Top 10 Recipes for Valentine’s Day That You Should Try

Recipes for your Valentine's Day. Photo: SquareMeal

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your partner, with your pod or by yourself, these recipes will help make the day special without a full day spent in the kitchen. These dishes don’t require tons of ingredients and most of them come together in under an hour.

1. French Onion Grilled Cheese

Photo: Heather Christo

Nothing says “I love you” like a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with melty Gruyère and caramelized onions. This recipe from Ali Slagle has more than 2,000 five-star reviews, so it’s a guaranteed home run. (Tip: Have breath mints handy.), says NY Times.

2. Steak with Peppercorn Sauce

Photo: Eat, Little Bird

Every Valentine’s Day, steak is the overwhelming firm favorite of Good Food users. Thousands of you want to know how to cook the perfect steak (top tip: the secret is quick cooking and constant attention). Browse our best steak recipes for ideas using all cuts including sirloin and rib-eye, plus get ideas for leaner suppers and steak salads.

And let’s not forget about the steak sauces and sides. Peppercorn sauce is your favorite accompaniment, closely followed by bistro classic, shallot & red wine sauce. Our guide to side dishes is packed with inspiration for more sauces, potatoes, and other accompaniments (mac ‘n’ cheese, anyone?).

3. Dauphinoise Potatoes

Photo: Blas Y Tir

If you’re going to attempt to make a spud romantic, giving it the French treatment isn’t a bad idea. It seems plenty of you take that route as this creamy gratin is the most popular side dish on Valentine’s Day.

Take it up a notch with our next-level Dauphinoise potatoes recipe, or work it into the main course in its own right, by using it to top a lamb hotpot, or adding smoked salmon and celeriac.

4. Spaghetti Carbonara

Photo: Food Network

Another rich and creamy dish that our users can’t get enough of on Valentine’s Day is carbonara. With its heady mix of cheese, eggs and crispy pancetta, plus the fact that it only takes about half an hour to cook from start to finish, it’s hardly surprising.

If you’re looking for a fail-safe option that’s sure to impress, check out our five-star-rated classic carbonaras. For an even more indulgent spin, add a few drops of truffle oil or swap for smoked salmon.

5. Sheet-Pan Baked Feta With Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon

Photo: NYT Cooking - The New York Times

This vibrant vegetarian sheet-pan dinner from Yasmin Fahr is just as beautiful as a bouquet of flowers but infinitely more satisfying. If you like, use broccoli instead of broccolini, and serve the whole mess over a pile of chewy farro.

6. Classic Hot Chocolate

Photo: Love & Olive Oil

Make kiddos of all ages happy by serving hot chocolate with breakfast. If you’re feeling ambitious, top it with homemade marshmallows, whipped cream, and red and pink sprinkles.

7. Quick & Easy Cocktails

Photo: Cocktails - LoveToKnow

Lots of you were looking for cocktail inspiration last year – our guide on 10 quick and easy Valentine’s Day cocktails notched up thousands of views.

And our users seem particularly partial to a martini, with recipes for passionfruit martini and espresso martini among our most popular all year round. Browse our best cocktail recipes for more ideas. We’ve also got lots of mocktail recipes including gin-free G&T, faux fizz and a mock mojito.

8. Strawberry Cheesecake

Photo: BBC

Strawberries might not be in season in February but that doesn’t stop you craving our no-bake cheesecake topped with strawberry purée. For a more seasonal alternative, try this fresh and citrusy lemon cheesecake or our rich chocolate hazelnut cheesecake.

Cheesecake requires a bit of forward planning – many recipes require you to prepare it the night before to give it plenty of time to set. But for the organized among you, the results are worth it.

9. Classic Cheese Fondue

Photo: My Food Story

Perfect for celebrating with your Galentine pod or your family, this velvety fondue from Melissa Clark is a welcome excuse to pull out that 1970s fondue set you inherited from your Aunt Charlene. It’s endlessly adaptable, too: Sub in Cheddar, raclette or Monterey Jack for the Gruyère and Emmenthaler.

10. Valentine’s Biscuits

Photo: Good Housekeeping

After cupcakes, biscuits are your favorite Valentine’s Day bake. There are so many different decorations to choose from, including these jammy heart drops and caption cookies, but our slice and bake biscuits were your top choice last year. Check out our best Valentine’s Day biscuit recipes for more inspiration.