Vegan & Plant-Based Valentine's Day Dinner Recipes & Ideas

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I think they say stomach is the way to a person’s heart, right? Something like that. With that in mind, today I’m going to be sharing delicious vegan fare that will win over the taste buds and hearts of your partner. I’ll share a range of options including easy recipes for those who may be beginners in the kitchen, along with dessert recipes that will more than satisfy a sweet tooth.

Note: all of the recipes and ideas I’ll be sharing are also suitable for vegetarians. Toward the bottom of this article, I’ll also be sharing lots of tips and ideas with you on how to have a successful Valentine’s Day.

Two Awesome Candy Brands

If you’re wanting to purchase vegan candy that’s also allergy friendly, I can’t suggest Amore di Mona and No Whey Chocolate enough (those links are for reviews my kids made). Amore di Mona is a speciality luxury chocolate brand that’s also top 9 allergy free, vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free.

No Whey Chocolate is gluten free, vegan, and top 9 allergy free (not refined sugar free). Both brands offer chocolate boxes with things such as bonbons, they have chocolate bars, and a lot more to choose from.

If you’re shopping for kids, No Whey is the better brand since their chocolates are a lot more kid friendly when compared to the Amore di Mona.

List of Pink Foods and Red Foods

Here’s a list of foods that are naturally pink or naturally red. You can incorporate these into your vegan meals, or have them on the side to bring a splash of festive color to the table.

Beets
Berry Powder (strawberry, raspberry)
Cherries
Cranberries
Dragon Fruit (the pink variety, not the white)
Edible Flowers (some are the perfect color for Valentine’s Day)
Figs (know that not all vegans eat figs)
Hibiscus
Marinara Sauce and Pizza Sauce
Pink Lady Apples
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Red Bell Peppers
Red Grapes
Red Pears (with the skin still on, the flesh isn’t red)
Red Potatoes (with the skin still on, the flesh isn’t red)
Red Skinned Apples
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tomato Products (tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, etc.)
Watermelon

Red and Pink Dinner Ideas

These are some awesome ideas for dinners that you can serve on a special evening. Many tap into easy-to-use ingredients so you don’t have to spend all of your energy in the kitchen.

Sweet Potato Taco Nachos with a Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

You’re essentially going to make something like an Irish nacho, but with sweet potato instead. Start by slicing your sweet potato into thin rounds and cook them on a baking tray in a little olive oil (or cooking fat of choice) until they’re easy to pierce with a fork and a little crispy around the edges. Whilst the sweet potato is in the oven, on your stove top you’re going to want to cook up a vegan protein you love (pulled jackfruit, vegan sausage, etc.), and season it with taco seasoning.

Once the sweet potato comes out of the oven, top with your seasoned protein, sliced jalapeño, black beans, a creamy cashew sauce, a spicy red pepper sauce, and a little vegan cheese.

Rose Pancakes with Strawberries and Edible Flowers

Pancakes for dinner? Heck yes, especially if it’s all you have the energy for. You can season your vegan pancakes with rose water to create an elegant flavour, and serve with a side of strawberries. You can purchase edible flowers at many natural/organic/co-op style grocery stores (think Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, etc.). Since edible flowers aren’t common everywhere, call before you visit a store.

Red Pepper Risotto Cooked in Coconut Milk

For this tasty recipe, you don’t have to use coconut milk, but if you and your partner love the taste of coconut, this is a great application for coconut milk. You’ll want to follow your favourite risotto recipe, and in place of the broth, use hot coconut milk instead. I’d use a 50/50 blend of full fat coconut milk and the boxed (more watery) coconut milk.

Whilst your rice cooks, chop red peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Cook those together in olive oil (or a cooking fat of choice) and allow them to develop some good color. Once the rice is done, bring it all together and top with a little chopped fresh basil.

Creamy Pulled Vegan Protein in a Mini Bread Bowl/Bread Roll

To pull this off (ha! don’t worry, I’m keeping my day job), you’re going to want to start with something like jackfruit or hearts of palm since both pull/shred easily. You could also use shredded carrot for this recipe, but carrots won’t bring the same flavor profile to the table.

Cook your pulled protein in a delicious thick and hearty vegan cream sauce. Mix in green herbs such as thyme, parsley, and rosemary (think Italian leaning spices and herbs). Be sure to include onion and garlic (can be dry seasonings or fresh produce). Once your protein is cooked to perfection, serve it in a bread bowl or mini bread roll.

