Looking for a magical main this Valentine’s? These romantic recipes deliver on flavour - and ease
Make sure your main is spectacular on Valentine’s Day with our top picks, from indulgent pastas to 5-minute meals.
Forget the flowers (but not the card!) and step away from the dine-in deals, we've got our top picks of magnificent main courses to serve up this Valentine's Day.
We've picked out our favourite Valentine's showstoppers to set the mood on February 14, from perfect pasta to sensational seafood, the GH Kitchen team have you covered - they're so good, even Cupid would approve!
Bavette steak Café de Paris butter and roasted broccoli
Nothing says 'love ya' like a perfectly cooked steak and this one comes with an umami-rich butter for the ultimate Valentine's treat.
Recipe: Bavette steak Café de Paris butter and roasted broccoli
Smashed pea, crab and lemon pappardelle
An indulgent ingredient like crab is perfect for Valentine's in this easy pasta recipe.
Battered scampi and chips with proper mushy peas
Keep it classic with a 'proper tea' this Valentine's and serve up crispy scampi and chips. Mushy peas are non-negotiable!
Smokey blue cheese mac
Mac n cheese isn't just for midweek meals, this one is full of flavour with a gooey blue cheese sauce.
Recipe: Smokey blue cheese mac
Easy chicken saltimbocca traybake
Perfect for a pair, this salty, tender chicken dish is perfect for a laid-back Valentine's.
Cheat's 5-minute paella
This flavor-packed dish takes just 5 minutes, leaving plenty of time for romance...
Recipe: Cheat's 5-minute paella
Gnocchi cacio e pepe recipe
Traditionally made with spaghetti, this comforting dish is the perfect way to show the love.
Recipe: Gnocchi Cacio e Pepe
Singapore chilli crab and prawns recipe
Seafood with spicy chilli? Yes please - turn up the heat!
Recipe: Singapore Chilli Crab and Prawns
Côte de boeuf with rosemary salt fries and truffle mayo recipe
A côte de boeuf is the French name for a single bone-in ribeye steak, which makes a superb special occasion meal for two, especially when paired with crispy chips and a rich dip.
Recipe: Côte de Boeuf with Rosemary Salt Fries and Truffle Mayo
Lamb with creamy spinach polenta recipe
This gorgeous dinner option is so speedy to make, needing only 15mins of cook time, and is perfect with a glass (or two!) of red wine.
Recipe: Lamb with Creamy Spinach Polenta
Crab and asparagus clafoutis recipe
We’ve used a mix of white and brown meat to for maximum indulgence in this delicious dish.
Recipe: Crab and Asparagus Clafoutis
Chorizo and kale risotto recipe
Just a few ingredients make this flavourful risotto - perfect for sharing with your loved one.
Recipe: Chorizo and Kale Risotto
Spaghetti vongole recipe
This venetian dish is the perfect romantic dinner to impress, simply half the recipe if you're eating as a pair.
Recipe: Spaghetti Vongole
Polenta with garlicky wild mushrooms recipe
The butternut squash adds sweetness to the polenta and helps to keep it softer and smoother.
Lentil and sage stuffed aubergine recipe
Tinned lentils and fresh veggies make for a thrifty yet delicious meat free main.
Rolled crackling pork belly with peach stuffing recipe
Pull out all the stops with this rolled crackling pork belly, packed with peach stuffing. Plus, you can eat the leftovers for lunch.
Egg yolk ravioli with beurre noisette recipe
Nothing says ‘special occasion’ quite like making your own pasta. And the best part is the egg yolk remains runny, the perfect dramatic way to kick off a meal.
Chestnut-stuffed chicken recipe
Try using this stuffing inside a Portobello mushroom for a veggie alternative.
Recipe: Chestnut-Stuffed Chicken
Italian pork chops recipe
If possible, buy free range or organic pork – you'll be rewarded with better taste as well as texture.
Recipe: Italian Pork Chops
Herby fennel and lamb traybake recipe
This traybake looks after itself in the oven, meaning more time to spend with the one you love.
Recipe: Herby Fennel and Lamb Traybake
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
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