There’s something beautifully old-fashioned — in the best way — about setting a table, lighting a few candles, and serving a perfectly cooked steak dinner at home, especially on St. Valentine’s Day. You don’t need a white-tablecloth restaurant or a reservation weeks in advance to have a special dinner with the one you love. With a couple of filet steaks, rosemary-roasted potatoes, and oven-roasted asparagus, you can put together a restaurant-quality dinner that’s surprisingly simple, budget-friendly, and entirely doable in your own kitchen. This meal is designed to be impressive without being complicated, perfect for a quiet, intimate date night at home.
Cooking at home has a way of making the evening feel more meaningful and intimate. Instead of shouting over restaurant noise or rushing through a meal before the babysitter’s curfew, you get to create a little sanctuary right at your own table. You’re not just feeding someone — you’re caring for them with your time, attention, and effort. It’s a form of care that goes beyond physical nourishment.
A perfectly seared filet finished with garlic-herb butter might look fancy, but the steps are straightforward, the ingredients are simple, and the payoff is huge: a cozy, romantic meal that feels special yet remains grounded in the warmth of home and the quiet dignity of vocation.
St. Valentine's Day steak dinner at home
Filet mignon with garlic herb compound butter, roasted rosemary baby potatoes, and roasted asparagus
Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Garlic herb compound butter
1 stick softened, salted butter (I suggest a high-quality European butter like Kerrygold)
1/2 shallot, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Chives, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, zested
1-2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Roasted rosemary baby potatoes
1 lb. baby potatoes, halved
2 tbsp. olive oil or ghee
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1-2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. garlic salt
Filet mignon
2 beef tenderloin/filet mignon steaks (about 6–8 oz. each, 1-1½ inches thick)
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For pan searing:
1 tbsp. neutral oil (avocado or olive oil)
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
Roasted Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends cut off
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼–½ tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
Prep the compound butter (Prep this first. Can be made days in advance.)
In a small bowl, mix softened butter with all the remaining ingredients.
Spoon onto plastic wrap or parchment, form into a little log, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Can be made up to a week in advance.
Prep the steak and asparagus
Remove the steaks from the fridge. Pat them dry and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to come up to room temperature as best as possible (this allows for even cooking).
Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus.
Toss the asparagus spears with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add to a baking sheet lined with tin foil or parchment paper and set aside.
Roast the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper.
Toss the potatoes with olive oil or ghee and season with garlic salt and rosemary.
Spread onto the baking sheet and place them cut side down.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until soft and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
For the steaks
Cooking methods
Grill
Preheat the grill to medium-high to high, about 450-500°F.
Place the seasoned filets on the grill, close the lid, and grill for 4-5 minutes. Flip, and grill for another 4-5 minutes, or until 5-10 degrees shy of desired doneness. Filet is best served medium-rare (130-135 degrees), so remove your steaks at around 120-125 degrees and rest for 10 minutes.
Or refer to these temperatures for your preferred doneness:
Rare: 120-125°F
Medium Rare: 125-130°F
Medium: 135°F
Medium Well: 145-150°F
Pan-Seared
Heat a saute pan or cast-iron pan, if you have one, over medium-high heat.
Once heated, add the neutral oil. When it shimmers, add the seasoned steaks.
Sear without moving for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, until a deep brown crust forms.
Flip steaks.
Turn down the heat. Add 2 tbsp. butter, smashed garlic cloves, and thyme/rosemary sprigs (if using) to the pan.
As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan and spoon it over the steaks repeatedly for 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness and your preferred doneness:
Rare: 120-125°F
Medium Rare: 125-130°F
Medium: 135°F
Medium Well: 145-150°F
Pull them a few degrees before your target; they’ll rise in temp a bit as they rest.
Rest for 10 minutes and pour over any pan juices. After they have cooled for a couple minutes, add slices of the compound butter on top of each steak.
For the asparagus
Once the potatoes have 10-12 minutes remaining, and the steak is resting, roast at 425°F for 10-12 minutes until just tender and bright green.
Tip: Add some of the compound butter to the asparagus when they come out of the oven and toss gently.
To serve
Remove the potatoes and asparagus from the oven. Transfer the rested steaks to plates and add the rosemary potatoes and asparagus spears. Serve immediately.
As you cook, give yourself permission to keep things simple: Tidy the kitchen earlier in the day, set the table with real napkins, dim the lights, turn on soft music, maybe add a small vase of flowers, and light some candles. Read through the recipe once before you start, prep your ingredients ahead of time, and keep an eye on your timers — those little details will make the evening feel calm rather than chaotic.
And remember: Even if the steak is a touch more done than you planned or the potatoes get a little extra crispy, your special someone isn’t measuring perfection — they’re seeing the love, thought, and effort you poured into the night. In the end, it’s not about a flawless plate but about taking time to slow down, be present, and show love and appreciation for one another right where God has planted you: at home, together.