Broccoli & Quinoa Harvest Bowl

This is a simple idea that will have you pair oven roasted broccoli with a fluffy quinoa. To bring the festive flare, you’re going to add quartered cherry tomatoes and steamed beets. You can also top this with a drizzle of creamy sauce and fresh herbs to really make it pop.

Vegan Appetizers to Serve for Valentine’s Day

These plant-based recipes all make for an awesome appetizer this coming Valentine’s Day, and they’re pretty easy to make.

Gluten Free Focaccia
Vegan & Gluten Free Chickpea Patties (such a delicious appetizer that could pass for a main dish)
Hot Sushi Roll Slices
Fried Eggplant with a Creamy Sauce

Easy Vegan Valentine’s Day Recipes to Enjoy

If easy is your jam, these are four recipes/ideas to consider.

Silky Smooth Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Vegan Chowder (perfect if your Valentine’s Day dinner will be on a chilly night)
Creamy and Delicious Eggplant & Rice
Vegan 3 Bean Chili (this has an awesome romantic red colour, and another good option if date night will also be a chilly night)

Pasta Dishes to Serve on a Special Day

There’s something so crave-able and indulgent about a pasta with a creamy texture. Here are four awesome recipes that you can serve for your vegan Valentine’s Day dinner.

Gourmet Creamy Pasta (this pasta recipe is more than perfect for your vegan Valentine’s Day dinner, just look at how decadent it is)
Creamy Tomato Pasta Recipe
Cheese Free Vegan Mac-N-“Cheese” (this is the best way to make a mac n “cheese” for people who don’t have a safe cheese option)
Luscious Vegan Pesto Pasta

My Kids’ Favorite Vegan Valentine’s Day Recipes

If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day as a family, here are some awesome recipes that are great for the taste buds of both kids and adults.

Decadent Desserts to Enjoy This Valentine’s Day

Whilst these sweet treats are indeed rich and indulgent, you don’t have to wait until February 14th to serve them. They’re all perfect for any special occasion if you ask me, and the perfect followup to all of your vegan dinners. Know that these are also all top 9 allergy free recipes, for those who are more than vegan or vegetarian.

Vegan & Gluten Free Fudgy Brownies
Strawberry Nice Cream (this could pair very well with those brownies)
Rose Cookies (gluten free, top 9 allergy free)
Chocolate & Cherry Crumble
Chocolate Cake Date Muffins (gluten free, top 9 allergy free)
Chocolate & Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

How to Bring a Romantic Dinner Idea to Life

You’re going to start by researching romantic vegan dinner recipes, however, only give real attention to the recipes you know you and your partner will love. For example, if you’re both athletes currently training and tend to stick to healthy vegan recipes, I’d make sure that anything you’re considering is inline with that. If you pick recipes you both won’t love, you’re already off to a bad start, and we don’t want that.

Next, talk with your partner and make sure they’re open to the recipe(s) you plan to serve. This is also a great time to find out if they wanted a night out, rather than a night in. Once you know your partner is OK with your recipe selections, practice your recipes once or twice before you plan to serve them. This will ensure you’re comfortable when the big day comes.

Set the mood. This may be the most important element to bringing your romantic dinner idea to life. For example, if you have two little kids and there are toys everywhere, and a sink full of dishes, no one is going to feel like they’re having a romantic meal. Make sure the house is clean, there’s good music playing, and you’ve put out some festive decor. Your decor can be as simple as pretty paper plates.

Finally, have a good time! Don’t spend all your time stressed out in the kitchen trying to bring your romantic dinner idea to life. A boat load of stress will only set you up to have an unhappy evening.

Tips For a Successful Valentine’s Dinner

Communication is KEY

I can’t stress this enough. If both you and your partner are following the same diet, communication shouldn’t be too difficult. However, if they have an additional restriction (perhaps they’re gluten free, corn free, nut free, or something else), it’s critical that you communicate with them.

Not Everyone Will be Comfortable Having Someone Else Cook for Them

If you’re a fan of cooking and your partner is more than vegan, they may not be comfortable having you cook for them, especially if you haven’t been dating for very long. This is one of the reasons communication is so important: it allows you to read the room.

If you find they’re not comfortable, but you’d really like to cook for them, meet them in the middle. Brainstorm dinner ideas together, then ask them to go shopping with you. Have them pick out the ingredients that are safe for them, then offer to cook dinner in their kitchen with their safe food. This…. THIS is the ultimate romantic gesture. You’re listening to them, taking their needs into account, and making sure they have something super safe and delicious to eat.

