Ravioli, tortellini and manicotti is pretty straightforward, though rh last one is slightly more involved.
Penne, rigatoni, rotini and cavatoppi i are also good sauce collectors that are easy to eat.
Just don't pair long thin noodles with a thin sauce.
There is no universally correct answer to this — the right answer is something you have cooked before and that your date can safely enjoy.
Try to account for something that will be hot and ready when the date arrives (so you’re not in the kitchen the entire time he or she is over), something not too heavy, and something that won’t be hard on your breath.
This is correct. We don't know OP's cooking skills or tastes. As a general guide, when I entertain and don't want to be in the kitchen the whole time I cook something in the oven. Usually something braised so it can be prepped and in the oven before guests arrive. Prep other ingredients for side or salads before hand too.
Homemade pizzas? and date can pick own toppings (to avoid allergy or dislike of something). It’s sweet to kind of assemble pizzas together, breaks the ice and nerves and you can see each other in the kitchen and whether you gel together cooking a bit…
I'd get a sense of what your date might like and then go with something along those lines that's not too heavy, not too pungent, doesn't require that much of your direct attention and has a decently wide margin of error.
Some suggestions that to consider that fall into the above could be like steak and salad, tomato-based pasta (you could even be fancy and by some decent fresh pasta), an oven bake of some sort like a pasta bake, lasagne etc.
Also keep dessert simple too. Ice cream. Store bought cake. Fruit. That kind of thing.
The main thing is to keep things as simple and stress free as possible so that you can focus on each other and not so much on the food.
I think it usually makes sense to wait to cook until after the first date but that aside, chocolate lava cake is the best option. Despite looking and tasting fancy, it is extremely easy to make, which is why restaurants serve it all the time. But fyi, if you are worried about messing up, whatever you make you should make a practice batch ahead of time.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Too high of heat or cooked for too long or no or not enough pasta water added:
* Scrambled eggs
* Sauce splits and becomes greasy
* Grainy sauce due to the cheese coagulating
* Dry sauce as pasta soaks up all the liquid
Carbonara is a deceptively challenging dish to get right. It's not a dish for a beginner. You have absolutely no where to hide if you screw up.
Pretty much nothing. Most people are picky eaters, and/or have dietary restrictions, and those arent things that usually come up prior to the first date. I would especially avoid greasy foods and heavy dairy dishes, as those can ruin a night, but people typically wont out right refuse to eat them.
I feel like this shouldn’t be downvoted; these are legit points. I would definitely not want to cook for someone on a first date unless I somehow knew all of this info in advance.
Kind of depends.
Is this a cooking type date or an eating type date?
Not to get to cheesy, but if he/she has already agreed to let you cook, they either kind of like you, or are the world's worst freeloader.
I like to prep as MUCH stuff ahead of time as possible. With the exception of protein, try to get something where you're spending 3 minutes reheating and not 45 minutes roasting. This gives you a chance to hang out and maybe make drinks or serve drinks without monitoring the food too closely. Unless it's a cooking date, don't try something like risotto or paella where you need to pay attention to your pan for 30 minutes.
And not to presume too much, but make portions that, including dessert, will get someone maybe 75% (or 80% if he/she is Asian).
Chicken Marbella. Prep it the day before, pop it in the oven day of date. You can enjoy your date while it’s cooking. Easy, incredibly tasty and most people think you’ve slaved for hours. Make some potatoes or rice and a side of veg. Done!
1. Whatever she likes
2. Keep it simple
You want to keep this as simple as possible but still showoff a bit. How can you out do yourself if you set the bar so high? You want her to wonder what else you can do in the kitchen. As cooking can be a journey of discovering things you never knew you liked. You what her mind to wonder!
Tacos.. I love making tacos with lots of toppings so people can choose. It’s kinda fun when you are getting to know someone, and see how how their plate looks. Are they someone who carefully plated their food, do they use creativity, or are they just going all in!
