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Valentine's Day
The Best Valentine's Day Recipes of All Time

The Best Valentine's Day Recipes of All Time

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

Updated January 21, 2021

Credit: Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar

Valentine’s Day is the heavenly holiday when we get to nibble on heart-shaped boxes full of chocolates and candies—and sometimes Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets—in lieu of the usual suspects like apple slices, Cheez-its, and yogurt cups. So why not serve a date night meal that feels just as special? When it comes to picking Valentine’s Day dinner recipes, make the menu something to remember. No, make it something so good that Cupid himself would be smitten.

First, skip the casseroles. (Because casseroles just aren’t that romantic. There, we said it.) Second, don't be afraid to be a little kitschy. Slow-cooked braised lamb shanks? Molten red velvet cakes? Now that’s a menu that’ll make us blush. This year, we’ve got you covered with soups, salads, main dishes, and desserts that’ll be sure to win over every sweetheart, secret admirer, and suitor. These Valentine’s Day recipes will leave them lovestruck.

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Air Fryer Steak

Credit: Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Air Fryer Steak

Steak for two comes together with just 10 minutes of hands-on time with the help of your air fryer. Finish with homemade herb butter for a restaurant quality meal in the comfort of your own home.

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Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake

Credit: Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar

Recipe: Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake

Instead of grabbing a box of chocolate covered strawberries this year, treat your Valentine to this homemade cheesecake that has the same flavor but is even more decadent.

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Caesar Salad with Garlicky Croutons

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Caesar Salad with Garlicky Croutons

Skip the bagged salad for the special occasion and serve a homemade Caesar salad as the first course.

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Sheet Pan Hanger Steak and Vegetables

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Sheet Pan Hanger Steak and Vegetables

Using a sheet pan is the easiest way to cook an entire meal at one time. A mixture of mixture of softened butter, seasonings, and herbs give this steak dinner a special finishing touch.

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Rachael Burrow; Recipe: Darcy Lenz

Recipe: Lobster Mac and Cheese

This classic side dish is elegant enough to be the main course when upgraded with lobster.

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Valentine’s Day Cake

Credit: Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar

Recipe: Valentine’s Day Cake

No special pan in required to create this heart-shaped cake.

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Shrimp on Seasoned Crackers with Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Shrimp on Seasoned Crackers with Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese

Step up your appetizer game by topping seasoned crackers with shrimp, cream cheese, and pepper jelly.

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Baked Tortellini Alfredo With Mushrooms

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Baked Tortellini Alfredo With Mushrooms

Thanks to refrigerated tortellini, this pasta dish will be ready to serve in just 25 minutes.

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Chocolate Cobbler

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Chocolate Cobbler

The method used for this cobbler includes pouring boiling water over the batter. This creates pockets of pudding between the tender sections of cake.

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Chicken Scallopini

Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Chicken Scallopini

Our test kitchen recommends choosing a wine you like to drink for this recipe so you can enjoy the leftovers with your meal.

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Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell

Recipe: Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting

Adding a splash of bourbon to both the cake and the icing give this dessert a decadent flavor any bourbon lover will enjoy.

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Pork Tenderloin with Farro Salad

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Farro Salad

You'll need just 20 minutes to treat your sweetheart to this easy yet delicious dinner so even if you're short on time, you can still enjoy a homemade meal together.

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Red Velvet Brownies

Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Red Velvet Brownies

You can't go wrong serving these colorful brownies smothered in rich cream cheese frosting for dessert.

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Vidalia Onion Soup

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Vidalia Onion Soup

Using Vidalia onions adds even more flavor to this classic soup. Serve it as a starter or pair it with a salad for the main course.

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Valentine's Pavlovas with Strawberry Sweet Cream

Recipe: Valentine's Pavlovas with Strawberry Sweet Cream

Served with Strawberry Sweet Cream, chopped fresh berries, and a drizzle of decadent melted chocolate, these heart-shaped pavlovas are a special treat your sweetheart will love.

