50+ Pink Recipes for Valentine's Day

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe

This vibrant pink layer cake is pure strawberry-on-strawberry goodness, with fresh strawberries going into the cake batter and frosting. One thing to note about the buttercream frosting—it is absolutely bursting with berry flavor, but is easily over-mixed. If you find you've broken your emulsion when whipping this frosting up, no worries. You can simply mix in a little more powdered sugar to restore it. That said, we love how purely strawberry-forward the flavor of this frosting is, so we'd advise being very light-handed when adding extra powdered sugar, as it will dilute the berry flavor. In our opinion, it's better to have a slightly broken frosting that tastes like strawberries than a perfectly pristine frosting that tastes like sugar. 

Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon Recipe

Potato halves serve as the base of savory Fingerling Potatoes with Avocado and Smoked Salmon appetizers.

Penne with Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce Recipe

Simple and delicious, Penne with Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce is perfect with a simple salad and a glass of red.

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake Recipe

A hint of fresh thyme gives this rustic cake a faint herbaceous quality that complements the warmth of cardamom and ginger and the tang of rhubarb. Be patient when turning the cake out of the pan; it may take several minutes for it to fully release. The surprise ingredient in the batter (mayonnaise) is an old-school trick for creating a supermoist cake. A dollop of Greek yogurt cuts through the richness of the cake—but you can omit it if you’d like.

Cranberry-Limeade Spritzer Recipe

Sweet and tart meet vodka in this refreshing holiday cocktail. 

Roasted Gulf Shrimp with Romesco Sauce Recipe

This recipe requires almost no effort for maximum reward. Just 10 minutes in the oven plus our special sauce equals tender, juicy shrimp with a kick.

Rosé-Glazed Strawberry Tart Recipe

The rectangular tart pan makes for a striking presentation, but if you don't have one, you can use a 9-inch tart pan or pie plate.

Double-Serrano Watermelon Bites Recipe

These bites are a step up from classic prosciutto-wrapped melon and provide sweet, spicy, salty, tart, and meaty tastes. If you can’t find serrano ham, use prosciutto; you also can use balsamic glaze in place of pomegranate molasses.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad Recipe

This salad is a delightfully unexpected way to use the fresh rhubarb and berries that are just coming into season. The dressing on this bright, beautiful salad is a happy meeting between sweet and tart flavors, the almonds add a nice crunch for variety of texture, and a hint of mint makes a fresh dish feel even more so. Avoid overcooking the rhubarb; it should still have some crispness. This colorful salad would make a beautiful addition to any brunch, luncheon, or even everyday lunch, and it can be served at room temperature or chilled. Fresh rhubarb and strawberries are available through the spring and into the summer months, so this quick, easy side dish can be on your recipe rotation all season long. Reserve leftover rhubarb syrup for sweetening iced tea or drizzling over ice cream.

Beet Yogurt Dip Recipe

Harness beets' striking color and earthy-sweet flavor in this glorious spread inspired by Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. For a little extra heat, use up to 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper. You can try 1 1/2 teaspoons za'atar spice blend as a substitute for fresh thyme, but skip ground thyme because it lends a dirt-like taste. Serve with raw carrot slices, cucumber slices, pita bread, or rice crackers for scooping.

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon Recipe

"I created this recipe after tasting the bourbon salmon from my local grocery seafood counter. Mine has received rave reviews, even from picky eaters who don't normally try salmon." --Esther Maples, Harlem, GA

Salty Dog Slushes Recipe

The Salty Dog has no flaws, but turning it into a slush makes it the most wonderful and festive summertime cocktail ever. The bitterness, sweetness, salt, and booze come together to make a subtly sweet pink and frosty delight. You can even keep frozen grapefruit juice cubes in the freezer and whip a few drinks up to amaze friends (or yourself).  If you’d like to experiment, this would also make a mighty fine granita. 

Strawberry Shortcake Shake Recipe

This minimal ingredient milkshake is a show-stopping, drool-inducing tall glass of strawberry shortcake heaven. When topped with a cake and strawberry skewer and drizzled with a luscious syrup, this gorgeous dessert might just be better than the real thing. 

Speedy Coconut-Curry Shrimp Skillet Recipe

These skillet shrimp noodles are super easy to make at home, but their flavor rivals something you’d get at a restaurant. It’s slightly sweet from the coconut, with a mild degree of spice, and has plenty of toppings to keep things interesting, especially with the combination of flavors—but by all means, if you want to go harder with toppings, go for it. Buy the freshest, highest quality shrimp you can source, preferably from a seafood market. They’re the star of this dish, so quality matters. If you’re peeling and deveining them yourself, pat them dry as best as you can before adding them to the skillet. Wet shrimp will add steam, while dry shrimp will get a nice sear, yielding a better appearance and taste. 

