Romantic dinner ideas for two at home! This Valentine’s Day, we’re staying in and making something even better than a restaurant. I have recipes and menu ideas that include appetizers for two, dinners for two, desserts for two, and even drinks for two! You know I’m the one-stop place to come for cooking for two. Read on and select your menu, and let’s have a great Valentine’s Day!
Romantic dinner ideas for two at home is what I’m pushing for Valentine’s Day this year. If you haven’t made a dinner reservation at a restaurant yet, let me stop you right there. It’s just not necessary! You can cook at home and make something totally delicious for your partner at home and skip the restaurant.
Plus, when you make romantic meals for two at home, you can wear sweatpants and end the night on the couch watching Netflix. Because nobody really likes wearing heels or a dress, right? Do we all pull our false eyelashes off as soon as we get in the car?
Reasons to make these romantic dinner ideas at home:
- Making reservations is too much of a commitment for me. I don’t know where I’m going to want to eat in the future! Making dinner at home only requires me to order groceries for delivery one hour in advance.
- I’m not sure about you, but I find sweat pants and yoga pants a lot more comfortable than a little black dress. Stay comfy at home!
- Maybe this is a personal opinion, but cooking together is super romantic. If you’re finding it awkward, make sure you open a bottle of wine to sip on while you cook, or start the night with a simple cocktail.
It’s best to practice one of these romantic dinner ideas before the big night, ok? It’s easy to do since the recipes only serve two. Enjoy it for dinner by yourself one night and pack it for the lunch the next day. This way, on the big night, you can cook with ease and eliminate the stress and worry of the dinner coming together perfectly. Practice makes perfect, people, ok?
Romantic Dinner Ideas
Simple romantic appetizers for two, dinners for two, desserts for two, and drinks for two.
Appetizers for Two
Let’s start the night with some quick bites to fuel us through our night of cooking. You can make these before your date comes over to cook with you, or you can make them together to extend the evening–your choice!
- Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry is sliced ham and cheese brushed with Dijon mustard in a store-bought puff pastry crust.
- Skillet Spanakopita is a delicious Greek appetizer dish. It’s a slice of cheesy spinach pie topped with crisp phyllo dough.
- Mango Habanero Salsa is a quick and spicy appetizer to snack on while you cook.
- Beetroot and Feta Salad is a great starter to serve before the main meal. You will love the honey mustard dressing!
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Spears are easy to make ahead, and can double as a side-dish, too.
- Brussels Sprout Slaw tucked in crisp one-ingredient cheddar cheese cups are so perfectly portioned.
Romantic Dinner Ideas for Two People
While I started this site to share desserts for two, I quickly started sharing dinners for two. While I can find the romance in nearly ever diner recipe, I selected my favorites below.
- Sheet Pan Steak Dinner for Two comes together all on one sheet pan–perfectly cooked steak, twice baked potatoes, asparagus, rolls, and a creamy steak sauce.
- Coq au Vin for Two is a French chicken stew full of wine. Oh, the romance!
- Engagement Chicken Pasta / Marry Me Chicken gets the job done. Creamy pasta, seared mushrooms, and perfectly cooked chicken breasts.
- Chicken Fried Steak for Two, for some comfort food, fried and topped with gravy. Bonus recipe for small batch mashed potatoes for two!
- Mediterranean Pasta is what I’ll be making for my vegan husband. So full of the best vegetables and a white wine butter sauce. I’ll sub the butter, of course.
- Lobster Risotto is probably what you would have ordered at the restaurant. Make it at home with your partner!
- Lobster Mac and Cheese for Two might be slightly more your thing. I can’t get enough of this cheesy pasta with chunks of lobster.
Chocolate Desserts for Two for a Romantic Valentine’s Day
If the day of love is synonymous with anything, it’s chocolate!
- Brownie Pots for Two, made in the microwave, just in case cooking dinner was enough work!
- Molten Chocolate Cakes for Two is the most iconic romantic dessert.
- Flourless Chocolate Cookies for your partner that is gluten free.
- Vegan Chocolate Cake is a cute layer cake perfectly portioned for two.
- Chocolate Mousse Cake is exactly as delicious as it sounds: brownie bottom and ethereal, fluffy chocolate mousse on top.
- Chocolate Cobbler is a mix of warm, gooey brownie and chocolate pudding sauce, all in one dish.
- Chocolate Fondue for Two, to keep things fun: dip anything you like!
Red Velvet Desserts for Valentine’s Day
I happen to love the red velvet craze. The cake is ever so slightly chocolatey but with a super tender texture. And red velvet always means cream cheese frosting!
- Red Velvet Cake is a small 6 inch layer cake with two layers and delicious cream cheese frosting.
- Red Velvet Cupcakes are nearly identical to the cake above, but in cute cupcake form.
- Red Velvet Sugar Cookies are incredible if eating cookies on the couch is more your style. Any kind of heart candy works on top.
- Red Velvet Cake Pops take a little bit of work, but the surprise inside is so worth it!
- Red Velvet Sheet Cake, for a slightly larger dessert that lasts more than just one night.
Drinks and Cocktails for Two
- Nutella Raspberry Martini is so sweet and smooth. Nutella, half and half and raspberry liquor (Chambord) are incredible together.
- Fall Sangria is made with fresh figs, which are supposed to be an aphrodisiac!
- Campari Cocktails have a lovely red hue, perfect for Valentine’s Day.
- Rose Lemonade is a light and refreshing cocktail made with just lemonade and rosé wine!
- Peach Wine Slushies are fun to make in the blender, and only 2 ingredients!
- Peach Jalapeno Margaritas to keep things spicy. Just trust me on this one.
I like the idea of staying in and making homemade dinner for two. your engagement pasta or that risotto is calling my name!
I love the idea of a dessert pairing! Thank you for sharing all these delicious meals for 2 + the dessert idea!
We are celebrating our 43rd Valentine Anniversary with a trip to St. Louis, MO. We live in Bowling Green, KY. I am planning a gourmet picnic along the way, and dinner in our room in our intriguing bed and bedfast (it’s in a restored Gothic church). I traditionally make a gourmet dinner on our anniversary as restaurants are crazy, and busy, and not at their best on Valentine’s Day. I love to cook and googled “desserts for two” and found this web site. We will take advantage of the St. Louis restaurants after VD day, and have a couple of reservations. But this is about the carrot cake for two:
My 14-carat-three-layer cake is sublime, but requires an army of cake lovers to finish. It is my husband’s favorite birthday cake. But I read reviews. My understanding is that the baking soda in carrot cake softens the carrots. So I wondered about a cake with no baking soda and no baking powder. But I read on and am intrigued with this web site. I love, love, love cooking for two.
I will be tying some of these recipes when we return.
But I did get an idea for dessert in our room. I will review my chocolate mousse recipe two see if it works to reduce it or use the one on this site. I am into using orange flavors in cooking right now, and I have a bar of dark chocolate with orange. Only 3.5 ounces, but will add other chocolate. Pure orange extract in the whipping cream or in a raspberry sauce might be nice.
When we get home, I will try some of these recipes.
Have a great Valentine’s Day, Lorraine!
Don’t miss ‘Union Loafers’ for lunch and “Chouquette’ for dessert in St Louis :)