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15 Date Night Dinners. Skip the crowd and expense of going out and try one of these easy, romantic dinners, perfect for a special night in!

Roses are red, violets are blue, here’s a roundup of romantic recipes for your special someone and you! Okay, I might not be unseating Shakespeare any time soon, but in lieu of battling the crowds for an overpriced restaurant meal on Valentine’s Day, I’ll wax poetic about the joy of sharing a romantic dinner with someone you love at home instead. Whether that someone is your spouse, your roommate, or your cat, Valentine’s Day is a perfect excuse to pour two glasses of wine (or one glass of wine and one glass of milk), tie on your apron, and prepare a special dinner for two.

Every year, instead of going out, Ben cooks me dinner at home, a tradition that he started and I am oh-so-happy to keep. Typically, his culinary prowess stops at pouring the milk over his morning bowl of cereal, but for Valentine’s Day, he puts extra effort into making us a romantic dinner. Last year he mastered Balsamic Glazed Salmon, and this year we’ll be having Sun Dried Tomato Pasta. Both are simple to make, taste divine, and a reminder that you don’t need to spend a fortune or channel Julia Child to enjoy a romantic dinner at home.

This Valentine’s, skip the crowds, grab your special someone, and get to cooking one of these date-night approved recipes!

Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce. A fuss-free recipe that’s full of delicious flavors perfect for a romantic dinner for two!

Shrimp Pasta with Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce | Gimme Some Oven

Chicken Pot Pie. Who says comfort food can't be romantic!? This dinner recipe is a sure win with a special someone!

Chicken Pot Pie | She Wears Many Hats

Creamy Barley Risotto with Garlic Mushrooms and Spinach. Spend all that time stirring sipping wine and chatting with your special someone!

Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Spinach  | Well Plated

Herb-Roasted Chicken. Your dinner date will find the flavors of Provence absolutely irresistible in this romantic recipe for Herb-Roasted Chicken!

In the Kitchen With: Molly Shuster’s Herb-Roasted Chicken | Design Sponge

Engagement Chicken Pasta. Married, dating or single, this pasta dish is always a winner for a romantic date night or weekday dinners!

Engagement Chicken Pasta | Dessert for Two

Easy Balsamic Glazed Salmon. A romantic dinner recipe that's ready in 20 minutes, flat!

Balsamic Glazed Salmon | Well Plated

Pink Peppercorn Sherry Cream Chicken. Score big points with your special someone with a romantic dinner recipe like this Pink Peppercorn Sherry Cream Chicken!

Pink Peppercorn Sherry Cream Chicken | Boulder Locavore

Surf and Turf for Two. Sometimes you just can't mess with a classic when it comes to romantic dinner recipes!

Surf and Turf for Two | Iowa Girl Eats

Healthy Garlic Shrimp Pasta | Well Plated

Lemon Roasted Chicken. Comfort and love are the name of the game when it comes to Lemon Roasted Chicken, making it a perfect romantic date night dinner recipe!

Lemon Roasted Chicken | Grandbaby Cakes

Mushroom Broth Brown Butter Seared Halibut. This is one romantic date night dinner recipe you won’t soon forget!

Mushroom Broth Brown Butter Seared Halibut | A Spicy Perspective

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta. Easy and SO GOOD. A romantic dinner recipe that's ready to go in 20 minutes!

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta | Well Plated

25-Minute Beef and Snow Pea Stir Fry. Who needs take out when you can make an absolutely delicious, romantic dinner recipe in only 25 minutes!

25-Minute Beef and Snow Pea Stir Fry | Table for Two

Valentine's Day Heart Pepperoni Pizza. What's more romantic than a heart-shaped dinner?!

Valentine’s Day Heart Pepperoni Pizza | How Sweet Eats

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Strawberries and Goat Cheese. An easy but delicious twist on baked chicken that's a perfect and quick romantic dinner recipe for two!

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Strawberries and Goat Cheese | Well Plated

And one bonus recipe, because Valentine’s Day demands chocolate!

Dark Chocolate Red Wine Truffles. The perfect touch of decadence to end with after a romantic dinner for two!

Dark Chocolate Red Wine Truffles | Well Plated

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1.     Erin, I get the biggest kick out of reading your blog and the stories behind your recipes. I follow many of the recipes (your husband’s sun dried pasta is great but I add broccoli and pine nuts to mine)and watched your video of the health bars which I made for my husband and son. Delicious!(Those white cabinets are beautiful!)Your new site is beautifully done and the recipes are so easy to print ( yes, I’m not that tech savy to organize them on my  Ipad) thank you for that! I also love the pictures with your new camera:)
        I have enjoyed being able to follow your progression from being newly wed to new home owners ( Mazel tov!) Most of all enjoy reading and sharing your recipes with my family and friends. I can relate to someone who shares in my love of cooking. My kids don’t however, they share in a love of eating so that counts! After a four month kitchen renovation, my home is the place where my children (who are now adults )still bring their friends and now their families for dinner and holidays. You know, although we have a lovely home in Boca Raton, I’ve learned…it’s truly not the size of your home…it’s the amount of love that you can stuff inside:)…
       I think it would be fun if we gave you a bit of a “vacation” some time and sent you some of OUR favorite recipes and videos! Maybe your birthday week! I make a mean Chicken Marsala, Lemon Chicken and my health bars are pretty good I’m told! Also a delicious carrot cake (it was Bruce S- yes,THAT Bruce’s! favorite birthday cake)
        I am the middle of three “girls” (ok, I’m probably old enough to be your mother), have been married 35 wonderful years to my first boyfriend, and I’m a nurse. Unfortunately, I’ve been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia which forces me to take more time to myself…hense, a long kitchen renovation with three oven and two sinks. My kitchen is my place of respite and your blog truly starts my day with a smile. Keep up all of your hard work, it is truly enjoyed. Food definately is a way of expressing yourself and of expressing love, but the most wonderful thing is watching how it is received:)..all the best Lisa

    1. Liroe, this is just the kindest, most heartfelt note. THANK YOU! I can’t say enough how much it made my day. It’s so nice to get to know a little bit about you. I love that we are both from a family of three girls. I hope you continue to enjoy your time in the kitchen. It’s my place of respite too. Your family is lucky to haves someone who enjoys cooking so much :) Wishing you all the best, and thanks again for taking time to send this message! It means a lot.

  2. That’s a great list but with only one chocolate recipe?  Will there be a whole list of Valentine desserts?  :-)

    1. Toni, you are someone after my own heart! Fortunately, I have a dedicated chocolate area of my recipe index, which you can find right here:https://www.wellplated.com/category/simply-sweets/chocolate/. Enjoy! :)