Who Said Valentine's Day Is Just For Couples? Treat Yourself With These 40 Perfect Dinners For One
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Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest holidays of the year, with countless couples headed to their favorite restaurant or whipping up a romantic home-cooked meal, but for many, the day arrives with a stigma. We’re here to prove that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be reserved for couples—self-love is just as special a thing to celebrate. So grab yourself a heart-shaped box of overly sweet chocolates, light some candles, put a record on, and cook yourself one of our favorite meals for one. Many of these recipes require minimal prep and dishes, so you won’t have to worry about the hassle of cleaning dozens of dishes just for one meal. Similarly, these dishes either come in a small serving size or are very simple to scale down—though you may just find yourself wishing you’d cooked a whole 4 servings for yourself!
Here at Delish, pasta is not only a basic food group, but one of our constant standbys when we find ourselves cooking a dinner for one. It's easy to scale to how hungry we are that night, endlessly riffable with pantry staples, and ultra weeknight-friendly. Whether you're in the mood for a classic Italian pasta dish, like cacio e pepe and pasta alla gricia, or new classics like our divorce ditalini(celebrate that breakup in style) and creamy Tuscan vegan pasta, you'll find you can never go wrong with a pasta dinner.
In the mood to really treat yourself? We love cooking up a nice steak on those decadent nights when we're dining in solo. Think of it this way, you don't have to share any of your cowboy butter steak, cast-iron skillet steak, or steak with bourbon garlic cream sauce if you don't want to and you'll look super-impressive when you eventually have guests over! No matter the dish you choose, be sure to round out your meal with one of these small-batch dessert recipes that are perfect for two (or one person with a major sweet tooth).
Cowboy Butter Steak
Not to be confused with our equally delicious cowboy steak, this recipe calls for searing a bone-in ribeye, then basting it with a zesty, smoky butter until the outside has a perfectly brown crust, and the inside is tender and medium-rare.
Get the Cowboy Butter Steak recipe.
Divorce Ditalini
Divorce ditalini is exactly the garlicky, soul-warming, one-pan meal that such a monumental life event calls for. It’s got sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and garlic, just like our Marry Me pasta, but with the addition of olives, chopped anchovies, chiles, and crumbled feta.
Get the Divorce Ditalini recipe.
Lemon-Brown Butter Salmon
In this 15-minute dinner, hearty salmon fillets are generously seasoned with salt and pan-seared in browned butter with lemon zest and lemon juice, then topped with a flurry of freshly chopped herbs.
Get the Lemon-Brown Butter Salmon recipe.
Burrata Pizza Sandwiches
If you love pizza crust, then this is the next-level rendition of that perfect crunch. This calzone-cousin is a super-crusty sandwich stuffed with creamy burrata, salty prosciutto, sweet fig jam, and peppery arugula.
Get the Burrata Pizza Sandwiches recipe.
Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe literally translates to “cheese and pepper." These two ingredients are usually thought of as small components to a dish, but in this pasta recipe, they take center stage. The fruity bite of freshly ground pepper adds complexity and is earthy, sweet, and spicy all at once.
Get the Cacio e Pepe recipe.
Chickpea Broccoli Alfredo Skillet
Butter-toasted chickpeas and seared broccoli are tossed in a rich Alfredo-style sauce made from heavy cream, shallots, garlic, and Parmesan to create this 35-minute skillet dinner. A pinch of lemon zest and crushed red pepper flakes add much-needed brightness and heat to cut through the rich Alfredo sauce.
Marry Me Shrimp Pasta
Marry Me shrimp pasta features a rich sun-dried tomato cream sauce loaded with shrimp, tender spinach, and fragrant herbs, all tossed with perfectly al dente pasta.
Get the Marry Me Shrimp Pasta recipe.
French Bread Pizza
We've all been there: You're craving homemade pizza, but you want it fast—no time to deal with rolling out finicky pizza dough. The solution? Grab a loaf of French bread, and get ready for the pizza hack of a lifetime.
Get the French Bread Pizza recipe.
Creamy Tuscan Vegan Pasta
After a long day, there's arguably nothing nicer than homemade bowl of creamy pasta. This recipe takes a note from our classic creamy Tuscan chicken, but made vegan-friendly while still maintaining the creaminess you know and love.
Get the Creamy Tuscan Vegan Pasta recipe.
Brie Spaghetti
Nutty, buttery brie is one of my favorite cheese because it’s approachable yet fancy, and it goes with a wide variety of other flavors. With very little effort, you can have a super decadent pasta dish perfect for any occasion.
Get the Brie Spaghetti recipe.
Marry Me Tofu
Well-seasoned tofu is a kind of culinary chameleon, and because of this, why not give this plant-based protein a Marry Me moment? Pairing our signature creamy, garlicky sauce with crispy tofu is every bit as good as it should be.
Get the Marry Me Tofu recipe.
Mushroom Piccata Pasta
This is everything you love about chicken piccata, just without the chicken. The sauce is bright, briny, extra buttery, and filled with crispy, golden brown mushrooms.
Get the Mushroom Piccata Pasta recipe.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Wouldn’t it be great to have a big bowl of your favorite creamy Alfredo pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor? This classic creamy sauce already had a place in our hearts, but adding cottage cheese and spinach took the love to new heights.
Get the Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe.
Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu)
Inspired by the popular Japanese onigirazu, this variation’s got the same elements of your favorite lunch—spicy salmon, seasoned sushi rice, cucumber, quick-pickled cabbage, carrot, and avocado—all wrapped in nori and served with plenty of sriracha-soy mayo.
Get the Sushi Sandwich (Onigirazu) recipe.
Tuscan Butter Scallops
The scallops get seared to a golden hue in plenty of butter, then wrapped in a velvety sauce infused with garlic, wine, and aromatic herbs. Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach complete the tricolore fantasy for a hearty and filling dish bursting with Mediterranean flavor.
Get the Tuscan Butter Scallops recipe.
For this version of lobster ravioli, wonton wrappers are used instead of pasta dough. The wonton wrappers are so tender and light that you really only taste the decadent lobster filling.
Get the Lobster Ravioli recipe.
Thai-Inspired Basil Beef Bowls
Pad krapow is Thailand’s most popular stir-fry dish for a reason. It’s got saucy ground meat tossed with sliced bell peppers, spicy chiles, and a handful of fresh, sweet basil, served over steaming rice. Our take is the perfect protein-packed meal prep that’ll keep you excited to eat all week.
French Onion Grilled Cheese
Caramelized onions and melted Gruyère are a heavenly match, so sandwiching them between crispy toasted bread is a sure win. This grilled cheese take on the classic French onion soup will make you wonder why you ever bothered with the broth.
Get the French Onion Grilled Cheese recipe.
Baked Feta Pasta
Obviously roasting a block of feta with bursting tomatoes is going to be amazing. But is it good enough to break TikTok like this one did? Our answer, begrudgingly, is yes. It's genius—super-easy, but also fancy enough for when you have a plus-one on date night. 😍
Get the Baked Feta Pasta recipe.
Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
We’re always on the lookout for yummy ground turkey recipes, and this one is one of our faves. These lettuce wraps come together fast (just 20 minutes!), are super-flavorful, and can be customized how you like it. Top them with your favorite taco toppings, really anything goes!
Get the Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps recipe.
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