Inspire Romantic Recipes for Valentine's Day 2020

Ah, Valentine's Day...the holiday celebrating love and romance. In 2020, there are so many options for date nights. People have endless creative possibilities, but there's still nothing better than a traditional, old-fashioned romantic dinner for two. You can light candles, turn on romantic music (perhaps Frank Sinatra), and you can cook dinner together. Over the course of the Valentine's Day dinner, you'll learn more about each other and grow deeper in love.

This is the time to craft all those heart-shaped love-fest dishes for dinner. In case you need some inspiration, try these five easy Valentine's Day recipes that focus on both sweet and savory flavors. Your dinner date will fall hard for these loving dishes, and we wouldn't blame them. They're too adorable to resist.

Welcome to my romantic kitchen. Bon appetite!

1. Heart-Shaped Pizza 

Heart-shaped pizza.

Dinnertime is always a great opportunity for you to have fun with a holiday celebration. Everyone will love these heart-shaped pizzas. Nothing says "I love you" more than this fun recipe with a golden crust topped with pizza sauce and melted cheese. So, this Valentine's Day, show your loved ones just how much you adore them by making a heart-shaped pizza.

You will need the following ingredients:

• 1 package store-bought pizza dough 
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/3 c. pizza sauce
• 1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese 
• Fresh parsley or basil, optional 

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a pizza pan with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the pizza dough. Gently cut the dough into a heart shape. I made a paper template beforehand and used it to perfectly make the heart-shaped pizza. Fold the edges over and press down to create a crust. 

Transfer the pizza dough to your prepared baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, then spread sauce over the top of the dough. Add your cheeses and bake for eight to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and top with fresh parsley or basil, if desired. Let cool for five minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Heart-shaped pizza.

2. Heart-Shaped Chicken & Cheese Quesadilla

Heart-shaped chicken and cheese quesadilla.

As you can tell, I love heart-shaped food for Valentine's Day. They're adorable, cute, and extra romantic. It's easy to turn a simple quesadilla into a fun Valentine's Day treat, and all you need is a knife and a heart-shaped pattern. Everybody loves a good quesadilla, and this chicken and cheese quesadilla is no exception. Made with shredded chicken, sour cream, and plenty of cheese, these quesadillas are sure to be a hit! 

You will need the following ingredients: 

• 8-10 10" flour tortillas 
• 4 c. shredded chicken, baked 
• 1 red bell pepper, diced and sauteed 
• 2 c. sour cream 
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the shredded baked chicken, 1 1/2 c. sour cream, and shredded cheese. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper with cooking spray. 

Gently cut the tortillas into a heart shape. I made a paper template beforehand and used it to perfectly make the heart-shaped quesadilla. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the filling to one tortilla. Top with the sauteed bell pepper. Place another tortilla on top of the first tortilla and lightly press down. Repeat until you have used all of the flour tortillas. 

Arrange the prepared quesadillas on the baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Serve with the remaining sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or fresh pico de gallo. Enjoy!

Heart-shaped chicken and cheese quesadilla.

3. Romantic Panko Crusted Chicken with Red Pepper Sauce 

Panko crusted chicken with penne pasta and a red bell pepper cream sauce.

This might not seem like a Valentine's Day recipe (I couldn't shape the chicken into a heart, unfortunately), but I chose this recipe for a reason. You need a main course for your romantic dinner date, and what's more romantic than a delicious pasta dish? This dish is comparable to any fine Italian restaurant. 

This panko crusted chicken with a red pepper sauce is full of flavor and simple to prepare. The chicken has a crispy and flavorful batter (with panko bread crumbs), sealing the juices inside the chicken. The red pepper sauce has red bell peppers and parmesan cheese. Does it get any better than that? This dish is perfectly balanced and delicious, served best with warm penne pasta. This is a great meal you can cook together with your special someone! 

You will need the following ingredients: 

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 c. flour, plus a generous amount for the coating of your chicken
• 1 large red bell pepper
• Penne pasta, cooked according to the directions on the box
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 3 c. milk (I used skim milk.) 
• 2 Tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

Panko crusted chicken with penne pasta and red bell pepper
cream sauce.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place a generous amount of flour on one plate. In a small bowl, beat one egg. Finally, spread panko bread crumbs onto a second plate. This will operate like a conveyor belt system. Dip each side of your chicken breasts in the flour, then dip it into the egg yolks and then coat it in the panko bread crumbs. Place each prepared chicken breast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Top the chicken with one tablespoon of mozzarella cheese and allow the cheese to melt in the oven.

For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup of chicken broth and one cup milk in a saucepan. Add 1/4 cup of flour and two tablespoons of milk to make a mixture. Whisk until you form a thick consistency. Add more flour and milk until you have a smooth sauce consistency. Finally, add your mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and whisk until the sauce is nice and creamy.

Cook the penne pasta according to the directions on the package. Dice your red bell pepper and sautee in olive oil. Plate your meal with the penne pasta and add the cooked chicken breasts on top. Generously drizzle the creamy sauce over your meal. Finish the plating with the sauteed peppers. Your dinner just got a whole lot better. Enjoy!

4. Cupid's Strawberry Float

A strawberry float.

One of my favorite things about love and romance is watching couples on dates, especially in the olden days when teenagers were courting at local diners. They shared a float or milkshake. They were filled with so much promise and young love. It's inspirational.

Well, this fun strawberry float recipe is a twist on the classic floats and milkshakes courting couples would share at diners. All you need is strawberry soda, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. It's just that easy!

To make this fun float, place two scoops of vanilla ice cream in a clear glass. Slowly add the strawberry soda. Be careful not to pour too quickly because it will foam! Finally, add whipped cream to the top of the float. Serve with two straws and be ready to share this lovey-dovey drink with your special someone.

5. Love Letter Strawberry Jam Pies

Love letter strawberry jam pies.

When I saw this recipe shared on Delish, I knew I had to try it. One of my favorite memories about Valentine's Day is receiving valentines in elementary school. They were simple little cards, but they meant a lot. I love the idea of sending valentines to people (which I featured in a recent blog post), especially to your significant other. I wish couples still sent love letters to each other. There's nothing like opening a letter or card and reading a special note from your sweetheart.

That's what this dessert is representing. The strawberry jam pies are shaped like envelopes, intending to be like a love letter. This is an adorable dessert to share with your loved one on Valentine's Day.

You will need the following ingredients:

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• 1/2 c. strawberry jam 
• Flour, for rolling out the dough
• Egg wash
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Strawberry jam pies.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the pie crusts. Using a knife, gently cut out long diamond shapes, about four inches on each side. I used a paper template to help form the shape of the diamond. Transfer the diamonds to the baking pan. Reroll the extra pie crust to make more diamonds.

Fill the center of each diamond with a small dollop of strawberry jam filling. Fold three of the corners into the center so the dough looks like an open letter. Lightly press down on the dough to seal. Use a knife or a small heart cookie cutter to stamp out the remaining dough into tiny hearts. Place the hearts in the center of each pie.

Brush the envelopes with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the pies are golden brown. Let the pies cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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There are numerous options to help celebrate Valentine's Day, especially in the kitchen. Red is a popular color for food, which makes it perfect for the special holiday. Celebrate Valentine's Day with these romantic, cute recipes. You'll have a good time with your loved ones, and your taste buds will fall in love with these flavors. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

-KJL-