The Best Valentine's Day Recipes From Giada De Laurentiis

While an all-around fantastic chef and TV personality, Food Network host and author of more than one dozen cookbooks Giada De Laurentiis is our go-to expert for two things: easy, effortless Italian food and family friendly recipes. Not only does De Laurentiis have a knack for making Italian food a breeze to make, but she also knows exactly how to wrangle the entire family into the kitchen, roll up their respective sleeves, and help make dinner, dessert — you name it. So, if you’re interested in either this Valentine’s Day, De Laurentiis more than has you covered.

From refreshing cocktails, like her jalapeño-infused Spice & Smoke cocktail, and savory, sultry Valentine’s Day suppers, like De Laurentiis’ short rib rage with penne or her Calabrian chili pasta, to rich desserts for two, like her zuccotto, and a sweet-and-salty dessert the family can snack on all day, like her popular V-Day chocolate-covered chips, ahead are De Laurentiis’ best — and tastiest — Valentine’s Day recipes.

Spice & Smoke Cocktail

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This cocktail mixes together some of our favorite cocktail ingredients: mezcal, grapefruit juice, and jalapeños.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Negroni Sbagliato

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For a sweeter, sexier cocktail, choose De Laurentiis’ Negroni Sbagliato, which features Prosecco, Campari and sweet vermouth.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Strawberry Salad

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Pretty in pink is right. This Valentine’s salad is a flavor bomb with strawberries, toasted almonds, gorgonzola cheese, white balsamic vinegar, and dijon mustard.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Orange Grilled Shrimp with Cocoa Nib Gremolata

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Cooking for the family? This orange-grilled shrimp dish is a great appetizer to kick-start your V-Day dinner.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Broiled Salmon with Fennel Salad

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For a healthier option, De Laurentiis’ Broiled Salmon with Fennel Salad is packed with nutrients and, more importantly, delicious.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Short Rib Ragu with Penne

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Our mouths are watering just looking at De Laurentiis’ braised short rib and penne pasta topped with fresh parmesan — and your partner will be, too, if you make it this V-Day.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Calabrian Chili Pasta

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Give your pasta a kick with one of De Laurentiis’ favorite Italian products: Calabrian chili paste.

“It’s quite spicy, but it does a lot more than bring on the heat — it has a lovely warm and slightly sweet flavor as well, and it can really wake any ordinary dish up,” she writes.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Chicken with Tomato & Chickpea Ragu

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This ragu-slathered chicken dish is as Italian as it gets: It’s the brainchild of three famous Italian chefs, De Laurentiis, Alex Guarnaschelli and Valerie Bertinelli.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Valentine’s Double Chocolate Bark

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Gather the kiddos — and a variety of sprinkles and various other heart-shaped candies and toppings — to make this Valentine’s Day chocolate bark.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Classic Tiramisu

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Serve up a classic Italian dessert this Valentine’s Day: tiramisu. For it, you’ll need mascarpone cheese, espresso, dark rum, ladyfingers, and bittersweet chocolate shavings.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
V-Day Chocolate-Covered Chips

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Another easy, kid-friendly De Laurentiis dessert are these chocolate-covered chips. Don’t stop at chips, either; dip pretzels, Doritos, you name it.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.
Zuccotto

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But wait! We have one more classic Italian dessert: zuccotto. This semi-frozen, chilled dessert is chockfull of irresistible ingredients, like pound cake, brandy, chocolate, toasted almonds, and much more.

Get the recipe at Giadzy.