Last Updated on April 30, 2024

On the hunt for a romantic vegan dinner for two? I’ve been there. It can be rough! Whether you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day meal, date-night-in, or anniversary celebration, these vegan dinner ideas for two are all three-course masterpieces.

These vegan dinner recipes for two can be mixed-and-matched for the perfect well-rounded meal that everyone will love, even if they don’t adhere to a vegan diet! I’ve compiled my favorite vegan recipes for two to celebrate your special day with a wholesome meal you can feel good about! Come back to this post over and over again for four different vegan dinner ideas for two.

romantic vegan dinner

A few Valentine’s Days ago, I wanted to create a romantic vegan dinner for my sweetie so I scoured the internet trying to find a few vegan dinner recipes for two.

I wanted something that focused on in-season produce and had at least three complementary courses, but I couldn’t find a thing!

So I decided that if I couldn’t find it, I’d make it — and help anyone else that might be looking for that perfect plant-based romantic dinner.

In my mind, three courses is what separates a regular dinner from a romantic dinner.

There’s just something extra special about preparing an appetizer and a dessert to go with the main dish. It elevates it from everyday to not-so-everyday.

This meal plan is going to be a choose-your-own adventure!

I’m going to include a few vegan recipes for two that include appetizers, mains, and desserts, but they’ll all coordinate together beautifully.

vegan recipes for two: appetizers

Sometimes I’ll use an appetizer as a light lunch or snack for an evening. A good appetizer is my favorite way to share my plant-based lifestyle with friends, and these vegan recipes for two deliver delicious results.

spinach and artichoke dip + crostini:

I have always loved creamy dips and spinach and artichoke is one of my favorites!

This recipe called for the artichokes to be drained, but I personally like to buy artichokes packed in olive oil and I add a little bit to the mixture.

I also like to save that olive oil to use for cooking other dishes.

I can buy those artichokes in a glass jar or can often find them at the deli section of my grocery store and get them to go in my own mason jar.

Pair this dish with crostini, one of my favorite zero waste snacks! It’s so easy to find baguettes without any packaging or only in a paper bag.

Slice them very thin and roast them for the perfect cracker substitute. You can get more info on my blog post 6 Recipes for Stale Bread.

stuffed mushrooms:

This starter course is one of my personal favorites. I like to buy really small brown mushrooms because they’re just so perfect to pop in your mouth! However, you could totally upgrade to a Portobello mushroom and serve this as a vegan dinner idea for two.

I prefer to halve the recipe and only make six. I serve with a side of homemade pesto sauce because I love sauces.

If you make the whole batch and have leftovers, they reheat nicely in a toaster oven.

I also have great luck with finding mushrooms unpackaged in the grocery store. Bring one of your cloth produce bags so you can stock up and keep things zero waste.

If you’re curious about reducing your plastic and packaging around your groceries, check out my guide The Ultimate Guide to Zero Waste Grocery Shopping.

photo and recipe from Neurotic Mommy

curried carrot soup:

I think this is my favorite soup of all time! I regularly eat this soup for lunch… I’m actually eating it for lunch right now.

This is the recipe that I use, but with a few tweaks.

I use olive oil. I add one peeled and cubed Granny Smith apple with the carrots, and I just buy regular loose carrots and chop them into smaller pieces. Instead of chicken stock, I use vegetable stock and instead of sour cream, I like to use cashew yogurt!

It’s just a few simple substitutions to make it vegan and keep it zero waste. You really don’t need to buy baby carrots….

I also like to serve it with a dollop of cashew yogurt, a drizzle of oil (I’ve actually been using the olive oil I saved from my last jar of artichoke hearts), and then top it with pepitas for crunch!

You could also roast a few croutons which would be excellent! You can find my crouton recipe in the blog post 6 Recipes for Using Up Stale Bread.

arugula and pomegranate salad:

I love this simple salad. The pomegranate seeds make it so festive for Valentine’s Day! I like to substitute the parmesan with homemade vegan cheese.

I also like to regularly eat this salad for lunch, adding quinoa and falafel bites for some protein.

photo and recipe from Serious Eats

vegan dinner recipes for two: mains

Of course, it’s not a romantic vegan dinner (or any dinner at all) if you don’t have a main course. These vegan dinners for two are hearty, filling, and delicious. I’ve never served one of these vegan mains and had someone complain about them (with the exception of the risotto, for unknown reasons)!

butternut squash risotto:

My husband does not like risotto, and to be honest, I don’t know what’s wrong with him.

