Whether it’s because our frigid Winter temps are giving you FOGO (fear of going out) or staying in cozies & bypassing the need to arrange a sitter is more favourable, we would agree, date nights in are a total parenting win! It usually involves a crash or two by one of our curious cupids, but we wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂 If food is your love language too, and you’re looking for a simple + delish Date Night Recipe Idea to cook up with your love, we’ve rounded up some of our own faves over the years, as well as those that have us drooling from fellow recipe developers & families/couples that love to cook-it-up too! Most of them take under 30 minutes to prep, some no stove required! We’ve tried to include something for every palate and diet type (vegan, meat lover & seafood lovers & more) Here are 7 Date Night Recipes You Need to Try!
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Burrata Shared Plate
We’ve been loving the simplicity of shared plates & appys for dinner lately (our own at-home Aperitivo!), and this Burrata board had memories of our pre-parent days soaking in the sights of the Amalfi Coast swirling in our minds as we devoured it. Burrata is made with a fresh buffalo mozzarella ball infused with crema di ricotta (ricotta mousse) and putting it centre stage of a food board to share is our new fave date night dish. Grilled zucchini & artichoke would tasted lovely on this one too (*we just didn’t have any on-hand at the time*). Other ways to enjoy the Burrata are diced in salads or atop a crostini.
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Burrata Shared Plate Appetizer
Equipment
- Food board or long plate/platter
Ingredients
- 1 ball fresh burrata
- spring mix greens *enough to cover area around the burrata ball*
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic glaze
- roasted red peppers *jarred*
- mix of olives
- pickled beets
Instructions
- Place the burrata in the centre of your board/plate. Add enough spring mix lettuce to surround it and fill the plate.
- Add & arrange roasted red peppers, olives & beets.
- Drizzle olive oil & balsamic glaze & top with coarse salt + ground black pepper, to taste.
- Serve with your favourite sliced artisan bread or pre-made crisps. Buon appetito!
While the shared burrata appy would be enough on its own, it could also be the starter to one of these other delicious dishes.
2. Sundried Tomato Chicken Alfredo Farfalle (*lightened up*)
We tried this lightened up version of one of our favourite dishes from a resto we frequented when dating in our university years last year as our family Valentine’s Day meal – Sundried Tomato Chicken Alfredo. It’s SO good & I give #DadChef all the credit on this one. This would be a perfect date night recipe to try!
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Sundried Tomato + Chicken Farfalle Alfredo - Lighter Version
Ingredients
- 900 g Farfalle Pasta (*use Whole-wheat for healthier spin*)
- 270 mL Jar of Sun-dried Tomatoes in seasoned oild (*use 3/4 of sundried tomato halves and chop finely*)
- 4 tbsp seasoned oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 kg skinless, boneless chicken breast or chicken tenders (*about 2 chicken breasts*)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 tbsp red pepper chili flakes less/more to taste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (*substitute brown rice, quinoa, or chickpea flour for healthier spin*)
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1.5 cups milk (*we used 1%*)
- 1/4 cup light PHILADELPHIA cream cheese
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup mozzarella shredded
- 3/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 tbsp EACH dried parsley, dried basil, garlic powder & salt less/more to taste
- 3 twists ground black pepper
Garnish
- freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- fresh basil or Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in large cooking pan. Add cubed chicken chunks and shake on garlic powder. Cover & let cook all the way through (*approx. 5 mins*). Set aside on plate or in bowl when finished.
- Meanwhile, start heating up water to boil pasta in large pot according to directions on package (*cook 1-2 mins under recommended time for "al dente" texture*). Pasta should be cooked around the same time the sauce is ready! (drain and set aside when done).
- Heat sun-dried tomato oil on medium heat in same pan. Add sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic & red pepper flakes and saute approx. 1-2 mins. Shake in flour and cook another 2 mins, stirring continuously (use a whisk for great results).
- Turn down heat to low & add chicken broth (keep stirring). Whisk cornstarch with milk, then add to pan along with the tomato paste, dried parsley + basil, garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer & continue heating/stirring until sauce thickens (approx. 4-5 mins).
- On low heat, add in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese until all are melted. The Farfalle pasta should be cooked at this point, so either add it to the pan and toss sauce/pasta together, or spoon sauce onto pasta in the cooking pot.
- Serve plated or in a pasta bowl & garnish with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese and/or fresh basil/Italian parsley. Buon appetito!
3. Vegan Mushroom Risotto
Hands down one of our favourite dishes when we dine out as a duo, so I kind of can’t believe we’ve never actually made this one ourselves! This recipe from our friend Emily at Best of This Life had my mouth watering and we can’t wait to give her spin on Mushroom Risotto a try this month. Emily also whips up some salivation-worthy desserts you should totally check out too!
© BestofThisLife.com – All Rights Reserved
4. One-Pot Lemon Garlic Spinach + Shrimp Pasta
One of our favorite family dinners for a weeknight save (it’s made in one pot & takes under 30 mins), this one would make a great date night dish too!
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Lemon Garlic Spinach Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 450 g pkg Linguine (or other long pasta) (make 900 g for a larger family or crowd)
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 6 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic chopped or minced
- 1 454 g bag cooked, ready eat shrimp
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lg. fresh lemon juice squeezed
- 2-4 cups fresh baby spinach ~about 2 handfuls is good
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley chopped
- coarse salt to taste, to cook pasta
- 1/3 cup pasta water *save & set aside once pasta cooks*
- red chili pepper flakes *optional, to taste*
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil, add coarse salt & cook pasta to al dente. Preserve 1/3 cup pasta water once cooked, drain pasta & set aside. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil so it doesn't get sticky, mix.
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium, add olive oil & half of the butter (3 tbsp). Add fresh garlic + garlic powder and cook until garlic softens.
- Add in the shrimp, cook & heat about 2 minutes (*if using non-ready to eat shrimp, heat until shrimp turn pinkish, but not fully cooked, ~4 mins*)
- Sprinkle in dried basil & toss in fresh spinach. Cook until spinach turns a rich green colour and looks wilted.
- Return the pasta back to the pot and toss in remaining butter, parmesan cheese & fresh parsely. Stir until ingredients are mixed well and the butter fully melted.
- Cut the lemon in half, then squeeze juice from each piece over the pasta mixture. Toss, then serve with extra parmesan cheese & red chili pepper flakes (*optional*). Garnish with parsley.Buon appetito!
5. Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles
For our readers looking for a low carb dish alternative to the shrimp pasta above, this is it! We love swapping “zoodles” for noodles on occasion and can’t wait to give this Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles from Erin of WellPlated.com a try for a future date night recipe!
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6. Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Another honorary mention for our readers who love sundried tomatoes! This Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken from Alyssa of TheRecipeCritic.com is certifiably, resto-level quality DEE-lish! We gave this one a try this weekend – thumbs up all around!
© TheRecipeCritic.com – All Rights Reserved
Special thanks to our reader Tara for sending over one of her family’s faves with sundried tomato – this less creamy version made instead with vino & lemon juice, Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan! Another great date night recipe idea with chicken!
7. Heart-Shaped Pizza & Caprese
A nod to “The Month of Love”, heart-shaped anything goes. We loved making these easy heart-shaped pizzas & caprese amore salad with the kiddos a couple of Valentine’s Days back – equally as fun pour deux! Pull out the heart-shaped cookie cutter & have fun playing with your food with these date night recipe ideas!
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Heart-Shaped Caprese Salad
Our last vacation as a couple before starting our family was an Italian whirl, including a stop at the Island of Capri. This super-easy antipasto (appetizer), which literally translates to ‘Salad of Capri”, has always been a favourite for #DadChef and I, and we now love making it ‘con amore’ for special family meals or date nights in. All of these can be made in under 20 minutes – now that’s amore!
Ingredients
- 1 ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella
- 2-4 tomatoes
- fresh basil leaves
- sweet balsamic reduction
- salt & pepper
- EVOO
Directions
- Slice the buffalo mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices & used the heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many cheese shapes as you wish
- Wash and slice the tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices (about as many as you cut for the cheese)
- Place tomato + cheese slices one after another until you arrange enough to feed your crew.
- Drizzle balsamic reduction over the tomatoes and cheese
- Next, drizzle EVOO over the tomatoes and cheese
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves
- Sprinkle salt & black pepper (sparingly, to taste)
*The version shown above excludes the EVOO + salt & pepper because the kids prefer it without so #DadChef and I added it to our own portions after*
Heart-Shaped Pizza Margherita
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Ingredients
- pre-made pizza crust
- 1 can of 213 ml pizza sauce per pizza
- fresh buffalo mozzarella ball
- fresh basil
- Italian herb blend (*optional*)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Freehand cut the premade crusts into a heart shape. If you’re not confident in freehand (trust me it was super easy!), cut out a stencil from cardboard, place on top, and cut around with a knife
- Add pizza sauce to your liking using a large spoon.
- Cut the buffalo mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices, and cut out heart shapes with your cookie cutter. Place cheese hearts on pizza.
- Rince the basil with water, dry & separate. Place on the pizza as desired (I used approx. 4 large leaves for one pizza, but add to taste).
- Sprinkle with Italian herb blend (*optional*)
- Place on baking sheet
- Bake on oven middle rack for 5-8 minutes (depends on oven strength), or until edges begin to get golden brown and cheese bubbles.
Meat Lover’s Pizza
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Ingredients
- pre-made pizza crust (available at all grocery stores near the bread section. We love the President’s Choice ones which come in white, multi-grain and thick crust varieties)
- pre-sliced pepperoni or other favourite cured meat by the stick/slices
- 1 can of 213 ml pizza sauce per pizza
- pre-shredded, bagged Mozzarella or regular mozzarella ball
- Chilli pepper flakes (*optional*)
- Italian herb blend (*optional*)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Freehand cut the premade crusts into a heart shape. If you’re not confident in freehand (trust me it was super easy!), cut out a stencil from cardboard, place on top, and cut around with a knife
- Add pizza sauce to your liking using a large spoon.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the sauce (to taste)
- Use heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out pepperoni (or other meat) hearts (as many as you wish) & place all over, on top of the cheese
- Add chilli pepper flakes, if desired
- Sprinkle with Italian herb blend (*optional*)
- Place on baking sheet
- Bake on oven middle rack for 5-8 minutes (depends on oven strength), or until edges begin to get golden brown and cheese bubbles.
We’d love to hear if you try one of our recipes so leave a comment, tag us @house_of_kerrs #LaCucinadiKerrs on Instagram, or give a shout out to the other contributors credited here. Cheers to a scrumptious month of love & date nights in with your sweetheart!
Love & light,
Tried the burrato cheese board. So easy to make and so delicious. Love the idea of cookie cutting the cheese. Could be shapes any time of the year for other events.