Rosé Jelly  Recipe

We went crazy over the idea of rosé jelly when it hit the internet, so here is our version of this boozy blush pink jelly. Your morning won’t be the same, now that you can have rosé for breakfast, as a midday snack, and basically anytime of the day you want. It’s the ultimate adult condiment. The recipe yields a few jars of jelly that you can keep for yourself stocked away or hand them out to family and friends as gifts. If you prefer red or white over rosé, you can substitute your favorite bottle of choice. 

Marinated Watermelon Tomato Salad Recipe

If you’re tired of your usual watermelon salad, give this fantastic new recipe a try. Tomatoes and melon soak up the tangy lime-ginger-mint vinaigrette, making them extra juicy and flavorful. Goat cheese crumbles add a nice creamy note to the salad, but crumbled feta works well too. Serve this salad immediately after it is made so the fresh herbs stay bright and perky.

Rhubarb-Basil Shrub Cocktails Recipe

Rhubarb and basil offer sweet and earthy notes to this elegant cocktail. Garnish this lavish glass with a fresh basil leaf for a sophisticated presentation, and is yet another reason to start an herb garden this year! 

Strawberry Crunch Bars Recipe

Vanilla ice cream swirled with crushed strawberries creates a luscious treat reminiscent of the old Strawberry Shortcake Bars. Once frozen, the ice cream is cut into bars and then given a crisp coat of pulverized butter cookies and dehydrated strawberries. The coating will soften after a couple of hours in the freezer, so try to eat them right away for maximum crunch (they're still tasty when softened, though).

Pan-Seared Tuna Tacos with Avocado and Mango Salsa Recipe

These simple, vibrant tacos rely largely on superfresh ingredients for the fullest flavor potential. Opt for just-ripe avocados and tuna from a source you trust.

Tuna Poke Bowls with Brown Rice and Kale Recipe

Poke (pronounced POH-keh) is a popular Hawaiian salad featuring raw tuna. "Sushi-grade" tuna means that it is the highest-quality fish offered at the market. Seek out a reputable fishmonger or retailer, and don't be afraid to ask where the fish came from and how long it has been there.

Rosé Butter Sauce Recipe

This buttery wine sauce gets its rosey hue from rosé wine, pink shallot, and pink peppercorns. The rich sauce is a perfect finishing touch on steak, chicken, or pork, and delivers a whimiscal pop of color to the plate. 

Rose Petal-White Chocolate Bark Recipe

Absolutely gorgeous and so easy to make, this white chocolate bark would make the perfect hostess gift or wedding favor. You can find white chocolate melting wafers in many grocery stores or craft stores, such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Just be sure to microwave at 50% in short increments as white chocolate is easy to burn. 

Grapefruit, Avocado, and Prosciutto Breakfast Salad Recipe

Bright, refreshing grapefruit pairs surprisingly well with nutty-earthy toasted sesame oil. This meal is full of satiating heart-healthy fats that will keep you full for a long time.

Strawberry Panna Cotta with Cookie Crumble Recipe

Serve a traditional Italian dessert to finish off a hearty meal of pasta and garlic bread.

Creole Shrimp and Okra Recipe

Think of this main as shrimp and grits with a distinctly Cajun attitude. Halved okra not only looks gorgeous, but it'll also give off less "slime" than chopped okra. Let the vegetables caramelize a bit in the pan for a richer base.

Watermelon-Strawberry-Granola Breakfast Bowls Recipe

Why toss the rind? Jumpstart sunny summer days by filling them with peak-season watermelon, strawberries, and chopped mint. 

Strawberry and Watermelon Punch with Lime and Tarragon Recipe

You can buy strawberry puree or make it yourself: Blend 16 ounces thawed frozen strawberries in a food processor. Strain through a fine sieve; discard seeds. Serve this refreshing punch with or without alcohol.

Smoked Salmon Salad in Cucumber Cups Recipe

Substitute gravlax or even flaked canned salmon in this appetizer if you prefer salmon that has not been smoked.

Skillet Cinnamon Roll With Cranberry Glaze   Recipe

Why make a batch of cinnamon rolls for a crowd when you can make one giant roll that everyone can share? This big roll looks impressive, but it’s not a difficult task—if you’ve made cinnamon rolls before, this isn’t much different. You can use up any leftover cranberry sauce from holiday dinners in the pink glaze, which isn’t so fruity it denotes that classic cinnamon roll flavor. If you need to make part of this ahead of time, let the dough rise ahead of time, then transfer to the fridge to chill overnight. In the morning, remove it from the fridge and let stand 15 minutes before continuing with the rest of the recipe. 

