20 Romantic French Recipes

A collection of my favorite 20 Romantic French recipes to cook with my love. These recipes are perfect for Valentines day or any date night where you want the feel of a cozy French bistro in your own home.

Le Chef's and my love story was recently featured on The TODAY Show! You can find the full live cooking segment here:

TODAY Show Segment: French Onion Soup and Chocolate Lava Cake

So, let's put on some romantic French music, open a bottle of wine, and get cooking in the kitchen.

There is something charming about cooking together at home. We plan ahead for a restaurant-worthy meal that will feel special. Yes, we cook in our kitchen every day but yet dressing up, setting out special ingredients for a delicious menu, opening a bottle of wine and taking the time to cook together truly feels like a date - even if there are small children underfoot!

Here is a selection of 20 Romantic French Recipes to get you started:

L'Apéro:

Set out a little Cutting board on the kitchen counter with nibbles. Some olives, a few slices of cheese, a little olive tapenade and perhaps some saucisson. Simply the act of laying out the Apéro board elevates the experience and opens the appetite. For more on the French art of the Apéro you can read the blog post I wrote on the subject here.

I suggest starting with a Kir Royal cocktail. Made of Crème de Cassis and Champagne, the Kir Royal is very romantic.

kir royale cocktail made with creme de cassis and champagne

French Appetizers

Pan Seared Diver Scallops and Leeks in White Wine make for a delicious and elegant French-inspired appetizer. The sweet, buttery taste of the scallops pairs beautifully with the slight tang of leeks. This dish is super simple to make and yet is impressive to serve. Le Chef had this dish on his menu in the South of France years ago and I was so happy to learn to make it with him at home.

Valentine's day menu appetizer — Seared Scallops and Leeks in White Wine Appetizer

Bayaldi de Légumes is a great vegetarian appetizer to start - it is slow roasted in the oven and can cook while you are completing the rest of the meal.

Confit Bayaldi a dish of layered eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and onions — Confit Bayaldi by Chef Sébastien Giannini

You likely already have Champagne open so you might as well make this amazing Asparagus with a Citrus Champagne Vinaigrette

Asparagus with Champagne Citrus Vinaigrette — Asparagus with a Champagne Citrus Vinaigrette (photo by Jennifer Chase)

French Onion Soup Gratinée is one of my personal favorite dishes and this recipe is truly something special. Light and fragrant broth with 3 types of onions, a dash of whiskey a generous helping of cheese makes it a French Onion that rivals those in fancy French restaurants. You, and your loved one, won't be disappointed.

two bowls of french onion Soup on a table with wine — French Onion Soup Gratinée

French Main Course

Surf 'n' Turf, or Steak & Lobster dinner, is a romantic dish to serve to your loved one. An American steak house classic, but this recipe has a French twist with a decadent Champagne, shallot and herb butter that you will want to pour over everything! Not to mention a generous serving of perfectly sautéed haricots verts.

surf n turf dinner featuring lobster tails, sirloin steak and haricots verts on a plate with red roses — Surf n Turf

Coq au Vin, a French bistro classic is wonderful for date night. It stews for hours and comes out tender and decadent. A delicious recipe.

Coq au Vin with mushrooms, chicken, onions and parsley served with mashed potatoes — Coq au Vin served with Le Chef's Mashed Potatoes

I encourage you to try making La Daube Provençale. It is similar to the classic Boeuf Bourguignon, however the addition of little olives and orange zest make for a bright dish with a rich, winey sauce and tender chunks of braised beef that you will want to twirl your pasta in forever.

la Daube provençal in a white bowl - beef stew with fettucine 2 bowls — La Daube Provençale

A good French Roast Chicken is absolutely irresistible. This Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken recipe will have you counting down the minutes to dinner.

poulet roti - roast chicken with lemon and thyme and garlic fresh out of the oven

It is hard to go wrong with a Filet Mignon Steak. One of the most tender cuts of steak and when cooked properly at home feels very luxurious.

The full recipe with Le Chef's tips for cooking a Filet Mignon are found here: How to cook Filet Mignon like a Chef.

Mashed Potatoes are the perfect side to the Filet: the full recipe is found here: Le Chef's Mashed Potatoes

Valentine's day menu Filet Mignon — How to cook Filet Mignon like a Chef

Duck Magret de Canard is a delectable dish that not enough people dare to cook at home. With this simple recipe we walk you through each step to create a restaurant worthy dish.

duck magret with apples and squash — Roasted Duck Magret with Apples and Squash

Branzino with Sauce Vierge is one of the easiest dishes you could ever make and yet is so surprisingly delicious. The "Sauce Vierge" made with tomatoes, olives, basil, chives, shallots and pine nuts brings the French Riviera sunshine wherever you live.

Branzino on a plate with Vierge Sauce made of tomatoes, capers, shallots, olives and basil

Lobster Mac n Cheese is an elevated take on an American classic that will have you reaching for more. Just wait until you try this mornay sauce! So yummy.

Lobster Mac and cheese gratinee 1 — Lobster Mac n' Cheese

Romantic Desserts

There is nothing better than a decadent dessert to finish a Romantic French Dinner.

Here are some of my favorites:

Mousse au Chocolat : Great for date night because it can be made in advance and doesn't require any additional cooking before serving.

2 pots of French chocolate mousse with chocolate shavings — Mousse au Chocolat

This Crème Brulée recipe is extraordinary. Better than in the restaurants!

homemade creme brulee that has a bite out of it - sugar crackly crust — Crème Brulée

A chocolate Soufflé is not that hard to make, when you are told the proper technique. This recipe breaks it down simply for you.

a chocolate soufflé in a white ramekin with powdered sugar — The Best Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

Last, and certainly not least, I know you will fall in love with Le Chef's Moelleux au Chocolat Recipe.

Moelleux au chocolat (translation: soft chocolate) is also known as a chocolate lava cake or as a mi-cuit au chocolat. This recipe makes for a cake that is rich on the outside and decadently gooey on the inside – positively oozing with dark chocolate.

Le Chef served this exact recipe for Moelleux au Chocolat on one of our first dates over 15 years ago and well, the rest is history!

Le Chef's Wife's Tips:

When preparing a menu like this one - a key to success is planning in which order you will cook what item. Always read all of your recipes fully before beginning. For example: the Moelleux au Chocolat batter requires an hour of chill time. Better to start with that than discover it at the end of your meal!

I hope this menu inspires you to have delicious date night at home - any time of the year! Comment below and let me know what you are cooking.

About Le Chef's Wife

Le Chef's Wife in her kitchen in front of a row of pots and pans with a bowl of Soup

Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.

I share our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!

Au plaisir,

Le Chef's Wife