Valentine’s Day Meals for 2 – Vegetarian Date Night Recipes

Whether you’ve been together forever or it’s your first Valentine’s Day as a couple, you can’t beat a romantic night in for two with a good meal. But what do you cook? In this blog, we help you to get out of your cooking comfort zone with a few extra special date night recipes that you and your loved one are sure to love.

So, what are some great vegetarian date night recipes? Our perfect date night recipe is something special; not your everyday meal – something like Sesame Halloumi Parcels and a rich chocolatey dessert. Alternatively, if you prefer a breakfast date, you can’t go wrong with pancakes or waffles with your favourite toppings. 

Keep reading for a variety of special date night recipes and Valentine’s Day meals, all of which are quick and easy to make using your Aga cooker.

VEGETARIAN VALENTINE’S MEALS YOU CAN MAKE IN AN AGA COOKER

…or any cooker, really. But, Aga cookers really do enhance your Valentine’s Day meals.

Vegetarian Valentine’s Day Breakfast & Brunch Ideas

When it comes to a special breakfast, can you really go wrong with pancakes and waffles? Not only are they vegetarian (depending on your toppings), they’re also super quick and easy to make. You can even make your batter the night before!

Below you’ll find our tried and tested pancake and waffle recipes, as well as a few really great toppings to try for your Valentine’s Day breakfast.

Foolproof Pancake Recipe

[Serves 4]

Ingredients:

• 200g self raising flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 25g melted butter plus extra for cooking
• 200ml milk
• Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, 1 tbsp of sugar and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl with a whisk.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs melted butter and milk.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients in the centre until combined, then gradually incorporate the wet ingredients until you have a thick, smooth batter.
4. Lightly oil the simmering plate and wipe off any excess with kitchen paper.
5. Ladle the mixture onto the hot surface – 3-4 at a time. When the pancake surface begins to bubble, turn the pancake over and cook on the other side until browned. Repeat with the remaining batter. The pancakes can be kept warm in the warming oven.

Easy Waffle Recipe

[Serves 4]

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 300g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 600ml milk
• Waffle iron

Method:

1. Heat your waffle iron on the floor of the roasting oven for around 10 minutes.
2. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
3. In a separate large bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate, caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks and melted butter.
4. Mix with a balloon whisk; keep whisking as you slowly add the milk until you get a smooth, thick batter.
5. Carefully fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon.
6. Use a ladle to pour the batter into your waffle maker and cook for 5 mins on the floor of the roasting oven

Our Favourite Toppings

Whether you prefer pancakes or waffles, these great toppings work for all occasions, but are particularly great as a Valentine’s Day breakfast or brunch.

• Eggs Benedict Pancakes
• Lemon Drizzle Pancakes
• Paneer-Stuffed Pancakes
• Waffles with Plum Compote and Amaretto Cream
• Cheese & Herb Waffles

Vegetarian Date Night Recipes

Whether you’re a budding Michelin Star chef or a classic home cook, our favourite vegetarian date night recipes below are sure to please on Valentine’s Day. Choose between delicious halloumi parcels or a hearty oven baked risotto (which can easily be made vegan, too!).

Sesame Halloumi Parcels with Sweet Potato Tahini Mash and Chopped Herb Salad

[Serves 2-4]

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing  (½ for halloumi parcels, ½ for mash)
• 2 tbsp tahini paste (½ for halloumi parcels, ½ for mash)
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Handful of parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 250g packs of halloumi cheese, cut into 6 slices
• 4 Sheets filo pastry
• 25g sesame seeds
• 1 egg, beaten
• 325g sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• Small bunch each of mint, parsley and dill, roughly chopped
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cucumber, deseeded and chopped
• Small handful of black olives, chopped

Method:

1. Grease two baking trays with olive oil.
2. In a bowel, mix ½ the tahini paste with ½ the olive oil, chilli, parsley and lemon zest. Add the halloumi and toss well.
3. Cut the filo sheets in half so that you have 8 squares. Only work with 2 at a time so that the pastry does dry out – keep the remaining pastry covered with a tea towel or cling film.
4. Lightly brush the filo with a little oil, place 2 slices of halloumi at the top of each square, sprinkle with sesame seeds, then fold over the edges to enclose the halloumi.
5. Brush again with oil, sprinkle more sesame seeds, then fold up into a square. Brush the tops with beaten egg and add more sesame seeds.
6. Bake for 20 minutes (or until evenly browned) on a lower shelf of the roasting oven
7. Meanwhile, make the mash by boiling the sweet potatoes for 10-12 minutes until soft. Drain, then add the potato, tahini paste, olive oil and seasoning into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
8. To make the salad, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and olive oil in a large bowl with seasoning. Chop and add the remaining herbs, tomatoes, cucumber and olives and toss everything together.
9. To serve, spoon some of the mash onto the plate, arrange the salad around the mash, and place a halloumi parcel or two on top. Finish by drizzling a little extra virgin olive oil.

Oven Baked Red Pepper Risotto

[Serves 4]

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 300g risotto rice
• 100ml white wine (optional – alternatively use more stock)
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 200g roasted red peppers
• 500ml vegetable stock
• Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Parmesan, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in an oven-proof pan on the simmering plate (we like cast-iron for this!), then fry off the onions for a few minutes until softened.
2. Move the pan to the boiling plate, then add the rice. Stir, then fry for 1 more minute.
3. Pour in the wine (or stock), stirring until absorbed, then pour in the tomatoes, peppers and 400ml of stock.
4. Cover and bake in the roasting oven until the rice is tender and creamy
5. Once the risotto has reached this stage, stir in the remaining stock and parsley, then scatter with parmesan to serve.

Valentine’s Day Desserts

For some, dessert is the best part of a meal, which is why it’s so important to get your dessert date night recipes perfect! Regardless of whether or not you fancy yourself the next Star baker, we’ve got you covered with a couple of classics; a rich chocolate pudding and a tangy baked cheesecake.

Dark Chocolate Pudding with Malted Cream

[Serves 3]

Ingredients:

• 60g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 100g 70% dark chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 100g caster sugar
• ½ tsp malt powder (pudding)
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp malt powder (cream)
• 9 Maltesers, crushed
• 3 glacé cherries, cut in half
• 1 tbsp pistachios, chopped

Method:

1. Grease 3 ramekins then dust with cocoa powder and set aside.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bain marie. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, then add in the cooled chocolate mixture, the malt powder and a pinch of salt.
4. Fold together gently then divide into the prepared ramekins.
5. Place on a tray in the baking oven and cook for around 15 minutes for a fondant or around 18-20 minutes for a pudding.
6. To make the cream, whisk the cream, sugar and malt powder together until they form soft peaks.
7. To serve, turn out the puddings while warm, then pile on the Maltesers, cherries and pistachios and serve with a scoop of cream.

Note: these puddings can also be made ahead and served chilled if left in the ramekins.

Baked Cherry Cheesecake

[Serves 6-8]

Ingredients:

• 12 digestive biscuits, crushed
• 50g melted butter
• 50g caster sugar (base)
• 2 eggs
• 300g soft cheese
• 50g caster sugar (filling)
• 400gt can of red or black cherry pie filling

Method: 

1. Combine the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and 50g caster sugar, then press into a 20 cm springform tin, ensuring to press the mixture up the sides of the tin. Chill.
2. Blend the soft cheese, eggs and 50g sugar until smooth.
3. Pour onto your chilled base and bake on the floor of the baking oven with the cold plain shelf above for around 50 minutes, or until set with a slight wobble.
4. Leave to cool for 30 minutes then top with the cherry pie filling. Serve chilled

Note: if your aga cooker does not have a baking oven, this recipe can be cooked in the roasting oven for 10 minutes before transferring to the AGA simmering oven for a further 60 – 90 minutes.

ELEVATE YOUR DATE NIGHT RECIPES WITH AN AGA COOKER

Range Exchange is the home of showroom-standard reconditioned Aga cookers. Like-new and showroom standard, we offer a wide range of models that are all more than capable of handling special date night recipes and Valentine’s Day meals. Take a look at our traditional oil or gas models, or New Gen models like eControl and Total Control.

Take a look at our range online today, or get in touch with us for more information.