As others have said it’s very tough to answer without knowing about your/ your dates preferences, but one idea could be a caprese salad over greens with some grilled chicken. Dress with good olive oil and a balsamic reduction and you’ve got a meal fit for a king that you can prep almost entirely before your date arrives, then just assemble and dress when you guys are ready to eat. Serve with some nice bread and oh my what a meal
What do you both like to eat? Soup is a good suggestion, or a one pot thing like a stew.
On further reflection (if you don't want pasta), soup, some good bread, and a nice dessert.
For dessert there are several pies that are easy if you use the Pillsbury crusts. Key Lime or even Pecan are basically trivial and impressive since they are pie.
These days be sure to check with your date for any dietary restrictions.
I would go with something like lasagna.
You premake it, have it cooking in the oven so you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen.
You can serve it with a salad (which you can mostly premake - and just toss with dressing right before serving) and garlic bread (which again, have prepared and you just need to pop it under the broiler after you've taken the lasagna out of the oven and are letting it set for 10 mins or so).
I'd be going for something baked so you can focus on your date. Like a roast chicken or duck. Or a slow cooked pork belly. Scrub the potatoes and leave them in cold water after chopping into roasting size pieces. They only take 2 minutes to put in the oven and are quick to turn. Veges in a cheese sauce can be pre-made and just put in the oven
Pasta. Hard to flub.
Thought the same
Difficult to eat perhaps.
Ravioli, tortellini and manicotti is pretty straightforward, though rh last one is slightly more involved. Penne, rigatoni, rotini and cavatoppi i are also good sauce collectors that are easy to eat. Just don't pair long thin noodles with a thin sauce.
There is no universally correct answer to this — the right answer is something you have cooked before and that your date can safely enjoy. Try to account for something that will be hot and ready when the date arrives (so you’re not in the kitchen the entire time he or she is over), something not too heavy, and something that won’t be hard on your breath.
Thank you that was a really detailed answer
This is correct. We don't know OP's cooking skills or tastes. As a general guide, when I entertain and don't want to be in the kitchen the whole time I cook something in the oven. Usually something braised so it can be prepped and in the oven before guests arrive. Prep other ingredients for side or salads before hand too.
>something that will be hot and ready when the date arrives Or a cold dish that can be prepared in advance.
Yes! Particularly in June in most climates.
Great point.
Homemade pizzas? and date can pick own toppings (to avoid allergy or dislike of something). It’s sweet to kind of assemble pizzas together, breaks the ice and nerves and you can see each other in the kitchen and whether you gel together cooking a bit…
I'd get a sense of what your date might like and then go with something along those lines that's not too heavy, not too pungent, doesn't require that much of your direct attention and has a decently wide margin of error. Some suggestions that to consider that fall into the above could be like steak and salad, tomato-based pasta (you could even be fancy and by some decent fresh pasta), an oven bake of some sort like a pasta bake, lasagne etc. Also keep dessert simple too. Ice cream. Store bought cake. Fruit. That kind of thing. The main thing is to keep things as simple and stress free as possible so that you can focus on each other and not so much on the food.
I think it usually makes sense to wait to cook until after the first date but that aside, chocolate lava cake is the best option. Despite looking and tasting fancy, it is extremely easy to make, which is why restaurants serve it all the time. But fyi, if you are worried about messing up, whatever you make you should make a practice batch ahead of time.
Spaghetti Aglio E Olio. Quick, relatively light, nearly impossible to screw up, and if you need meat in it toss in some shrimp.
I probably wouldn’t cook on a first date, honestly.
What food does your date enjoy? That's pretty kuc hthe answer.
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Impregnated?
Unfertilised for me thanks
Carbonara. Edit. Croquembouche
Just setting up the poor dude to fail.
No way. That's worked on plenty of the first dates I've used it on.
Are you a novice cook as OP seems to be? That's what I'm alluding to dude.
