Making a nice meal is the perfect to make your night in extra special. Here are some of the best romantic dinner ideas for two you can make without much prep.
1. Chicken Satay Skewers With Spicy Peanut Sauce
This chicken satay skewer recipe is flavored with a coconut milk, honey and curry marinade. It also uses a spiced peanut dipping sauce. You can sprinkle lime juice to add some tartness. This dish pairs beautifully with a side of coconut rice, grilled pineapple or stir-fried vegetables.
2. Quinoa Pasta With Garlic Sauce and Amaranth Bread
Most romantic dinner ideas for two focus on lobster, steak and salmon — where’s the love for vegetarian couples? Fortunately, this vegetable quinoa pasta recipe, its garlic alfredo sauce and the amaranth bread side dish are entirely vegan. Best of all, it’s rich and delicious.
3. Shrimp Linguini With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
If you’re looking for classic dinner ideas for two, look no further — this shrimp linguini recipe combines creamy parmesan sauce with fiery roasted red peppers. While it might seem simple, it’s easy to make and hard to mess up. Plus, it’s sure to taste amazing.
4. Chili Roasted Tofu With a Minted Pomegranate Relish
If you want another delicious vegan recipe, look no further. You serve the chili roasted tofu dish, the citrus chili marinade and the pomegranate relish on a bed of millet and avocado slices. This tart, spicy flavor profile is perfectly balanced.
5. Steak au Poivre With Cognac Cream Sauce
This fragrant French dish features peppercorn-encrusted steaks and a creamy, caramel-like cognac sauce. Although a steak au poivre recipe may sound more challenging than most dinner ideas for two, it’s absurdly easy — you only need to cover the meat in peppercorns and sear it.
6. Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon and Asparagus
Easy dinners are just as romantic as complex ones. This one-pan salmon dish is infused with herbs, garlic and lemon juice. Surprisingly, the savory, tangy flavor isn’t even the best part about this recipe — the best part is that it finishes roasting in only 10 minutes.
7. Marry Me Chicken With Roasted Veggies
Romantic dinner ideas for two can’t get better than a flavorful chicken recipe called “marry me” chicken. The light, creamy sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, seasoning and parmesan will practically melt in your mouth. Roasted vegetables, garlic bread and pasta make good pairings.
8. Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Not every romantic dinner has to have unpronounceable French words in its name to be tasty. This curried butternut squash soup recipe is an inspired take on a traditional cozy meal. The curry powder, fresh ginger and cilantro elevate it, creating an unforgettable flavor profile.
9. Arctic Char With Pistachio Gremolata
While arctic char has a flavor profile similar to salmon, it’s milder. If you’re intrigued, consider making this arctic char and pistachio gremolata dish. It’s zesty, fresh and slightly nutty. Since nuts are aphrodisiacs, it’s one of the best romantic dinner ideas for two.
10. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Creme Fraiche
This dish elevates a beloved classic using sautéd shallots, rich cream, and tangy creme fraiche. Making a roasted butternut squash soup recipe that’s this tasty practically guarantees a successful date night. There are even dairy-free substitutions available for vegans.
11. Rack of Lamb With Red Wine Sauce
What dinner ideas for two are more romantic than lamb and red wine? This roasted rack of lamb dish pairs aromatic rosemary, thyme and chives with a rich merlot sauce. The recipe’s author says to use drinking wine, meaning no one will judge you for sneaking sips while cooking.
12. Strawberries and Champagne Cheesecake
Who said you can’t have dessert for dinner? This creamy, champagne-infused cheesecake recipe topped with fresh strawberries and chocolate drizzle is indulgent and sweet — the perfect pairing for a romantic night in with your special someone. The flavors are bold yet balanced.
13. French Onion Soup With Brûléed Blue Cheese
French onion soup is a classic. If you’re a fan, you’ll love this brûléed blue cheese dish for its unique take on the original. Who doesn’t love gooey cheese with golden brown edges dripping over toasted bread and a rich, tangy broth?
14. Pikliz Oysters With Lemon Herb Couscous
This oysters with pikliz dish is one of the most romantic dinner ideas for two. After all, some people consider oysters to be aphrodisiacs. You’ll love their hearty, savory flavor profile paired with a bold, pickled vegetable mixture.
While oysters are delicious on their own, a tangy mignonette sauce of minced shallots, white peppercorns, sea salt and red wine vinegar will elevate their flavor profile to new heights. Also, you should know lemon herb couscous is essential as a side dish.
15. Lemon Butter Scallops Over Parmesan Risotto
You’ve probably heard of scallops and risotto if you’ve watched cooking shows. While they seem fancy and complicated, they’re actually simple. This lemon butter scallop recipe uses parmesan, garlic, white wine and shallots to make a rich, savory base.
16. Steak Frites with Black Garlic Butter
You’ll fall in love with this flavorful steak frites recipe if you try it. The potatoes fried in peanut oil and sprinkled with salt taste heavenly. Also, it'll be life-changing if you’ve never had umami-rich black garlic butter. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a juicy steak, either.
17. Lobster Mac and Cheese With a Breadcrumb Crust
Who has time to spend hours in a kitchen on date night? This lobster mac and cheese recipe only takes an hour and is hands-off. Doing barely any work and still getting to eat a cheesy dish with savory lobster and a toasted breadcrumb crust is the perfect way to spend the night.
18. Crab Cakes With Remoulade Sauce
Remoulade sauce always makes a classic crab cake recipe tastier. It should be your go-to if you’re looking for a simple, high-end seafood dish. Once you shape and pan-fry the crab, you get to coat it in lemon zest and creole seasonings and then dip it in a creamy southern sauce.
19. Filet Mignon With Truffle Oil and a Balsamic Sauce
Filet mignon is incredibly tender and lean — it’s actually one of the most prized cuts you can buy. Naturally, this filet mignon dish is one of the most romantic dinner ideas for two. The juicy meat, reduced balsamic sauce and black truffle oil make for a mouthwatering meal.
20. Hearty Beef Stew Pot Pies
Sometimes, a romantic date night is similar to a cozy night in. In those cases, a beef stew pot pie dish is one of the best dinner ideas for two. Sirloin steak topped with a beef-broth vegetable mixture, sprinkled with peppercorn and covered in a flaky pastry is the perfect meal.
Enjoy Your Romantic Dinner for Two
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want to show off to your partner, these date-night dishes are sure to impress. Although their names may sound daunting, most of them are easy to make, even for beginners.