30 Healthy Date Night Recipes for Sparking Romance, Not Naps

Nothing says "I'm into you" like these healthy date night recipes.

February 9, 2018

This image may contain Food Dish Meal Animal Lobster Seafood Sea Life and Platter

Really, who wants to deal with wrangling Valentine's Day dinner reservations at that trendy, new spot? Here at Healthyish, we think the real pro move is to stay in and express your love (or like, or whatever ~ feelings ~ you may have) via cooking, so we're turning to these vibrant salads, impressive (but quick-cooking!) mains, minimalist cocktails, and a few killer make-ahead desserts.

Photo by Laura Murray. Food Styling by Judy Mancini.
1/30
Celery, Apple, and Peanut Salad
You can mix and match the types of apples with whatever you have on hand. Doing so brings out a more complex flavor as well as a more colorful salad.
View Recipe
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
2/30
Radicchio and Citrus Salad with Burrata
We’re over having to carefully cut the peels off citrus before slicing them; simply peeling them first keeps their natural shape intact and saves time.
View Recipe

Alex Lau
3/30
Citrus and Avocado Salad With Orange Water
Salting the citrus draws out some of the juice, which becomes part of the vinaigrette.
View Recipe
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
4/30
Radicchio with Tahini and Sesame Seeds
This tahini dressing recipe goes especially well with bitter greens but can also be paired with sweeter lettuces such as Little Gem or romaine.
View Recipe

Alex Lau
5/30
Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese
The classic summer salad gets a roasty cold-weather makeover.
View Recipe
Alex Lau
6/30
Seared Radicchio and Roasted Beets
Roasting beets over high heat yields charred skin—a nice balance with the sweet flesh.
View Recipe

Alex Lau
7/30
Cauliflower Steaks and Purée With Walnut-Caper Salsa
You will have more than enough of the cauliflower purée and the salsa. Use the leftovers as a dip or swirl into vegetable soups.
View Recipe
8/30
Roasted Squash and Cauliflower With Cashew Tonnato
Tonnato is a creamy Italian sauce that combines from-scratch mayo with preserved tuna, lemon juice, and anchovies, and is classically spooned over thinly sliced veal. This one is different. It gets creaminess from cashews instead of eggs, and, along with the dukkah spice mix, will gussy up any tray of roasted vegetables you make.
View Recipe

Photo by Christopher Testani
9/30
Herby Barley Salad With Butter-Basted Mushrooms
Meaty mushrooms compliment nutty, chewy grains in this savory dish.
View Recipe
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
10/30
Spicy Cauliflower Sabzi With Cashews
If you’re spice-averse, just leave the chiles out!
View Recipe

Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
11/30
Hanger Steak with Tahini and Smashed Charred Beets
When tahini is whisked with just some water, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, it becomes an all-purpose condiment that can be made ahead and spooned onto nearly any dish.
View Recipe
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Emily Eisen
12/30
Ponzu Roasted Salmon for Two
Salty-tart and just-sweet-enough ponzu sauce is a great back-pocket finisher for everything from salads to roasted vegetables, especially when you are tired of your everyday vinaigrette.
View Recipe

Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Andy Baraghani
13/30
Butternut Squash Baked Pasta
The assignment: A satisfying, creamy, crave-worthy baked pasta that would still be delicious without (most of) the cheese. Nailed it!
View Recipe
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
14/30
Lamb Chops with Tomato Salad
You want that lamb fat to render out gently; it’ll eventually become part of the sauce that will tie the whole dish together.
View Recipe