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Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

This traditional meat sauce makes a comforting choice for Valentine's Day—and it's perfect for busy cooks. You can set it in the slow cooker and leave it alone.

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German Chocolate Cake

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: German Chocolate Cake

Strong-brewed coffee and German’s sweet chocolate baking bars give each layer of cake just the right amount of flavor that's perfect for pairing with the showstopping Coconut-Pecan Frosting.

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Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

Recipe: Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

You can serve this appetizer with the tomato skin on or off, whichever you prefer.

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Marbled Sugar Heart Cookies

Credit: Zoe Denenberg; Prop Styling: Grant Gaar

Recipe: Marbled Sugar Heart Cookies

No cookie decorating experience is necessary to create these cute treats.

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Creamy Rice with Scallops

Credit: Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Creamy Rice with Scallops

Scallops are the steak of the sea—so splurge this Valentine's Day by making these and serving with risotto-like creamy rice.

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White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake

Credit: Photo: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Styling: Kay Clarke, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake

This pretty pound cake can also be made with fresh strawberries instead of raspberries, or you can use a mixture of both.

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Braised Lamb Shanks with Parmesan-Chive Grits

Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Braised Lamb Shanks with Parmesan-Chive Grits

Considering how fancy and date night-worthy this dish looks, you’d never guess that this sophisticated dish was made in a slow cooker.

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Conversation Heart White Chocolate Bark

Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Recipe: Conversation Heart White Chocolate Bark

This recipe combines the classic heart-shaped candy with melting chocolate for an indulgent Valentine's Day treat.

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Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw

Celebrate the day of love with pure crispy decadence—in the form of these best-ever crab cakes. Serve as a main dish or an appetizer!

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Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Cups

Credit: Victori Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Cups

Filled with ooey-gooey caramel and topped with crunchy pecans, these chocolate cookie cups are definitely making us feel the love.

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Red Velvet Thumbprints

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Red Velvet Thumbprints

These cheery cookies are colored for the occasion.

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Garlicky Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Garlicky Roasted Spatchock Chicken

Have you heard the rumor that making roasted chicken increases your odds of getting a proposal? It's not exactly science, but this recipe might help.

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Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes

Not single. Not double. Triple chocolate. Because we're going for the gold.

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Romaine with Creamy Olive Dressing

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: William Smith

Recipe: Romaine with Creamy Olive Dressing

For just a slight nibble and palate cleanser, this salad recipe packs a flavorful punch. When you have a homemade dressing this good, romaine is about all you need.

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Crab-and-Bacon Linguine

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Crab-and-Bacon Linguine

White wine, heavy cream, and bacon combine to make a pan sauce that feels oh-so indulgent. As if crab linguine even needs help in that department...

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Buttery Chive-and-Mustard Drop Biscuits

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Buttery Chive-and-Mustard Drop Biscuits

Give your buttermilk biscuits a special makeover for a fancy date night.

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The Best Valentine's Day Recipes of All Time

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Air Fryer Steak

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Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake

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Caesar Salad with Garlicky Croutons

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Sheet Pan Hanger Steak and Vegetables

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Lobster Mac and Cheese

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Valentine’s Day Cake

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Shrimp on Seasoned Crackers with Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese

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Baked Tortellini Alfredo With Mushrooms

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Chocolate Cobbler

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Chicken Scallopini

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Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting

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Pork Tenderloin with Farro Salad

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Red Velvet Brownies

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Vidalia Onion Soup

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Valentine's Pavlovas with Strawberry Sweet Cream

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Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce

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German Chocolate Cake

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Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

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Marbled Sugar Heart Cookies

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Creamy Rice with Scallops

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White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake

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Braised Lamb Shanks with Parmesan-Chive Grits

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Conversation Heart White Chocolate Bark

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Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw

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Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Cups

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Red Velvet Thumbprints