If you’re in a season of life where heading out for a night out isn’t feasible, we’re here to make things a little easier. Whether you’re looking for a fancy dinner to celebrate an anniversary, a comforting meal to show your partner how much you care, there’s something special about a cozy dinner at home. Featuring easy appetizers, wonderful main dishes, and sweet dessert recipes, these date night dinner ideas will help you create a special meal without stressing over a reservation.
Roasted Salmon with Herbed Potatoes and Asparagus
“Having company? Serve your guests this dish and they’ll be wanting more. The caper aioli can be used on sandwiches and lasts up to 3 days in the fridge.” – Natasha
Connie’s Lyonnaise Potatoes
“Crispy, buttery, and yummy, these simple skillet potatoes are a staple in my home. I remember my mom making them when I was a child. I don’t know where the recipe originated. It’s a great recipe for when the oven is holding a roast and you need to make the potatoes on the stove. A great alternative to mashed potatoes.” – Connie
Grilled Chicken a L’ Orange
“I tend to go heavy on the cumin (in almost every recipe). It’s so smoky all by itself and really adds something special to grilled meat. I add it to recipes whenever I can.” – Chip
Garlic Parm Shrimp and Pasta
“A super simple shrimp and pasta dish. It only takes as long to make as it takes the pasta to cook! We took some of our favorite things, tossed them together, and came up with this tasty meal.” – Maggie
Baked Custard
“Baked custard, flan, creme caramel… whatever you call it, it remains a wonderful blend of sugar, milk, and eggs that creates one of the most indulgent, yet simple comfort foods known to man.” – Maggie May
Chicken Cordon Bleu With Sauce
“Another one of my husband’s favorites. I make this a lot. We especially like the sauce. This recipe is much better than the plain Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe because of the sauce.” – Betty
Caramel Apple Galette
“Full of fresh apples and warm spices, this Caramel Apple Galette has the flavor of a pie but is a fraction of the work.” – Debbie
Caprese Salad Bites
“One of our favorite summertime salads is Caprese salad. I mean, we can’t get enough of it, especially when garden-ripe tomatoes are in season. We found some beautiful bigger than large cherry tomatoes but smaller than Roma tomatoes, and came up with these little beauties. They are a one-bite wonder. Not only are they beautiful, they are fun, and they just scream summertime and freshness.” – Annette
Lemon Orzo Chicken
“This is a dish that is easy to cook. You don’t boil the pasta. It cooks in the oven. If you love chicken, lemon, and Feta you will love this dish.” – Deborah
Easy Cheesy Creamed Spinach With Garlic
“My mother-in-law makes a wonderful creamed spinach. I tried my version, adjusted it to my taste, and added Parmesan cheese.” – Lauren
Sicilian Style Lemon Roast Chicken
“This is a chicken dish that makes a wonderful sauce. You can serve this with pasta, mashed potatoes, or couscous.” – Debbie
Cheese Toasties
“This is a quick and easy appetizer that is great for parties. The topping can be made up to 3 days ahead, which is wonderful when you’re short on time. Oh… and they taste great too! You can use different types of cheese, such as Colby Jack.” – Sue
Chicken With Fire Roasted Tomatoes
“We love fire roasted tomatoes, so what better way to use them than with chicken, some herbs, wine, and cheese!” – Sue
Italian Baked Pork Chops and Penne Alfredo
“A two-in-one recipe to satisfy your meat man, with a vegetarian pasta dish, combine the two for a tasty main dish! We have a variety of tastes in our family. Trying to satisfy everyone with one meal can be challenging. So I came up with this dish one night, trying to accommodate everyone.” – Megan
Strawberry Rhubarb Cream Pie
“To me, nothing says spring like fresh strawberries and rhubarb. This wonderful pie is a new family favorite that tastes like jam with a creamy custard all baked into a pie crust with a crunchy crumb topping. So good it will make your eyes roll back into your head!” – Teresa
Brown Sugar Pork Chops
“Whoever said grilling had to be hamburgers and hot dogs? You can whip up a tasty, healthy, fruitful meal on the grill in 5 minutes and leave everyone wondering how you found the time.” – Jill
Lemon Pepper Panko Crusted Chicken With Pesto Pasta
“I love crispy, lemony chicken over pasta. This recipe adds a homemade pesto sauce, too.” – Amber
Bow Ties With Chicken and Asparagus
“This is an awesome meal. It makes a lot of food. I live alone, but I love to have the leftovers to take for a healthy lunch at work during the week. The best part is, it’s really quick to make!” – Robyn
Grandma’s Italian Meatballs
“My grandma gave me this Italian meatball recipe years ago. I keep them stocked up in the freezer and when I need them there they are. Delicious! I make the balls bigger if I’m using them for meatballs subs. I slice them in half, flat side down on a hoagie roll, add sauce, and cheese, and broil for about 10 minutes. I also smash them up and add them to my sauce for lasagna.” – Cassie
Salmon with Butter Lemon Dill Sauce
“A very tasty, highly satisfying dish. You simply won’t be able to stop tasting the sauce!” – Sara
Creamy Beef Gnocchi
“A flavour packed dish with beef, pillowy potato dumplings in a tasty sauce.” – Kevin