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Date Night doesn't have to be at a restaurant to be special and delicious! These Recipes for Date Night at Home will help you plan a gourmet meal without setting foot in a restaurant!
Do you love Date Night?
Do you get excited about a chance to dress up, eat delicious food, and stare dreamily into each other's eyes?
I do!
Sometimes, however, date night also means making a reservation, parking blocks away from arestaurant, paying to park, and handing over a credit card for obscenely expensive meals.
If the chilly winter wind has you dreading the walk to your destination, if your credit card needs a break, or if yousimply want to impress your significant other with your mad-crazy cooking skills-- keep reading!
These 22 Recipes for Date Night at Home will have you romancing your way through the night with decadent, gorgeous food from the comfort of your own space.
co*cktails
This list of at-home date dinners starts with homemadeco*cktails.
Whether you try a spicyRosa Picante Margaritaor a sweeter Lychee French 75, these drinks willhelpyou look terribly impressive with your bartender moves!
How to Make a Mint Julep
Love bourbon? Learn how to make a mint julep from scratch! This classic Kentucky co*cktail is perfect for hot summer days and Derby day!
Make It
Rhubarb Pink Gin
This sophisticated Pink Gin spring co*cktail is carefully crafted with a dash of bitters, a splash of rhubarb simple syrup, and of course-- gin.
Make It
Kentucky Bourbon Coffee
This Kentucky Bourbon Coffee is a Southern take on an Irish coffee, and is the perfect drink to keep you warm on chilly days. This caffeinated co*cktail is made with freshly-brewed coffee, coffee liqueur, bourbon, and cream.
Make It
Rhubarb Champagne
This Rhubarb Champagne is a springtime take on a mimosa, and is made with sparkling wine or champagne and rhubarb simple syrup.
Make It
Bourbon Sour with Lavender
This Bourbon Sour with Lavender is a sweet spring co*cktail! Mix one up in no time with lavender simple syrup, lemon juice (or Meyer lemon juice), and bourbon.
Make It
Rosemary Bee's Knees
This rosemary bee's knees drink is made with rosemary honey syrup, lemon juice, and gin. It's a sweet and sprightly botanical co*cktail!
Make It
Dinner Recipes for Date Night
Next-- the main attraction-- dinner.
Start with a rainbow salad from Lauren Caris Cooks, or break out the fancy-schmancy seafood with seared ahi tuna, pan seared halibut, andthis king salmon recipe.
Want more even dinner ideas? Check out this recipe for sea bass, and this one for halibut cheeks!
Lemon Risotto with Roasted Cauliflower
This vegan Lemon Risotto is a creamy citrus rice dish that's served with spiced and roasted cauliflower. Serve this dish as a main course for Date Night, or as a fancy side dish at your next dinner party!
Make It
Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Charred Lemon
This Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Charred Lemon is drizzled with olive oil, white vinegar, and fresh lemon juice. It's fast, easy, and delicious!
Make It
Red Wine Pasta Sauce
This red wine pasta sauce is an easy twist on a classic Italian marinara, and is made with fresh or canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and wine.
Make It
Ahi Tuna Steaks with Ginger Soy Sauce
These easy seared ahi tuna steaks are seasoned with sesame seeds and a ginger soy sauce marinade. This extra-quick main course is ready in 20 minutes!
Make It
Salmon Wellington
This Salmon Wellington recipe features puff pastry packets filled with spring greens, mushrooms, goat cheese, and salmon, along with an easy mustard sauce.
Make It
Halibut Salad with Bourbon Dressing
This warm halibut salad is made with pan-seared halibut, a bed of wilted spinach, and a quick bourbon dressing. Serve this decadent seafood salad for date night!
Make It
Honey Bourbon Salmon
This honey bourbon salmon is marinated in an easy bourbon sauce, broiled until tender, and finished with the sweet honey bourbon glaze.
Make It
Dessert Recipes for Date Night
Finish your meal with something sweet, and maybe even some dessert!
This is where I pause awkwardly for my joke to register.
Try making prosecco tiramisu from Sweet & Savory Meals, sticky toffee pudding from Krumpli, and adorable heart-shaped cookies from Meg is Well.