Some Won’t be Able to Try a New Recipe

Some of you reading this may have a partner with a very limited diet, and they may not be able to try the new recipe you’re excited about, even if it’s a simple recipe. In situations like those, rather than focusing on making a new recipe, you can find little ways to bring in pink and red elements to the vegan meals you already know and love.

For example, you can purchase super cute plates and cutlery, or a gorgeous table runner. There’s candles, and even posters you can put up on the wall to bring a festive element to the room and meal. Having romantic music on whilst you eat a recipe you always eat by candlelight can be enough to make the day feel special.

Remember, there’s more to life than food, and there are lots of ways to have fun, even when you have a limited number of safe foods to pull from.

Don’t Make a New Recipe for the First Time on Date Night

When you’re planning out your romantic vegan meal, if it’s a new recipe to you, please don’t try it for the first time on date night. You know the saying: what can go wrong will go wrong, and we don’t want that to happen to you.

Be sure to full test any new recipe that way on the day of the main event you can cook with all the confidence in the world. You’ll also be able to quickly spot if something is going wrong since you’ve already made the recipe in question.

If You and Your Partner Both Enjoy Cooking…

If you both love to cook, make a romantic dinner and dessert together. Most likely, you’ll end up having a blast together in the kitchen, then sit down and indulge together. Having that quality time together doing something you both love will only strengthen your bond.

Know Your Limits

If you work full time and want to have a romantic meal with your partner, don’t run yourself into the ground trying to pull it off. For example, hominy enchiladas would be a LOT of work, especially if you’re making all of the components from scratch. A vegan meatloaf on the other hand is maybe 1/10th the amount of work.

Know your limits and your personal mental and physical bandwidth, then cook the appropriate dinner. When we push too hard, we end up super unhappy. Sure, the meal will be made, and it will probably taste great, but then you’ll be annoyed, grumpy, and tired. That’s no way to spend an evening with your partner.

Vegan Potato Recipes
Vegan Desserts: Recipes & Tips
Easy Vegan & Gluten Free Desserts
Free-From Valentine’s Day (this article includes dinner menu ideas and more, but not all plant based vegan)

Answering Your Vegan and Plant-Based Diet Questions

Do you have recipes for any vegan casseroles that would be good for Valentine’s Day?

I have a few recipes for vegan casseroles that might be good for Valentine’s Day. The first one I’ll suggest is this chickpea casserole. I encourage you to change up the seasonings though to be more inline with a romantic dinner. The next one I’ll suggest is for vegan scalloped potatoes, which is kind of a casserole dish. Should you plan to make this for an upcoming date night, I’d top it with flavorful sautéed mushrooms and/or caramelized onions. The mushrooms and/or onions will add so much depth and make the meal feel even more indulgent.

Alternatively, you could top the potatoes with a spicy cashew cream sauce that would add an awesome pop of colour.

What brand makes the best vegan mozzarella?

Based on what my taste testers have told me, I’d have to say that Daiya makes the best vegan mozzarella, followed by Miyoko’s. The both melt decently, but not the way the claim on the package. In some scenarios, you have to pre-melt the dairy free cheese before you can really use it.

If this will be your first time working with vegan mozzarella, don’t wait until the day of to test it out. Make sure you do a full test run of your main course so you know if there are any caveats.

Is white wine vegan and gluten free?

Most white wine will be both gluten free and vegan. There are some cheap white wines that are processed with a wheat/gluten-based processing aid. You’ll need to either avoid cheap white wines, or reach out to manufacturers before purchasing them.

What would be the perfect dish for a nut and soy free vegan?

This is an interesting combination, but one that I’m very familiar with. When you’re trying to serve the perfect dish to someone with multiple restrictions, start by communicating with them. Let them know that you’re trying to put together a romantic vegan recipe they’ll love, but find out what they’re comfortable eating.

My top three picks for a nut and soy free vegan for a romantic evening would be:

Don’t let those waffles throw you off- breakfast for dinner can absolutely be the perfect dish, especially when rose is involved.

Would cauliflower steaks be a good Valentine’s Day dinner?

Oh man, cauliflower steaks would be an awesome Valentine’s Day dinner. One could argue that they’re a comfort food and that’s because of the creamy texture it can bring to the table. Cauliflower steaks + caramelized onions + roasted crispy potatoes (or French fries) = the perfect way to make you and your partner happy. You could also make a vegan Caesar salad to serve on the side.

Vegan & Plant-Based Valentine’s Day Dinner Recipes & Ideas

Two Awesome Candy Brands

List of Pink Foods and Red Foods