Valentine’s Day Gluten-Free Dinner Ideas

It may be a bit cliche but, nonetheless, going out to dinner for Valentine’s Day is a classic date idea that never loses its charm — except if you suffer from Celiac Disease. If you do, then finding a nice restaurant with plenty of gluten-free options is a challenge, especially one that your partner can also enjoy. 

So why not skip all of that hassle and simply make a romantic, Valentine’s Day home-cooked dinner — one that you know won’t exacerbate your Celiac Disease? Don’t know any good gluten-free dinner ideas? Here are 3 that you can pick from tonight (your choice of beef, fish, or chicken).

Beef Bourguignon 

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 lbs steak tips
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1/2 cup vermouth
  • 1 bottle Beefamato juice or ½ bottle V-8 Juice & ½ bottle beef broth
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1  bay leaf
  • 1/2 bag small red potatoes, quartered optional
  • 2  onions, chopped
  • 5  carrots, chopped
  • 3  celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered

Instructions: 

  1. Pour GF flour into a ziplock bag. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. 
  2. Cut steak tips into bite-sized pieces. Pat pieces dry with paper towel. Toss steak tips into the ziplock bag with gluten-free flour. Mix well. 
  3. Add olive oil to Dutch oven. Toss in the steak tips and brown them. Add garlic and saute.
  4. Remove meat and garlic. Deglaze pan thoroughly with vermouth.
  5. Toss meat back into Dutch oven and add Beefamato juice until meat is covered. Add red wine and bay leaf. 
  6. Place in oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. 
  7. After 30 minutes, add potatoes. Cook for another 30 minutes. 
  8. Meanwhile, add olive oil to a skillet and brown the onions, celery, and carrots until caramelized. Add mushrooms and saute until slightly brown.  
  9. Carefully, add vegetables into the Dutch oven and place back into the oven for another 30 minutes, or until carrots soften. 
  10. Let cool, serve and enjoy!

Note: If gravy is too watery, add 1/4th cup of water and 2 tbsp of cornstarch. If gravy is too thick, add wine or beef broth or Beefamato juice. 

Champagne Fish

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs haddock, sole or cod
  • 12 mushroom caps
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup shallots diced, or onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 12 slices carrot use one carrot
  • 6 oz dry champagne
  • 1 cup gluten-free chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • lemon wedges

Instructions:

  1. Select 6 of the best-looking mushroom caps and set aside. Slice the remaining 6 mushroom caps along with the shallots and carrots.
  2. Saute veggies in 2 tbsp butter over medium heat until tender. Add champagne and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add mushroom caps that were set aside and continue boil for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer. 
  3. Mix ½ cup softened butter with the gluten-free flour. Whisk mix into the veggie mix to thicken. Simmer until sauce is thick and bubbly.
  4. Stir in heavy cream and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Heat for 1 minute, then remove from stove top.
  5. Place parchment paper or aluminum foil over 2 baking pan. Place 2 half-pounds of fish on each sheet. Fold parchment paper or aluminum in around the edges. Pour ¼ cup of sauce over each fish. 
  6. Back in 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
  7. Pour more sauce over cooked fish, let cool, serve and enjoy with boiled green bean

Chicken Divine

Ingredients: 

  • 1 large bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into 4” spears
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 5 Tbsp gluten-free flour
  • 2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp medium dry sherry wine
  • fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced thin

Instructions: 

  1. Boil salted water in large saucepan. Cook broccoli from 6 - 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside, covered. 
  2. In a separate, heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add gluten-free flour and stir for 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. 
  3. Bring heat to low setting and stir mixture for 10 minutes or until thick. 
  4. Pour heavy cream into a mixer bowl and whisk until cream stiffens. Add cream to GF flour mix along with dry sherry wine, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. 
  5. Place cooked broccoli into a deep oven pan and pour half of the sauce over top. Add half the parmesan (¼ cup) over unpoured sauce. Mix well. 
  6. Arrange cooked chicken over the broccoli and the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over chicken. Add the other ¼ cup of remaining parmesan over sauce.
  7. Boil about 6 inches from the heat, for about 1-5 minutes or until cheese melts and sauce is golden and/or bubbling. 
  8. Let cool, serve and enjoy!

With these easy gluten-free dinner recipes at hand — and these easy gluten-free dessert recipes (Angel Food Cake, Chocolate Souffle, Chocolate Truffles) — you’ll be ready to make the most out of a romantic, Valentine’s Day home-cooked dinner. Of course, just remember to make something your partner enjoys too.