Sweet + Spicy Valentine's Day Recipes for a Romantic Dinner for Two

Are you looking to woo your beau this Valentine’s Day? Growing up, Grandma Jones always told us that the best way to show someone you love them is by cooking them a delicious meal. And it doesn’t matter if it’s your grandma, best friend, or spouse. Bellies full of food and love make for very happy people. 

If you want to make your Valentine’s Day even more special, you can do much better than takeout pizza or boxed mac and cheese. If your love burns strong this Valentine’s Day, you have to turn up the heat with some truly romantic recipes. 

Need some Valentine’s meal ideas? We can help! From delicious appetizers to Valentine’s desserts, we’ve got you covered. 

A good menu for Valentine’s Day should tantalize the senses: you want sweet and spicy and decadent and fresh. Looking to win over someone’s heart with the gift of food? Here are our favorite Valentine’s day recipes for a romantic and delicious four-course meal for two.

The secret star of the show? A jar of your favorite pepper jelly.

First Course: Pepper Jelly Crostini with Goat Cheese

For many of us, cheese is our love language. If you feel the same way, no Valentine’s day recipe should be without it! 

We love a good baked brie recipe, and you certainly can’t go wrong with a charcuterie board. But if you want a romantic Valentine’s Day appetizer that is truly out of this world, all you need is some bread, goat cheese, and your favorite pepper jelly spread. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 loaf french bread 
• 4oz goat cheese
• 4oz your favorite pepper jelly flavor
• Olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme 

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Slice the loaf into half-inch slices and lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush or drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Bake the bread for 5 minutes or until toasted golden brown. 
• Spread the goat cheese on the toasted bread slices and then top with your favorite pepper jelly spread.
• Garnish with the fresh thyme and serve. 

Tips:

• Any pepper jelly will work well with this Valentine’s Day recipe. Jalapeno pepper jelly works well if you like more spice than sweetness. For a sweeter heat, try this with our cranberry pepper jelly! The red color works great for Valentine’s Day. 
• For an extra kick, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top. 

Second Course: Fresh Spinach Salad with Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

Spinach salad makes a great second course to a Romantic Valentine’s Day dinner because it adds much-needed freshness to an otherwise heavy meal. You can add just about anything you like to a salad, but here’s our take on the healthy side dish. 

Salad Ingredients:  

• 5 oz fresh spinach
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes 
• ⅓ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup walnuts, toasted 
• ½ cup croutons 

Dressing Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup pepper jelly
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup olive oil 

Directions:

• Make the vinaigrette by combining all the dressing ingredients and mix well in a blender.
• To make the salad, combine spinach, tomatoes, walnuts, and ⅓ cup dressing and toss until well combined. 
• Garnish with cheese and croutons 

Main Course: Tenderloin Steak with Pepper Jelly Sauce 

When it comes to Valentine’s day menus, the main course is the most important thing, for obvious reasons. When flipping through our family cookbook for the most romantic Valentine’s Day recipes, it would be unjust not to share this delicious steak recipe with a pepper jelly reduction sauce. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 tenderloin steaks, roughly 1” thick
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon chili powder 
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup low sodium beef stock
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pepper jelly 

Directions: 

• In a small bowl, combine garlic salt, chili powder, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Rub your seasoning mixture on both sides of the steaks. 
• Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Cook steaks for approximately 6 to 8 minutes for rare/medium rare, turning once. 
• Once cooked to your liking, transfer steaks to a plate and let rest. 
• To make the sauce, add beef stock, vinegar, and pepper jelly to the same skillet. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. 
• Place steaks back into the skillet and simmer for a few minutes, spooning sauce over steaks. 

Tips: 

• Our traditional pepper jelly works well for this recipe, but try our cranberry habanero pepper jelly if you like a sweet heat for your red meat.  

Dessert Course: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

No romantic dinner is complete without decadent Valentine’s desserts! For this sweet treat, we’re keeping things simple but delicious: chocolate-covered strawberries. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 
• 3 ounces white chocolate
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed and dried

Directions:

• Melt the chocolate on the stovetop using a double boiler or the microwave (in separate bowls). 
• To melt on the stovetop, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and simmer on low heat. Place a glass or metal bowl on top of the pot, so it rests above the simmering water. Place the chocolate in the bowl and allow the steam to heat the bowl, and stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted. 
• To melt the chocolate in the microwave, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir and return to the microwave, heating at 50% power for 20-second intervals until fully melted. 
• Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat. Line a sheet pan with wax or parchment paper. Hold the strawberry by the stem and dip it into the melted semi-sweet chocolate. Set the dipped strawberry on the baking sheet and repeat until all berries are dipped. Dip a fork into the melted white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the berries. 
• Set the strawberries aside for at least 30 minutes until the chocolate sets. 

Add Sweet Heat to your Valentine’s Day Recipes with Pepper Jelly 

You don’t have to be a Michelin-star chef to create delicious Valentine’s Day dessert and dinner recipes that your friends, family, and significant others will love – you just need some pepper jelly!

Pepper jelly is the perfect addition to your favorite Valentine’s Day recipes because it’s the perfect balance of hot and sweet, just like most relationships. Whether you want to stick with a longtime classic such as our traditional pepper jelly or want to try something a little sweeter such as Caribbean mango pepper jelly, we got you covered.