Celebrating your anniversary at a fancy restaurant is never a bad choice, but it can sometimes feel cliché. Skip the reservations and make something from the heart with one of these five recipes that will make your anniversary the special moment that it is.
Anniversaries are more than a yearly reminder of when your relationship started. They bring couples together to celebrate love, relive and make new cherished memories, and express their commitment to one another.
Dinners are the perfect way to spend quality time and celebrate with your significant other. Express your affection and make the night memorable for you and your partner by creating a delicious meal from the heart. This is your guide to building a lasting impression without breaking the bank with five exquisite, easy-to-make dishes you can make at home.
Cornish Hen
Source: Billy Parisi
A Cornish game hen is a tiny chicken that weighs only one to two pounds and is known for its tender meat and subtle flavor. Billy’s cornish hen recipe is sophisticated, yet straightforward, making it perfect for a romantic night of making memories and celebrating love. The hen is roasting it until the skin reaches a crispy golden consistency, then garnished with garlic, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and a little bit of lemon to complement the subtle flavour of the hen. If you want to leave a lasting impression on your partner, get creative and consider elevating its taste by stuffing the hen with refreshing vegetables seasoned with a combination of garlic butter and your favourite herbs and spices. Whether you like soup, salad, or potatoes, this dish will taste great with any side you wish to pair it with.
Baked Salmon
Source: Well Plated / Erin Clarke
Salmon is an excellent choice for an easy-to-make romantic anniversary dinner. The fish is light and easily prepared, with a subtle flavor that is perfect for giving you the creative freedom to experiment with your favourite seasonings and find the taste that will blow your partner away. Erin’s recipe is simple, yet flavourful, offering a variety of suggestions for seasoning your salmon. Some of my favorite seasonings include lemon and dill, garlic butter and herbs, pesto, and teriyaki. The temperature and the length of time you bake the salmon will depend on the kind of salmon and how much it weighs. Erin has a few tips for this, but I also recommend a quick Google search to ensure your salmon is cooked thoroughly.
Chicken Parmesan
Source: Tastes Better From Scratch / Lauren Allen
Chicken Parmesan is a popular dish that consists of fried chicken cutlets topped with marinara sauce and melted parmesan and mozzarella cheese served on a bed of spaghetti Bolognese. Lauren’s recipe aims to channel your inner Italian chef to create a classic mouthwatering dish for your anniversary dinner. Preparing the chicken involves using a simple butterfly cut technique to achieve flat, thin cuts of chicken breast, which are then seasoned with salt, ground pepper, parmesan, and garlic powder. If you don’t want to feel too full after your anniversary dinner, consider swapping the spaghetti for less heavy alternatives like roasted vegetables or zucchini noodles.
Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi
Source: Cafe Delites / Karina
Shrimp Scampi is a refreshing dish that boasts a savoury flavour with a subtle tanginess. Because shrimp cooks rather quickly, Karina’s recipe can be made in less than 10 minutes with common ingredients you can conveniently find in your kitchen. The recipe combines garlic butter, dry white wine, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and parsley for a light, but prominent, blend of savoury and tart flavors with the right amount of kick. This dish can be served as an appetizer or light meal, making it perfect for casual eating, giving you more time to spend in the presence of your partner.
Final Thoughts
A romantic dinner is the perfect opportunity to be present with your partner to express your appreciation for each other, remember precious memories you’ve shared, and take pride in how you’ve grown as a couple. Use our suggestions of anniversary dinner recipes to create a captivating dish by adding your own personal touch and tailoring how you season these recipes to reflect your partner’s tastes.
