Everyday Table.

Want to take your steak to the next level? Add a pat of this chimichurri steak butter right after cooking for fresh, bright, rich flavors that enhance your steak for a restaurant-quality meal. This garlic herb butter is designed for steak but can be used in many ways – on seafood, chicken, vegetables, or bread!

Get the Recipe: Chimichurri Herb Butter for Steak.

Creamy Lobster Risotto

A plate of risotto with chunks of lobster. — Photo Credit: My Everyday Table.

This easy lobster risotto recipe has rich flavor, chunks of lobster tails, and perfectly cooked arborio rice for a dreamy date night meal that you will surely fall in love with. Serve it with an easy veggie side and a glass of wine (or NA wine) for a special meal.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Lobster Risotto.

Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Polenta

Plates of herb crusted pork with polenta. — Photo Credit: Pass Me Some Tasty.

This simple, no-fuss dinner can be served any night of the week, but it’s also perfect for serving on date nights or special occasions. Just look at it! Juicy pork tenderloin is served on a bed of creamy polenta alongside garlic-roasted cherry tomatoes for a deliciously flavorful meal.

Get the Recipe: Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Polenta.

Lemon Baked Halibut Recipe

A plate with lemon slices over halibut and a salad on the side. — Photo Credit: My Everyday Table.

This mouthwatering baked halibut recipe will make you feel like a pro chef! Halibut is known for its delicate flavor and flaky texture, so we’re keeping the preparation simple to let those natural flavors shine. Serve with a simple veggie and a carb for special occasions – no matter how you serve it, you’ll have a nutritious, delicious, and restaurant-quality meal.

Get the Recipe: Lemon Baked Halibut Recipe.

Pan-fried Garlic Butter Prawns

A pan of lemon edges and prawns. — Photo Credit: Greedy Gourmet.

This pan-fried garlic butter prawns recipe is simple but impressive for a date night at home. Whole shell-on prawns are cooked in butter and garlic with a few squeezes of lemon juice to brighten the dish for a simple, flavorful dish you’ll love! Serve with pasta or risotto or as a starter.

Get the Recipe: Pan-fried Garlic Butter Prawns.

Flank Steak Pinwheels

When you are looking for a delicious beef dinner that the whole family will love, give these flank steak pinwheels a try! Flank steak is stuffed with Parmesan cheese, pesto, prosciutto, and spinach for a hearty and flavorful meal that’s perfect for special occasions or a fun weeknight dinner.

Get the Recipe: Flank Steak Pinwheels.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Wild mushroom risotto is a great date night meal that also happens to be vegetarian. It has a rich, savory, and earthy flavor with a creamy texture that you will love! Don’t skimp on the mushroom broth, as it’s key to the rich flavor.

Get the Recipe: Wild Mushroom Risotto.

Shrimp Linguine

A plate of pasta with succulent shrimp and a fork. — Photo Credit: My Everyday Table.

Shrimp linguine with lemon garlic breadcrumbs is perfect for a special dinner. This shrimp and linguine starts with a base of chewy linguine, is topped with buttery garlic shrimp, and is finished with crunchy garlic breadcrumbs for a big-time flavor and texture in each bite.

Get the Recipe: Shrimp Linguine.

Air Fryer Crab Cakes

A plate with a crab cake made in an air fryer. — Photo Credit: Everyday Table.

Air Fryer crab cakes are crispy and delicious and ready in minutes! They are the perfect item for your fancy menu; you can have them on the table in just ten minutes. Whip up a simple caper aioli for serving.

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Crab Cakes.

Bucatini Cacio e Pepe

Plates of pasta with a fork nearby. — Photo Credit: My Everyday Table.

Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is a delicious dish that is humble in its prep and ingredients but always feels unique and tasty. It’s worthy of a date night at home but is also incredibly simple to make.

Get the Recipe: Bucatini Cacio e Pepe.

Sheet Pan Crab Legs

A cluster of crab legs and lemon wedges on a plate. — Photo Credit: XoXo Bella.

You can cook your crab legs quickly and easily on a sheet pan in your oven. You can serve these crab legs as an appetizer or a main dish, which is sure to be a dish everyone loves!

Get the Recipe: Baked Crab Legs.

Seafood Paella with Mussels, Shrimp and Chorizo

Traditional Spanish paella is a must-have when visiting Spain. This is a flavourful seafood paella with mussels, shrimp, and chorizo.

Get the Recipe: Seafood Paella with Mussels, Shrimp and Chorizo.

French Onion Soup

There is nothing like French onion soup! This recipe makes it easy to make at home. You will love the rich base, complete with plenty of melted cheese over the top. You can have this on the table in just an hour for a great dinner any night of the week.

Get the Recipe: French Onion Soup.

Garlic Tomato Shrimp Scampi

A bowl of shrimp scampi without wine in the sauce. — Photo credit: xoxo Bella.

Make this shrimp scampi without the wine for a family-friendly dinner that everyone will enjoy. This meal is made with simple ingredients like butter, pasta, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. Pair with a salad or fresh baked bread for a complete meal that is ready in just 25 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Garlic Tomato Shrimp Scampi.

Black Truffle Pasta

A plate of pasta made with truffles. — Photo Credit: Lavender and Macarons.

Black truffle pasta is an elegant and simple vegetarian dish you can have on the table in minutes! The pasta sauce is a cashew cream sauce. Adding truffles to this pasta dish adds a lot of big flavor.

Get the Recipe: Black Truffle Pasta.

Smoked Salmon Vol au Vents

Puff pastry cups filled with cream cheese and smoked salmon. — Photo Credit: Lavender and Macarons.

Puff pastry shells stuffed with mustard, cream cheese, and smoked salmon make a delicious appetizer or main dish for your New Year’s Eve dinner! They are so tasty, and you can make enough, even for a crowd, in just a few minutes with a handful of ingredients.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Salmon Vol au Vents.

Air Fryer Frozen Coconut Shrimp

If you are looking for a tasty snack or a yummy appetizer give this air fryer frozen coconut shrimp a try. It’s easy, crispy, and delicious!

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Frozen Coconut Shrimp.

Cioppino

A bowl of shrimp and seafood with a spoon near. — Photo Credit: LowFODMAP Everyday.

Cioppino is a fancy way of saying fish stew, but a dish this delicious needs a fancy name! Lobster tails, mussels, shrimp, and fresh fish filets combine a few other ingredients for a fantastic meal. Serve with a fresh loaf of bread for dipping!

Get the Recipe: Cioppino.