A Valentine’s Day Meal from Our Kitchen (Featuring Sourdough, Pasta & a Cozy Night In)

Valentine’s Day in our home has never been about reservations or a perfectly timed night out. It’s always been about the table.

Some years that table is quiet. Other years it’s full of kids, noise, and interruptions. But no matter the season, one thing has stayed the same — when I want a meal to feel intentional, I start with bread.

This year’s Valentine’s meal starts with sourdough, moves into a rustic handmade pasta, and ends with something sweet that doesn’t require perfection. It’s cozy, nourishing, and very much rooted in how we actually cook and eat at home.

Starting with Sourdough

The sourdough recipe I’m sharing this week comes straight from my cookbook, A Taste of Sourdough. It’s a recipe I lean on often because it’s reliable and adaptable — the kind of dough that works for everyday meals but can also be dressed up for something special.

For Valentine’s Day, I love using this dough as a focaccia-style bread. It’s forgiving, flexible, and easy to shape, which makes it perfect for a holiday that’s meant to feel warm.

Valentine’s Day Sourdough Variations

Using the same base recipe, here are a few ways I like to make it feel festive without complicating things:

• 
  Heart-Shaped Focaccia
  Gently shape the dough into a heart, dimple deeply, and top with olive oil, rosemary, roasted garlic, and flaky salt. This pairs beautifully with pasta and feels special without being fussy.
  
• 
  Honey & Herb Focaccia
  Finish the baked focaccia with a light drizzle of honey. It adds just enough sweetness to balance a savory meal.
  
• 
  Mini Focaccia Loaves
  Divide the dough and bake smaller loaves. This is a great option if you’re serving kids alongside a Valentine’s dinner or want something easy to portion.
  
• 
  Sweet Flatbread Option
  Bake the dough thinner and finish with strawberry jam and powdered sugar for a simple dessert-style bread.
  

You don’t need multiple breads. One loaf, made with intention, is more than enough.

The Heart of the Meal: Rustic Handmade Pasta

For the main dish, I’m making a rustic, hand-cut pasta — nothing fancy. Thick strips, uneven edges, the kind of pasta that feels comforting the moment it hits the bowl.

The sauce is where the flavor really builds:

• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Slowly sautéed onions
• Herbs and spices
• A bit of cream cheese for richness and body

This isn’t a light sauce, and it’s not meant to be. It’s deeply flavorful, comforting, and perfect for a slow evening meal.

We like serving this pasta with grilled chicken or steak, depending on what we have on hand. It’s hearty without feeling heavy, and it pairs beautifully with the sourdough on the table.

The Supporting Sides

To balance the richness of the pasta, I keep the sides simple:

• 
  Roasted Brussels sprouts with olive oil and seasoning
  or
  
• 
  Lemony dressed greens for something fresh and bright
  

These sides don’t compete with the main dish, but they support it beautifully.

Ending with Something Sweet

Dessert doesn’t need to be complicated to feel special. For this meal, I’m keeping it rustic and cozy.

Think:

• A simple chocolate dessert
• Something topped with powdered sugar
• Berries on the side
• Nothing that requires precise timing or decorating

Why I Put This into a Free Valentine’s Day Menu Ebook

As I was planning this meal, I realized how often we piece things together — a bread here, a main dish there — and still feel unsure if it all works.

So instead of sharing just the sourdough or just the pasta, I put the entire Valentine’s Day menu into one place.

The free Valentine’s Day menu ebook includes:

• The sourdough recipe 
• The rustic pasta dish and cream sauce
• The sides that balance the meal
• The dessert that finishes it off

It’s designed to be flexible. You can make the full spread, or you can choose one or two elements and make it your own.

Let's Get Cozy

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to look like it used to. And it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

Sometimes love looks like handmade pasta with uneven edges. Sometimes it looks like sourdough pulled from the oven and torn at the table. Sometimes it looks like feeding your family well in the middle of a busy season.

If you’d like the full Valentine’s Day meal plan, you can download the free Valentine’s Day menu ebook below. And if all you do is bake the bread — that’s more than enough.

From Scratch with Love - A Valentine's Day Menu