The best Valentine's Day 2024 date night starts with pasta! Here are my favorite Valentine's Pasta Recipes to make at home. They're yummy, simple, and there's something for everyone on this list!
Make any of these date night pasta recipes into a meal with seriously easy chocolate mousse and some fake-out focaccia with some cheese for a quick and easy appetizer.
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Are you celebrating Valentine's Day this year? Weekend? Ever? Never?
We technically celebrate our dating anniversary on V-day, but after a gazillion years together we....I have no idea...anymore. Mainly because I travel a lot this time of year and two times we had a newborn at Valentine's Day, and while I'm cool with a dating anniversary and a wedding anniversary as an excuse to hang out, it's definitely nothing mandatory for us anymore.
BUT.
One thing we do love to do is cook together, whether or not it's for a special occasion. Having Valentine's Day on a weekday is the PERFECT excuse to stay in, decompress, and make a fabulous pasta dish in stretchy pants, whether you're into the Valentine thing or not.
Here are some date night pasta recipes that I think you'd absolutely love for Valentine's Day or anytime. They're some of our favorites!
The Best Valentine's Pasta Recipes
- Steak Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon (trust. trust.)
- Spaghetti with Bacon and Mushrooms
- She-Crab Mac and Cheese (pescatarian)
- 5-Ingredient Tortellini Alfredo (takes 15 minutes!)
- Sausage Vodka Sauce with Penne
- Pasta Primavera (easily made vegan)
- One Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta (kid-friendly!)
- Spicy Marinara with Sausage and Peppers (seriously ridiculously good)
- Lobster Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce (think: fettuccine alfredo with lobster)
- Lobster Mac and Cheese (why yes we can use lobster lots!)
- Spaghetti with Favorite Meat Sauce
- 20-minute Gnocchi with Spinach (vegetarian, pairs nicely with steak or fish!)
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta (vegetarian)
- Spicy Sambal Pork Noodles (this sauce keeps really well in the freezer!)
- Meatball Bolognese (with a fun shortcut!)
- 30-Minute Creamy Spinach Pasta (my personal favorite)
I have a whole pasta category if you're into even more yummy noods recipes, and of course sub zoodles for any of these if you need to eat gluten free. I have this spiralizer that attaches to my stand mixer and we use it ALL the time, almost weekly.
We also have the pasta maker attachment for our KitchenAid mixer if you want to get really fancy!
What to Serve with Valentine's Pasta
AND AND AND, if you're into takeout but maybe want to make dessert, OR if you want to go all out? A kale salad to start and chocolate mousse or chocolate mousse pie for dessert? Keep it simple with brownies?
Here are some other side ideas that I love for pasta night:
- No-Knead Bread (seriously foolproof, just start it the night before)
- Marinated Mushrooms for snacking beforehand
- Simple Green Salad with yummy vinaigrette
- A very yummy house salad
- Sliced Steak with Shallots for topping a vegetarian pasta
- Quinoa Cake because a GF bakery-style dessert is just such a gift
Valentine's Pasta: my favorite made-up-holiday gift EVER.
Last updated February 2024.
Andréa Janssen
What a great idea pasta for Valentine’s Day. But after going through all your recipes. I don’t know which one to choose. They all look so delicious!
Lindsay
One a day for a week should do you! Feel free to send leftovers. 🙂
Angela
My family loves pasta. Thanks for the great recipes!
Lindsay
Thank you so much!
Ramona
A beautiful and simple dish - my kids absolutely loved it and want it again.
Leslie
Why go out when you can make some amazing pasta recipes like these?? That spinach pasta is calling my name!!
nancy
what a great idea for vday! I want to make them all!
Marcellina
I'm such a pasta fiend that I'll definitely be having pasta on V day but which one?? Thanks for the great list. I think I'll be going for the pasta primavera.
Jeri
I'm so glad I came across this post! I got a pasta attachment for my KitchenAid mixer at Christmas and I LOVE making homemade pasta! I think I'll be making every recipe on this list! Thanks!
Mitch
It's so hard to choose from all these pasta recipes! They all look delicious!
Kara
These are perfect! I hadn't decided what to make for Valentine's Day and these gave me some great ideas to choose from.
Oscar
What a great list of pasta recipes. I am going to make the 20 minute gnocchi recipe because I love sweet potatoes. So exciting. Thanks for the recipes.