Food & Cooking Recipes Dinner Recipes Dinner Recipes for Two 21 Special Date-Night Recipes for Two Why dine out when you can enjoy a romantic dinner at home? By Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 23, 2024 Close Photo: Johnny Fogg Whether it's your anniversary, Valentine's Day, or a date night in, we'll help you plan the ultimate menu for a romantic dinner at home with our recipes for two. These dishes result in an elegant meal that's easy to pull off—and will make the time you spend together extra delicious. Whether you're feeding a carnivore, a pescatarian, a vegetable-lover, or a dessert fan, you'll find date-night dinner ideas that make eating in so much better than going out. 35 Irresistible Chocolate Desserts for Valentine's Day (and Beyond) 01 of 21 Radicchio Salad with Chopped-Lemon Dressing Justin Walker The ultimate partner for a steak or seafood dinner, this special salad has an irresistible dressing. Quartered lemons are mixed with whole grain mustard, sugar, and olive oil then tossed with torn radicchio and fresh mint. View Recipe 02 of 21 Stacked Bibb Lettuces with Lemon Cream Lennart Weibull This is the easiest, most unexpected salad ever. A combination of heavy cream and lemon juice takes the place of a traditional vinaigrette to dress Bibb lettuce leaves for date night. It's simple, but fancy. View Recipe 03 of 21 Steak Tartare Bryan Gardner Bring the romance of the bistro to your dinner table when you serve steak tartare. Be sure to use the best quality beef tenderloin for this restaurant-worthy appetizer. View Recipe 04 of 21 Thai Cucumber Salad Bryan Gardner Make this refreshing, spicy cucumber salad when you need a crisp side. It combines cucumbers with thinly-sliced red onion, Thai chiles, roasted peanuts, and plenty of fresh herbs. View Recipe 05 of 21 Fondue for Two Justin Walker Nothing says date night quite like cheese fondue. Serve it with crudités, charcuterie, cubed bread, and roasted potatoes for an indulgent and interactive appetizer. View Recipe 06 of 21 Roasted Game Hen with Root Vegetables Johnny Fogg While most roast chicken recipes serve four, game hen is the perfect size for a couple. Paired with root vegetables, like carrots and celery root, it's a special, but quick meal to make in the winter. View Recipe 07 of 21 Seared Scallops with Celery and Golden Raisin Salad Martyna Szczesna This special seafood dinner takes just 20 minutes to make. Pro tip: Don't flip the scallops more than once or you run the risk of missing out on that perfect golden sear. View Recipe 08 of 21 Roasted Branzino with Lemon and Thyme Ryan Liebe So much easier than pan-searing and just as impressive, this oven-roasted branzino is flavored with just four ingredients—lemon, thyme, salt, and pepper—which let the sweet, flaky fish shine. View Recipe 09 of 21 Brothy Mussels with Oven Fries Johnny Fogg Want a traditional French bistro dinner in the comfort of your own home? Make these easy mussels with baked fries. The fries are perfect for sopping up extra broth. View Recipe 10 of 21 Skillet Steak with Pink-Peppercorn Butter Johnny Fogg A juicy, rich steak to share is the ultimate date-night dinner for carnivores. This easy recipe uses a boneless rib-eye and builds flavor with an easy homemade butter. View Recipe 11 of 21 Quick-Braised Red Snapper Christopher Testani If you've never cooked a whole fish before, this recipe is the perfect place to start. It's quick to make and show-stopping—it's a dish that guarantees you'll score a second date. View Recipe 12 of 21 Dan Dan Noodles Bryan Gardner Our lighter take on the classic Szechuan pork-and-noodle dish calls for dark leafy greens (think spinach, mustard greens, or tatsoi). DIY chili oil takes it to the next level. View Recipe 13 of 21 Honeynut Squash, Leek, and Brie Gratin Johnny Fogg Whether you serve it as a vegetarian main or a side, this rich, cheesy recipe is sure to please. View Recipe 14 of 21 Flat-Iron Steak au Poivre Bryan Gardner Flat-iron steaks are a smart choice for date night. They're juicy and flavorful, but not as pricey as some other cuts. Au poivre refers to the sauce made with crushed black peppercorns, cognac, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and heavy cream. Round out the meal with a side salad or roasted potatoes. View Recipe 15 of 21 Sriracha Shrimp Armando Rafael Give shrimp a hint of heat by coating them in a combination of mayonnaise and Sriracha. Enjoy as an appetizer or serve them over steamed rice with crisp lettuce or stirred into rice noodles for a lively entrée. View Recipe 16 of 21 Soy-Honey-Glazed Arctic Char Christina Holmes If your go-to seafood is salmon, try Arctic char instead for your date-night dinner. It's rich, a little fatty, and very moist and an upgrade from your usual. View Recipe 17 of 21 Rib-Eye with Jalapeño Butter Elizabeth Cecil Looking for a standout dinner for a summer date night? Make this grilled rib-eye steak with a spicy butter for bonus flavor. View Recipe 18 of 21 Flounder in Parchment with Asparagus and Shiitakes Ryan Liebe Cooking fish in parchment is a wonderful way to keep the flounder flaky and tender. Plus, it makes for easy clean-up. View Recipe 19 of 21 Mini Pear-and-Cranberry Amaretti Crisps David Malosh This easy recipe makes two mini fruit crisps, but whether you split one or have your own is up to you. We'd opt to share—that way, there's a second dessert ready to go if you're still hungry after your at-home movie showing. View Recipe 20 of 21 Chocolate-Mousse Parfaits Justin Walker No date night is complete without a sweet ending. This rich, airy mousse requires 25 minutes of prep—but allow at least an hour for it to set. Our advice is to make it the night before. View Recipe 21 of 21 Amaro Spritz Nico Schinco Make a toast with this colorful, refreshing cocktail that's lighter on the booze (so you can have more than one). View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit