20 Romantic Recipes for Your Valentine's Day Dinner

On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 8 equal pieces; cover with a clean kitchen towel until ready to use. Roll each piece of dough into a 3/4-inch-thick rope. Cut ropes into 1-inch pieces, and transfer to 2 large rimmed baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Brush tops of gnocchi lightly with oil. Bake in preheated oven until browned on the bottom and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to 4 serving bowls.

Just three minutes is enough to brown the topping and perfectly cook the delicate oysters.

Relax! It's the weekend. Here's a healthier way to unwind.

Smooth and custardy, silken tofu blends perfectly with the butternut squash and pumpkin to create the ultimate velvety texture. And thanks to its protein and fiber, the dish is quite filling—your family won’t even know it’s 295 calories and completely vegan.

This classic shrimp cocktail appetizer comes together incredibly quickly. Purchasing uncooked shrimp and then poaching them in the shell helps them stay tender, though they turn out just fine if you want to peel and devein them. The sauce is super simple and comes together while the shrimp are cooling; it’s well-balanced with tanginess from the vinegar and lemon, a little kick from the horseradish, and sweetness from the ketchup.

A simple crust of toasted pistachios takes salmon from everyday delicious to special enough for guests. For even cooking, look for a fillet that is about the same thickness throughout, or ask at the fish counter to trim off the tail end. Serve with rice pilaf or farro.

Chickpeas, goat cheese, and walnuts pump up the protein in this arugula salad, making it a hearty meatless main. Dried figs add a big fiber boost—more per serving than any other fruit.

To make your next steak night a success, watch over the temperature of the meat with a thermometer. This works best on steaks of 1-inch (or more) thickness; it’s hard to get a good reading on anything thinner. We marinate the meat with lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil—but no salt, because the marinade will get discarded. Instead, we sprinkle on a little kosher salt before pan-grilling and finish the sliced steak with gorgeous flaky salt so that it hits your tongue first and offers a beautiful crunchy kick.

We swap traditional red sauce for this light spring pasta, which delivers fresh flavor thanks to green peas, Parmesan, and fresh mint.

A few simple tricks deliver some of the best home-roasted chicken you’ve ever had: spatchcocking (butterflying), pre-salting, roasting at a super low oven temp, and quickly crisping the skin on the stovetop. We focus on the technique here—use this same method with any of your favorite roast chicken flavorings, such as fresh herbs, lemon, or spices. Spatchcocked poultry cooks more quickly and evenly. If you’d prefer not to spatchcock the bird yourself, just have your butcher do it. Place the chicken on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, and make sure no liquids escape from the uncovered dish to avoid cross-contamination.

Tomatoes need a little extra love during winter. This pasta uses them in two ways: first melted into the pancetta drippings for a saucy base, then sautéed until gently blistered with the kale and garlic. Vary the green depending on what you have on hand; shredded Brussels sprouts, chard, or spinach would work. Orecchiette ("little ears" in Italian) have a catcher’s mitt shape that’s ideal for holding the crispy bits of pancetta. You could also use whole-grain shell pasta or rotini.

You read that right—those are actually mushrooms, not scallops! Look for king trumpet mushrooms at your local Asian market; pick ones that are firm and have a bright white stem. This completely vegan dish is a knockout in the flavor department thanks to quickly seared mushrooms and the rich cashew cream sauce. Even if you’re not vegan, this dish is a real head turner. Serve it over pasta for a nice meatless meal.

This bountiful plate comes together in a snap thanks to savvy finds from the supermarket like frozen precooked butternut squash, olives from the olive bar, and spiralized beets (available in the produce section). If you can’t find the beets, you can add 1/3 cup precooked, sliced beets to the cooked and drained green beans. Cutting the steak in half will also speed up cooking; be sure to let it rest a few minutes before slicing.

With a flavor reminiscent of loaded potatoes, kids are bound to love this risotto. Frozen peas cook in just two minutes and add a sweet, fresh pop to the dish.

This sheet pan main is as elegant as it is easy. Serve on any weeknight, or for guests with a whole-grain side and seasonal salad. One large (1 1/2-lb.) fillet, also called a side of salmon, will stay moist at the higher oven temperature. If using individually portioned fillets (about 6 oz. each); bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, roasting the vegetables on a separate pan for about 15 minutes or until tender, then combine and sprinkle with the lemon juice and tarragon.

Feel free to add your own touches—such as swapping in whole-grain pasta for a nutrition boost or trying goat cheese in place of feta—to make this dish personal for your preferences. If you don't have dry vermouth on hand, you can substitute dry sherry or a dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay). Or you could skip the alcohol altogether and use more chicken stock instead; stir in a teaspoon or two of white wine vinegar to balance the flavors with a little acidity.

Nutty Edamame Spread

This is delicious with crudités, smeared over whole-grain bread, or stuffed into mini sweet bell peppers. You can garnish with lemon rind for a pretty effect.

Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Onions

Seasoned simply and easily, this pork tenderloin is a stunner. Served with mushrooms and onions, this meal has just the right balance of hearty protein and tasty veggies. Not to mention, the pork makes for a great leftover for the next day.

Make this rich, delicious, and surprisingly airy dessert for your next holiday party or occasion. It tastes like it has a lot more sugar and butter than it does. The secret? The über-moist orange-inflected chocolate sauce that gathers at the bottom, pooling out into the dish as you slice into it. Be sure to spoon plenty on top. It’s incredibly good.

Chewy in the middle with crispy edges, this easy dessert flavored with browned butter is absolutely irresistible. You can swap any dried fruit for the raisins here. Keep leftovers in the skillet and simply cover it.

This is a tastier version of those strawberry shortcake bars from the ice cream truck. The crust is salty, buttery, and slightly tart—a perfect crunchy match to the creamy and sweet white chocolate filling. This super-simple recipe also has minimal ingredients, which is a nice contrast to labor-intensive Thanksgiving pies. Be sure to fold the cream into the chocolate before folding in the yogurt, otherwise the mixture may seize.