16 Simple yet Stunning Restuarant-Worthy Recipes To Make for Your Next Date Night

A date night at home doesn’t have to be drab. Whether you're missing the last time you got to eat at your favorite restaurant or you're trying to pinch some pennies while saving up for your wedding budget, a homemade dinner with the right recipe can feel even more intimate. After all, making a meal for just you and your partner seems a lot more heartfelt than making a reservation or picking up take out. Be careful making these restaurant-worthy dinner recipes; you’ll save loads of money on delivery fees, but your partner will be begging for you to cook dinner every night from now on.

Make an impact from the first course with this stunning steakhouse-style wedge salad. A huge, crisp hunk of iceberg gets drenched in a homemade buttermilk-blue cheese dressing, juicy tomato chunks, and crisp bacon, but you save time on chopping and mixing for this geometric wonder. 

The creamy, cheesy spinach filling in these spanakopita triangles are a universal hit at every Greek restaurant. Rolling it up into crispy phyllo dough makes these fun finger-foods perfect for snacking on the couch while still filling, and the spinach makes it feel a bit healthier too. 

These egg rolls get a savory southwest twist when Guy Fieri fills them with grilled chicken, crispy vegetables, and creamy avocado. These are best served fresh, so you already have an excuse to eat the whole batch in one sitting.

Lettuce wraps don’t sound like much of a showstopper, but their quick and simple preparation pays off in this fun-to-eat dinner. Serve this dinner with all the fixings separate so you and your partner can assemble and customize your own lettuce wraps and you’ll feel like you’re back out at your favorite date spot again.

Bon Appetit has the secret hack to making perfect tofu in these soy and scallion rice bowls super crispy like in a restaurant; a box grater gives you finely-ground tofu that resembles ground beef that gets a flavor punch from salty soy sauce and spicy ginger.

Who needs a waiter to bring you unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks when you can make your own supply of soup with this copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe. Okay, so salad and breadsticks aren’t included, but everyone knows the soup is the best part.

No one’s disappointed in a salad for dinner when it’s this loaded with pretzel croutons, mustard dressing, and sausage bits. This recipe will bring you back to the fresh air and fun of dining in a beer garden—just without the hangover. The dark swiss chard is loaded with antioxidants so this filling salad still feels super healthy. 

Meatballs get a modern makeover, trading the typically rich bowl of pasta and marinara with a bright red Romesco sauce made of sweet roasted red peppers. The color contrast alone will turn your dinner into a professional food photoshoot.

This is the epitome of a low-effort,  high-impact recipe from the queen of comfort food herself. Ina Garten simply roasts a chicken on top of crusty slices of bread, so the bread soaks up all those juices and crisps to golden-brown perfection for some of the most delectable croutons you’ve ever had. Then she tosses them in a light arugula salad and serves alongside the chicken. It’s like a French bistro at home.

The legendary Portland restaurant Pok Pok broke foodie hearts everywhere when it closed all its locations last year, but the viral popularity of their signature sweet-salty-sour chicken wings has been recreated by home cooks and food bloggers across the internet. Chicken wings are always homey and familiar, but this recipe will certainly shake up your typical dinner routine.

Cauliflower has been transformed into low-carb substitutes for rice, gnocchi, mashed potatoes, and dozens of other foods, but did you ever think that cauliflower could be as substantial as a thick hunk of steak? Epicurious roasts the thick-sliced cauliflower until crisp and tender, then tops it with flakey, herby breadcrumbs for a new use for the transformative vegetable.

Beefy short ribs are cooked until tender with sauteed mushrooms in this steakhouse-style entree. Short ribs are typically a lot cheaper than the more premiere cuts of beef but still satisfyingly steak-y, and along with the meaty texture of mushrooms, you don’t need to shell out the big bucks for a show-stopping dinner.

Panzanella is a classic Italian salad that utilizes stale bread for its crispy croutons to soak up all the flavorful tomato juices and dressing. This take on the dish grills the bread and vegetables for a fresh, smokey flavor addition. The grilled ingredients are then paired with bright basil and creamy mozzarella for a beloved flavor combination! Though light, this standout panzanella can still be served as its own entree.

Instant Pots are required kitchen essentials for prepping low-effort recipes in between Zoom meetings, and this Indian style Butter Chicken tastes like it was stewing all day but comes together in mere moments. 

You probably thought s’mores were already the perfect confectionary concoction, but these mini s’more cups take out the danger of burnt marshmallows for these individually sized mini tarts filled with a rich chocolate ganache and fluffy toasted meringue. 

Macadamia nuts bring a luscious, tropical vibe to this nutty dessert. Chewy like your favorite brownie but with the craveable toasted flavor of brown butter, these blondies will quickly become your new go-to dessert.