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Elegant Italian vegan Valentine’s menu

Give your friends a Valentine’s to remember with this elegant Italian meal. With classic bruschetta and a rich one-pot spaghetti, this special dinner may look like a lot of effort, but it’s actually super-easy (your guests don’t need to know that though!).

drinkware RFO

  1. Starter: Tomato and basil bruschetta

    Tomato and basil bruschetta recipe

    Serves 4

    Tesco Finest Olive Ciabatta 270g
    2 tbsp Tesco Finest Tuscan extra virgin olive oil
    250g Tesco Finest sweet mixed baby tomatoes
    1 garlic clove, halved
    1 tsp red wine vinegar
    10g fresh basil, roughly chopped

    1. Preheat the grill to high. Halve a Tesco Finest olive ciabatta lengthways, then cut each half into 4 pieces. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp Tesco Finest Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. Grill for 2-3 mins until browned, then flip and repeat until lightly browned and crisp (making sure they don’t catch). Rub all over with a large halved garlic clove and set aside.

    2. Meanwhile, wash and quarter a 250g pack Tesco Finest Sweet Mixed Baby Tomatoes. Put in a large mixing bowl; season with salt. Stir in olive oil, red wine vinegar and 10g roughly chopped fresh basil. Divide the mixture between the toasts, spooning over any juices, then season with black pepper and scatter with extra basil leaves to serve.

    Tip: To make this recipe serve 2, simply halve the ingredients.

  2. Main: One-pot linguine with olives, capers and sundried tomatoes

    One-pot linguine with olives, capers and sundried tomatoes recipe

    Serves 4

    500g carton passata with basil
    75g pitted black olives, drained and halved
    30g capucine capers, drained
    75g sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
    350g linguine

    1. Pour the passata into a large saucepan and stir in the olives, capers, sundried tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and 500ml water. Bring to a simmer.

    2. Add the pasta, and use tongs to stir the pasta into the sauce as it softens. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 11-12 mins, until the pasta is cooked but still al dente and the sauce is reduced and coats the pasta.

  3. Side: Little gem and spinach salad

    Little gem and spinach salad recipe

    Serves 2

    1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tbsp red wine vinegar
    1 tsp wholegrain mustard
    1 tsp caster sugar
    1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
    20g baby spinach
    3g finely snipped chives

    1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil with the red wine vinegar, mustard and caster sugar. Season to taste.

    2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil with the red wine vinegar, mustard and caster sugar. Season to taste.

  4. Dessert: Blood orange and pistachio pots

    Blood orange and pistachio pots recipe

    Serves 6

    15g cornflour
    125g caster sugar
    3-4 blood oranges (you need 150ml juice), 2 thin slices quartered, 2 oranges zested
    120ml Carnation vegan condensed milk alternative
    75g Oaties biscuits
    50g pistachios, roughly chopped
    270ml pot Elmlea plant double cream alternative

    1. Start by making the curd. Mix the cornflour, 75g of the caster sugar, a pinch of salt and the zest of 1 orange in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the orange juice over a medium heat for 3-4 mins, whisking constantly, until thickened.

    2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Carnation, then transfer to a bowl. Leave to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hrs or overnight.

    3. For the caramelised orange slices, dissolve the remaining caster sugar in 50ml water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the orange quarter slices in a single layer and simmer for 15 mins, then transfer to a sheet of baking paper and set aside for at least 1 hr to set.

    4. Put the Oaties in a sandwich bag and bash to crumbs with a rolling pin. Stir in 35g of the pistachios and set aside.

    5. Whisk the Elmlea to soft peaks, then whisk in most of the remaining orange zest; set aside.

    6. To assemble, spoon 2 tsp of the biscuit mix into 6 glasses and top with 2 tbsp whipped Elmlea, then 1 tbsp curd. Repeat the layers to use all the ingredients, finishing with curd. Top each pot with a caramelised orange piece, then scatter with the remaining pistachios and orange zest to serve.

  5. Drink: Prosecco mule

    Prosecco mule recipe

    Serves 10

    70ml vodka
    75cl prosecco
    350ml ginger beer or ginger ale
    4 limes, 2 juiced, 2 sliced to serve
    mint, to serve

    1. Pour the vodka, prosecco, ginger beer, lime juice and some ice into a large jug; mix well.

    2. Divide between 10 tumblers.

    3. Garnish with lime slices and mint to serve.