Slow-Cooker Prime Rib Recipe

Here’s that super tasty holiday dinner recipe you’ve been looking for. In addition to adding loads of flavor, the seasoning and overnight sitting makes for the best crust that’ll keep the juices sealed once the roast is put in the slow cooker. You can find rib roast at most grocery store meat counters. Ask your butcher to trim, remove the chine cone, and tie the roast. Serve with red wine, roasted vegetables, and salad.

Pink Lemonade Meringue Cheesecake Recipe

This incredible cheesecake says, “special occasion” like no other. With a delightedly salty-sweet, crunchy pretzel crust (which balances its tangy filling perfectly) holding layers of pink lemonade curd and pink lemonade cheesecake, all of which is topped off with a striking pile of meringue, this dessert is nothing short of fabulous. That said, making this cake isn’t nearly as difficult as it appears. Both the filling and crust are made by whizzing together a few ingredients in the food processor. If your crust seems a little crumbly—don’t worry, that’s perfect; it will firm up beautifully after baking and cooling. We find the meringue to be a wow-worthy finishing touch, but if you opted to skip this element, your cheesecake is still going to be delicious. However, if you go all out and pile on the meringue, do note that it will begin to weep if you leave the cake standing out at room temperature for too long. So just be sure to pop any remaining cheesecake back into the fridge when you’re finished slicing and serving. 

Beet Hummus with Blue Cheese and Walnuts Recipe

We love creating innovative hummus recipes, and Beet Hummus with Blue Cheese and Walnuts is no exception. This beautiful, crimson-colored dip is made with chickpeas, tahini, beets and garlic. 

Strawberry-Rhubarb-Banana Smoothie RecipeBlend low-fat yogurt, Strawberry-Rhubarb jam, frozen berries, and bananas to make this simple breakfast smoothie. 

Baked Lobster Tails with Citrus-Herb Butter Recipe

Lobster may seem intimidating to cook, but these baked lobster tails are a simple and elegant preparation that’s incredibly approachable—even if it’s your first time cooking the shellfish. A bright herbaceous compound butter are all that the sweet, tender lobster meat needs to sing. However, after baking, you could also extract the lobster meat from the shells and use it for classic lobster rolls or a decadent lobster mac and cheese. You can find frozen lobster tails at most supermarkets.  

Pretty-in-Pink Strawberry Cake Recipe

Whether you're planning a birthday party or a classic movie night, this perfectly pink cake is just the dessert you need. Chopped strawberries add a soft pink hue (and fresh fruit flavor!) to the cake, while the buttercream gets its flavor from sliced berries. For a more intense color, you can use red coloring in addition to the berries.

Thai Shrimp and Eggplant Stir-Fry Recipe

This unique stir-fry dish is made with shrimp and eggplant. Serve with lime wedges and rice noodles, if desired.

Raspberry-Lime Tart with Pistachio Crust Recipe

This tart is pleasantly limey, with a delightful pistachio-forward shortbread crust. It requires minimal baking, but has a beautiful presentation, with fresh raspberries adding a nice touch. You can find shelled, raw pistachios at the grocery store, but roasted, salted shelled pistachios will work just fine. Look for limes with smooth skin: They have thiner skins, and will yield more juice. Garnish with chopped pistachios and whipped cream to offset the tartness from the curd and the raspberries. 

Spicy Scallops with Watermelon Salsa Recipe

Here we season quick-cooking scallops with inspiration from Caribbean pepper pot recipes. To get a nice sear on the scallops without any sticking, be sure to thoroughly pat your scallops dry and preheat the skillet until it’s nice and hot. The spicy scallops are cooled by the sweet, minty watermelon salsa. Ask for “dry” sea scallops at the fish counter. Other scallops have been treated with a sodium solution that prevents them from browning nicely and can make the texture of the meat less pleasant.

Rhubarb Jam Cheesecakes Recipe

Pull a cake out when you start making dinner, and it'll be ready for dessert. Now that's sweet!

Shortcut Strawberry Cheesecake Sweet Rolls Recipe

These shortcut sweet rolls are the perfect special treat for a weekend brunch, but the truly beautiful thing about them is that they’re actually simple/speedy enough to whip up on a weekday morning—all thanks to a handy secret ingredient: canned crescent dough. That said, there’s no need to tell your guests just how easy these delightfully buttery-tender sweet rolls are to make, because once they’re all dressed up, no one would ever guess you didn’t make them completely from scratch. By skipping on making your own yeasted cinnamon bun dough, you allow yourself time to make a phenomenal filling. Each roll is filled with a rich strawberry cheesecake mixture, featuring fresh strawberries, store-bought strawberry cream cheese amped up with a little powdered sugar and vanilla, and graham cracker crumbs (a pro baker’s trick for adding depth and a fantastic texture). All that’s left to do is drizzle on a simple 2-ingredient glaze, and you have a wow-worthy skillet of fresh sweet rolls, ready to rock.

