Need a last-minute Valentine’s Day dinner idea? Something easy and quick, but a little more thoughtful than a heart-shaped delivery pizza (although, this $62.00 Chicago gourmet deep dish available on Amazon just might do the trick)?
If you can get to the grocery store for a few relatively simple items, you can whip up a number of refined, unfussy meals that demand little in the way of forethought or active preparation, without seeming thrown-together. Easier than snagging an eleventh hour reservation, and decidedly more romantic than plastic takeout clamshell containers, too!
Whether you totally forgot Valentine’s Day was coming up and you need to make it look like you had it covered all along, or you just found a last-minute Tinder date you want to woo with an impressive but labor-light meal (because, hey, you never know if it’ll be worth it), these options are easy-peasy yet fancy-schmancy enough to elicit adoration. And if you’re spending the “holiday” alone, why not treat yourself—to a marvelous meal and a relaxing evening?
Curate a Cheese Plate
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Gather a bunch of artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, nuts, and fruit, perhaps a nice jar of mustard or preserves, good bread or a couple different high-quality crackers, a bottle of wine or craft beer, and some dark chocolate (or Reese’s hearts, if you prefer), and make a lavish spread on your nicest plate or serving platter once you get home. A few minutes of slicing and artful arrangement and you have a lovely meal. Get tips on putting together a cheese plate here, but ask the kind folks behind the cheese counter for additional guidance if you need it; they’ll be happy to help.
Make a Marvelous Instant Pot Meal
If you have an Instant Pot (or any other pressure cooker), you can make all sorts of normally time-consuming fancy fare in a flash, from risotto to coq au vin and beef bourguignon—Julia Child herself would approve. Either of the latter recipes would be great over mashed potatoes, which, conveniently enough, you can make at the same time in the Instant Pot, if you have a metal steamer basket you can nestle on top.
So Fab Food
Yes, it’s basically beef stew, but it has red wine and a French name, so it fits the romantic bill. Best of all, this version cooks in under an hour and leaves you free to make dessert or tidy up in the meanwhile. Get the recipe.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Transfer to a chic serving dish and it’ll look like something you slaved over for hours. This recipe uses white wine instead of the traditional red, but you could go either way. Get the recipe.
The View From Great Island
If you don’t do lobster, try this Instant Pot mushroom risotto. Otherwise, get cracking—and have the person at the seafood counter steam the lobster for you if you want; it’s generally free of charge, and if you’re eating the meat within a day, it’ll still taste good, very gently warmed up from the residual heat of the risotto. Get the recipe.
Go For Old-School One-Pot (and One-Pan) Dinners
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, don’t sweat it. Regular one-pot and one-pan meals can still save you time (on cooking and clean-up), but if you choose them wisely, they’ll still seem elegant enough for a special occasion. Take these, for example:
Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp
Damn Delicious
Who doesn’t love shrimp scampi? And if you’re both eating garlic, who’ll mind the breath situation? These would be perfect twirled with quickly cooked fresh pasta, or you could throw some asparagus and potato wedges on the pan to make it a full plated meal—although if you do that, start cooking the vegetables first, since they’ll take longer than the shellfish. Get the recipe.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Carrots, Olives, and Lemon
Crumb Blog
Adding black olives (good-quality, not from a tin can) and whole lemon slices elevates chicken thighs to something Valentine-worthy; the carrots and potatoes add enough heft to satisfy, and they all cook in the same pan. The harissa packs some heat, but you could go with gentler herbes de Provence if so inclined (in which case, add some fresh fennel too). For a side dish, couscous cooks in minutes and is easily dressed up with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, a touch of garlic, and fresh herbs. Get the recipe.
Rachel Schultz
Cook your spaghetti and homemade sauce in a single pasta pot, at the same damn time. For something even simpler but less saucy, get our Cacio e Pepe recipe, but spaghetti was the first date dinner choice for Lady and the Tramp, so it gets the edge. Make it meatless if you wish. Fresh herbs, grated cheese, and cracked pepper should be applied at the table either way. Get the recipe.
One-Pot Greek Chicken with Orzo
Recipe Tin Eats
Another one-pot pasta (that feels more like rice), this Greek-flavored chicken and orzo bake achieves elegance with fresh oregano and feta sprinkled on top of each bowl. Get the recipe.
Serve Store-Bought Stuff, with Improvements
If you really don’t have a lot of time (or kitchen skills), you can always buy ready-made ingredients and turn them into something special:
- Give store-bought ravioli some pizzazz with chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), toasted pine nuts, and wilted spinach; be careful not to overcook the pasta, then gently stir in all the other ingredients and let the greens wilt for a moment before serving. Add a green salad with a simple lemon-and-oil vinaigrette on the side (good advice for many of these dinners, really).
- Grab a rotisserie chicken and shred the meat to use in a homemade pot pie; it’s way easier than you might think, especially when you also use store-bought puff pastry for the lid, and mixed frozen peas and carrots in place of fresh vegetables—for a little Valentine’s Day flair, cut small hearts out of the top instead of plain old venting slits. You can halve the recipe and divide it among ramekins for a more precious presentation.
- Rotisserie chicken also pairs well with pre-made gnocchi and a simple cream sauce; see this one-pot gnocchi recipe for proof.
- If you must resort to jarred spaghetti sauce, try this brilliant trick from Raquel Pelzel’s Toast cookbook: blitz up some pepperoni butter and stir it into the warmed sauce until well incorporated before plating it with pasta. Scatter some real, freshly grated Parmesan (not the stuff from the green can) and some fresh basil on top and you’ve got it made.
Don’t Forget Dessert
If you’re not about baking, you can still pull off a dessert with panache. Consider simply broiling some fruit with a little brown sugar and butter (and maybe a splash of booze), then add a scoop of ice cream, crème fraiche, or even soft cheese, and a scattering of chopped pistachios or hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, or crumbled cookies, plus a drizzle of honey, caramel, or chocolate syrup. Pretty impossible to screw up, yet impressive. Or try one of these recipes:
Chowhound
Sure, it may be cliché, but it’s downright delectable and almost laughably easy to make. Pick up an assortment of dippables at the store—fresh fruit, pound cake, pretzels, marshmallows—and most of the work is already done. If you don’t have a fondue pot, you can keep this warm in a slow cooker instead. Get our Chocolate Fondue recipe.
Brownie Ice Cream Parfaits with Raspberries
Chowhound
There’s no shame in store-bought brownies here, as long as you know the bakery turns out good products. If you’re in doubt, go halfway and pick up a box of Ghirardelli brownie mix. If you have an electric mixer, it’s a breeze to make your own whipped cream, and so much better than from a spray can. Feel free to add some warm chocolate sauce to the layers. Get our Brownie Ice Cream Parfaits with Raspberries recipe.
5 Minute Strawberry Shortcake Fudge
The Gold Lining Girl
Utterly sweet in both looks and taste, this strawberry frosting-based fudge is easy enough for anyone to mix up, and is ready to enjoy after only 15 minutes in the fridge. Get the recipe.
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