Risotto has always been one of my favorite dishes to make, and I have such good memories of ordering it out at one of our favorite Italian restaurants.

So, even though I won’t be making this for my sweetie, maybe your sweetie will enjoy one of my favorite recipes.

I love how creamy this dish is and how beautiful it is to look at with the green and orange.

photo and recipe from the Live-In Kitchen

mushroom wellington:

This is a Christmas classic in my house.

But, I personally think making individual wellingtons is more romantic! It’s like you made it just for the two of you so you each get a whole mini-wellington to yourself!

This is my favorite of the vegan wellington recipes because it so closely resembles the real thing with the duxelles.

As a kid, I would just eat the duxelles and puff pastry because it was the best part.

photo and recipe from New York Times

cauliflower steak and gravy:

Cauliflower steak and gravy is one of my go-to Thanksgiving mains along with stuffed acorn squash which could also be very romantic for Valentine’s too.

But, this cauliflower recipe won it’s place in this roundup. Because I’m just a real big fan of cauliflower.

I like how crispy it gets on the outside soft and tender on the inside, and when you drizzle it with that mushroom gravy Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.

Plus an entire head of roasted cauliflower looks really impressive.

I do think this plate would look pretty naked without a side, so keep it simple with something like roasted carrots, steamed broccoli, green beans, or some roasted sweet potatoes!

creamy garlic and white wine pasta:

I also had to include one creamy pasta recipe because, to me, nothing feels more indulgent than creamy pasta.

And, I definitely think Valentine’s Day is all about indulging!

This one just looks to be absolutely b-o-m-b and stars one of my favorite (and very underrated) vegetables — the humble brussel sprout.

Plus, these bad boys are jusssst starting to come in season. So, talk about perfect timing.

photo and recipe from Minimalist Baker

vegan dinner ideas for two: dessert

chocolate truffles:

And, now we move on to my favorite, favorite part of the night — chocolate!! I mean, dessert.

Now, after you’ve labored in the kitchen for this romantic meal, why not choose a delicious dessert that you can whip up fast?

These chocolate truffles come together in a jiffy, and the only skill you need is to be able to melt chocolate.

I started making these Valentine’s Truffles for Justin and few years ago, and it’s one of my favorite little traditions.

double chocolate chunk cookies:

These are one of my all time favorite treats, and I’m craving them super bad right now.

I made these cookies for a cookie swap with my gal pals last Christmas, and they were a hit!

They’re vegan, gluten-free, and free of refined sugar, but OMG they’re so good and that’s thanks to the Alter Eco chocolate — which is one of my favorite chocolate brands.

If you’re feeling really strapped for time or burnt out in the kitchen, I’m sure you could even just split a bar of their Sea Salt or Dark Chocolate.

But, these cookies come together really quickly and store really well so you can snack on them all week long.

lemon bars:

Now, I know that there are some people who aren’t big fans of chocolate. I’m not sure who those people are, but they’re out there. They exist.

Since citrus is currently in season, then what better way to embrace the month than by choosing something that packs a sweet and acidic punch.

These vegan lemon bars look absolutely divine!

photo and recipe from Nora Cooks

faqs about romantic vegan dinners

are these vegan dinner recipes healthy?

Absolutely. They use whole, plant-based ingredients and minimize harmful ingredients that hurt the environment or that are questionable for human consumption.

Even the desserts are healthier than typical desserts that are laden with butter, cream, and sugar.

how can you make vegan recipes more filling?

Whole grains go a long way toward making a meal feel more substantial. Since plants are less calorie-dense than many meats and dairies, some have a hard time adjusting to a plant-based diet. If you feel like your plant-based meals aren’t enough food, try serving your cauliflower steak over quinoa or rice to help you feel full.

can you modify these recipes to serve more than two?

Of course! Try doubling or even tripling the recipes if you want to take your romantic vegan dinner and serve a crowd instead of just your date. Many of these recipes, especially the appetizers, make delicious party foods or potluck additions!

I hope that you’ve found this helpful in planning your romantic vegan dinner for two! I’d love to know which recipes you’ve decided on. I will be making the stuffed mushrooms, the creamy pasta, and ending with chocolate truffles.

Check out my other post if you’re looking for more tips on How to Have a More Sustainable Valentine’s Day.