Seared Tuna with Eggplant and Edamame Recipe

Eggplant is the real star here, with its meaty texture and savory notes that match those of the tuna. Soy sauce and sesame oil deepen the effect, and edamame offers delightful chew. You can also use regular globe eggplant instead of the Japanese variety; just peel and cut into cubes. Add a side of brown rice or soba noodles, and dinner is done. Make extra and have leftovers for a light lunch the next day. 

Watermelon-Cucumber Gin and Tonic Recipe

A reinterpretation of the classic gin and tonic, this cocktail includes fresh watermelon and cucumber juices for a refreshing taste. Hendrick's, a small-batch Scottish gin that's infused with the flavor of cucumber and rose petals, is ideal for this recipe. For even better results, try premium tonic water, such as Fever-Tree or Q Tonic. Serve any remaining juice mixture (which you can make a day ahead) over ice for guests who prefer a nonalcoholic drink.

Watermelon and Cucumber Tonic

This story originally appeared on Myrecipes.com.

Spicy Shrimp Noodles Recipe

These superfast bowls satisfy with filling brown rice noodles and fresh shrimp. If you can’t find brown rice noodles, substitute your favorite whole-grain linguine or fettuccine.

Pink Lemonade Rolls Recipe

This playful take on the classic orange roll makes for a perfect treat for Mother’s Day, a bridal brunch, baby showers, or the next time you wanna bring a little extra cheer to you weekend breakfast spread. A tender, buttery dough encases a sticky lemon filling and is then glazed with a bright pink lemonade glaze. This sweet-tart glaze, which we make using powdered pink lemonade mix, is also a great way to spruce up a bundt cake, pound cake, muffins, or scones. We opted for Country Time brand lemonade mix, which you can find on the beverage aisle of your favorite supermarket. 

Black Pepper Strawberries-and-Cream Gelly Shots Recipe

Juicy strawberries and a hint of black pepper are already a winning combination, but add vodka and vanilla cream and you've got the best shooters your party could ask for. If you have trouble finding strawberry liqueur, substitute Chambord (raspberry liqueur, readily available in many package stores).

Citrus Roasted Salmon Recipe

Though easy to make and only requiring five ingredients, this elegant roasted salmon is a supremely impressive main dish—especially for the holidays, when citrus season is in full swing. Topping the salmon with orange and lime rounds not only infuses the oily fish with flavor, but it makes for a beautiful display. Served with a simple, butter-enriched citrus sauce that’s brightened with fresh dill, this special occasion-worthy main feels as vibrant as it does decadent. Covering the salmon loosely with foil keeps the salmon moist. 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Trifle Recipe

This show-stopping layered dessert will be a hit at your next luncheon or shower.

Millennial Pink Lemonade Pie Recipe

Love it, hate it, or over it, nobody can deny that the color, ubiquitously deemed millennial pink across the Internet, is quite eye-catching and completely appropriate for springtime. And in honor of what seems to be the shade of the moment, we created this all-pink-everything pie. One important thing to note when making this bright and cheery dessert, you will definitely want to go with gel food colorings—instead of the standard liquid dyes you’ll typically find on the baking aisle of supermarkets—as these are a higher quality, more concentrated product that allows you to achieve more intense color, using less. Not to mention, they add significantly less moisture to the food you’re mixing them in to (which is key in this pie scenario). We like to use Wilton’s icing colors, which are a concentrated gel paste that you can find at most craft stores or specialty kitchen shops. 

Rosé Sangria Recipe

Perfect for any spring or summer gathering, this bubbly, refreshing rosé sangria is as easy to make as it is to sip. The fruity base of berry puree and vodka could easily be prepped ahead of time and chilled so that all that’s left to do is pour in your sparkling water and rosé right before serving. You could even prepare the sangria in single portions for more of a custom cocktail feel, having a small amount of puree, vodka, and fresh fruit ready to go in glasses when guests arrive; then, simply top each off with bubbly as needed. To switch things up, you could also substitute fresh peaches and/or raspberries in place of the strawberries used to create the puree. Try freezing some of the fresh fruits you plan to include (such as grapes and berries) beforehand in order to keep the beverage cool. 

Seared Tuna with Shaved Vegetable Salad Recipe

Shaving raw root veggies into a side-dish salad is a fantastic approach. They're ready in just a few minutes, their earthy flavors stay vibrant, and a simple vinaigrette tenderizes them while retaining some crunch.

Mini Rhubarb Ginger Crostatas Recipe

The filling in these pies is on the tart side, so they're especially good with vanilla ice cream. Semolina flour in the dough is optional but adds complexity and crunch.

Watermelon and Scallop Ceviche Recipe

If you can’t find bay scallops, which are small, buy a pound of sea scallops and cut them into quarters.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars Recipe