You can rest assured that by the end of this post you’ll know exactly what to make to pull off the perfect romantic date night as I’ll give you the best 45 recipes to impress your boyfriend.
Here’s the short answer with some of the best ideas for a romantic 3-course meal at home:
For an appetizer, you could make a quick Caprese salad with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil.
The best first date meal to cook for him as a main dish is a steak with a side of mashed potatoes and some steamed or roasted vegetables.
You could also make a simple pan sauce from the leftover juices and some cream or even serve the steak with some garlic mushrooms.
For a dessert, make a simple lemon cheesecake or buy some cake from the bakery if you’re not too keen on baking.
Remember, the less stress you put on yourself the more you two will enjoy the dining experience.
What can I cook to impress my boyfriend?
Cooking for a man you really care about (and hope will fall in love with you) for the first time can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences in a new relationship.
Should you try to go out of your way and spend hours cooking a meal that’s super impressive or wow him with a simple meal that he can envision will be a regular on your dinner table once the two of you live together?
In this post, I’ll show you some easy meals to cook for your boyfriend such as steak with creamy sauce, ribs, and various chicken dishes, as well as more complex main dish ideas like lobster tails, the perfect filet mignon as well as a classic shrimp scampi.
You’ll be sure to find something that matches your cooking skills as well as something your boyfriend will enjoy and appreciate you for. These fancy dinners are great for a special night, first date, or for Valentine’s day.
Recipes to Impress Your Boyfriend
Appetizers:
If both of you are of legal age and drink, you should welcome your boyfriend with a glass of wine to start the night and relax a bit. You should also ensure the mood is set with night lighting, candles, and some soft music.
Then it’s time to serve some appetizers to go along with the choice of beverage. Here are some easy appetizers to make:
1. Ricotta Roasted Grape Crostini
Crusty bread topped with a sweet layer of ricotta cheese and sweet grapes. This 5-minute appetizer is perfectly bite-sized and goes well with white wine.
2. Blackened Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Bites
An enticing meal of blackened creole shrimp served on crisp and juicy cucumber slices, topped with cool avocado and remoulade sauce that’s packed with flavor.
3. Butternut Squash Mini Pizzas
These adorable grain-free mini pizzas are super easy to make with butternut squash, pizza sauce, cheese, and some toppings.
4. Crab Rangoon
A step up from classic crab cakes, this fancy appetizer recipe is sure to impress. This easy recipe is also made in the air fryer so it’s a healthier version of the classic Crab Rangoon.
5. Portobello Mushrooms Made into Pizzas
This plant-based mushroom pizza recipe is tasty, quick, and easy to prepare in an air-fryer. It can be customized to use whichever veggies or meat you have.
6. Caprese Garlic Bread
Up your garlic bread game with this fancy Caprese garlic bread that’s got layers of butter, melted mozzarella cheese, and cherry tomatoes which is then drizzled with some balsamic glaze.
7. Cheesy Garlic Bread
If you want to make a super quick and simple appetizer with just the bare basics you have in your pantry and fridge then you need to try this simple cheesy garlic bread that’s made with regular sliced bread!
8. Tempura Oysters with Wasabi Mayonnaise
Oysters are always one of those ingredients that seem to impress almost everyone. This recipe is full of contrasting flavors from the sweet and crispy battered oysters to the sharp and spicy wasabi mayo that’s then topped with a refreshing and cooling cucumber salsa.
9. Crispy Pork Belly With Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
A combination of tender pork and moist cornbread is just what you need to get the fancy dinner for two started! It’s then drizzled with some hot honey for a unique combination.
10. Air Fryer Blooming Onion
I’m sure you’ve seen this blooming onion all over Tiktok by now and you probably think it’s too hard to recreate. Well luckily, this recipe will show you an easy way to make this restaurant-quality appetizer in just 35 minutes!
11. Smash Burger Tacos
This viral cheeseburger tacos recipe is guaranteed to win any man over and it only takes 10 minutes to make!