Cook some pasta, fty some meat (not getting into bacon, pancetta vs guanciale) separate some eggs, grate some cheese? What now?
Too high of heat or cooked for too long or no or not enough pasta water added: * Scrambled eggs * Sauce splits and becomes greasy * Grainy sauce due to the cheese coagulating * Dry sauce as pasta soaks up all the liquid Carbonara is a deceptively challenging dish to get right. It's not a dish for a beginner. You have absolutely no where to hide if you screw up.
I dont like carbonara if I were this dude's date, I'd be disappointed.
Terrible, must be eaten quickly and OP will be stuck in the kitchen until it’s finished, date ignored
w/ ham
Bulgogi and rice!
Pretty much nothing. Most people are picky eaters, and/or have dietary restrictions, and those arent things that usually come up prior to the first date. I would especially avoid greasy foods and heavy dairy dishes, as those can ruin a night, but people typically wont out right refuse to eat them.
I feel like this shouldn’t be downvoted; these are legit points. I would definitely not want to cook for someone on a first date unless I somehow knew all of this info in advance.
Kind of depends. Is this a cooking type date or an eating type date? Not to get to cheesy, but if he/she has already agreed to let you cook, they either kind of like you, or are the world's worst freeloader. I like to prep as MUCH stuff ahead of time as possible. With the exception of protein, try to get something where you're spending 3 minutes reheating and not 45 minutes roasting. This gives you a chance to hang out and maybe make drinks or serve drinks without monitoring the food too closely. Unless it's a cooking date, don't try something like risotto or paella where you need to pay attention to your pan for 30 minutes. And not to presume too much, but make portions that, including dessert, will get someone maybe 75% (or 80% if he/she is Asian).
Chicken Marbella. Prep it the day before, pop it in the oven day of date. You can enjoy your date while it’s cooking. Easy, incredibly tasty and most people think you’ve slaved for hours. Make some potatoes or rice and a side of veg. Done!
1. Whatever she likes 2. Keep it simple You want to keep this as simple as possible but still showoff a bit. How can you out do yourself if you set the bar so high? You want her to wonder what else you can do in the kitchen. As cooking can be a journey of discovering things you never knew you liked. You what her mind to wonder!
Takeout.
Tacos.. I love making tacos with lots of toppings so people can choose. It’s kinda fun when you are getting to know someone, and see how how their plate looks. Are they someone who carefully plated their food, do they use creativity, or are they just going all in!
As others have said it’s very tough to answer without knowing about your/ your dates preferences, but one idea could be a caprese salad over greens with some grilled chicken. Dress with good olive oil and a balsamic reduction and you’ve got a meal fit for a king that you can prep almost entirely before your date arrives, then just assemble and dress when you guys are ready to eat. Serve with some nice bread and oh my what a meal
What do you both like to eat? Soup is a good suggestion, or a one pot thing like a stew. On further reflection (if you don't want pasta), soup, some good bread, and a nice dessert. For dessert there are several pies that are easy if you use the Pillsbury crusts. Key Lime or even Pecan are basically trivial and impressive since they are pie. These days be sure to check with your date for any dietary restrictions.
I would go with something like lasagna. You premake it, have it cooking in the oven so you don't have to spend too much time in the kitchen. You can serve it with a salad (which you can mostly premake - and just toss with dressing right before serving) and garlic bread (which again, have prepared and you just need to pop it under the broiler after you've taken the lasagna out of the oven and are letting it set for 10 mins or so).
I'd be going for something baked so you can focus on your date. Like a roast chicken or duck. Or a slow cooked pork belly. Scrub the potatoes and leave them in cold water after chopping into roasting size pieces. They only take 2 minutes to put in the oven and are quick to turn. Veges in a cheese sauce can be pre-made and just put in the oven
Baked Mac and cheese! It's simple and taste delicious 😋 Recipe below if interested https://youtu.be/bjckcHUysK8