The sweet treats below are some of the favorites, and will be the finishing note to afabulously chic, and simultaneously cozy, stay-at-home date night!
Chocolate Lava Cake
This easy chocolate lava cake is based on the French moelleux au chocolat, and is the perfect dessert for two! Plus, check out my secret for an extra chocolatey center!
Make It
Apple Crostata (Galette)
This vegan apple crostata (or galette) is an easy alternative to apple pie, and is made with puff pastry, apples, pears, and a quick orange glaze.
Make It
Chocolate Truffles with Chile Mocha
Yields about 30 1" truffles
Make It
Poached Pears with Cardamom
These Poached Pears with Cardamom are a light, delicious dessert of ripe pears poached in a spice-infused white wine syrup.
Make It
More Cooking Basics
- Lobster Butter Sauce
- Garlic Scape Butter
- Peanut Butter Granola
- How to Debone Salmon Steaks
About Sarah Trenalone
Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.
Reader Interactions
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Comments
Meg | Meg is Well
Um, date night can be me, by myself, eating all of this right? Great gathering of recipes, and thanks for including me!
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champagne-tastes
of course!!! Make yourself one of everything and get a movie-- sounds perfect! 😀
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Meg @ With Salt and Wit
Well this gives me 22 reasons to stay home for a date now! I love all of them!
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champagne-tastes
Thanks!! Enjoy!
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Diana
These recipes look AMAZING! I never cook for date nights, but it might be a good idea to try that!
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champagne-tastes
It's fun to do once in awhile!
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Lisa
What a beautiful roundup of date night recipes! I have to laugh though because my husband and I have a "not so private joke" -- date night for us is when we buy a box of Just For Men -- and I color his hair!
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champagne-tastes
LOL... throw in a co*cktail and you'll have a party! Hehehe
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valentina
What a great idea for a post! Now if only we had a night alone without the kids. 😉 All looks delicious!
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Debra C.
So many beautiful meals and delicious drinks - I can do date night this way. GREAT ideas!!
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Sabrina | The Tomato Tart
What a great collection! Looking forward to trying them out. Yum!!
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Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I love date night! And I especially love date night spent at home with comfy clothes on! While going out every now and then is fun, nothing beats staying at home and enjoying a good meal all cozied up in the warm, especially this time of year. Great collection of recipes here. I would be more than happy with any of these!!
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Amanda | Chew Town
So, I basically want all the co*cktails and desserts right now. Not discounting the dinner options - they look delicious too, my palate is just craving alcohol and sweets right now! 😉
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champagne-tastes
I want them toooo and I've sworn them off until February! (Sadness!!! Lol)
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Platter Talk
Date Night, here we come! Thanks for all these beautiful pictures and recipes.
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Luci {Luci's Morsels}
I love this recipe round up - what great inspiration for a date night! My sample menu from these choices would include the Rosa Picante Margarita, Tomato Soup to start, Crusted Sea Bass as the entree, and finished with those adorable heart-shaped Butter Cookies. Thanks for the fabulous ideas!
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Lisa | Garlic & Zest
Ok, I think I want to date you. In our house, "date night" is a glass of wine and a package of "Just For Men" hair color - don't ask.
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champagne-tastes
Lolololol.. hey at least there's wine! ????
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[emailprotected]
These look Perfect! Such lovely photography.
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valentina
Such a beautiful collection! Everything is romantic, pretty, and oh-so-delicious looking!
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Stephanie@ApplesforCJ
What a great collection of ideas Sarah! Basically we have date night every night though. Cause I'm always cooking 🙂
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champagne-tastes
Haha yes but I don't have co*cktails and desserts every night! ????
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Mindy Fewless
These all look great!! Perfect date night!!
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Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
These all look like winners: I’ll have a hard time choosing!
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Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Wow. I could eat and drink everything here, not in one sitting, mind you 😉 It's a great line up!
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champagne-tastes
I want to eat it all too!
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Christine
There are some wonderful date night recipes here! Several caught my eye including the salmon and the caramel sauce over the delicious brownie!
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Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
I love having date night at home! No worrying about parking and we can stay all cozy in our house. This is a great roundup of ideas. I'm not sure what I'd want to eat first! Though all the those drinks do look very inviting. 🙂
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