35 Best Soul Food Valentine’s Day Recipes
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Are you asking yourself, “What can I cook for Valentine’s Day?”
Or, what are some Valentine’s Day flavors to try?
- Southern Living chocolate lava cake
- Strawberry cheesecake
- Lobster tail
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Or even lobster macaroni and cheese
You’re in the right place for romantic dinner ideas for two that don’t skimp on seasoning and flavor!
These are Southern soul food Valentine’s Day dishes you can make in minutes and the best ever Valentine’s recipes.
That’s because you already know that the key to your lover’s heart is straight through their stomach!
What food do you eat on Valentine’s Day?
I’ve gotchu! With a Valentine’s Day menu list of the best soul food recipes, side dishes, and Southern desserts to make your date night both beautiful and delicious.
Including soul food side dishes for the perfect start to a beautiful meal. Along with decadent entrées and desserts.
And the best part about these recipes?
They’re for the Instant Pot, so you’ll have a magical meal in minutes!
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35 most popular Southern soul food recipes for Valentine’s Day dinner
Plan on staying in and cooking for Valentine’s Day?
Well, here’s a list of my most popular and easy Valentine’s Day main course and side dish recipes.
Soul Food Lobster Tail Recipe
How to steam soul food lobster tails:Whipping together a Cajun garlic butter sauce & steaming soul food lobster tail in the Instant Pot is as easy as 1 minute! You may find yourself rereading the instructions thinking it can't be that easy!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Lobster Mac And Cheese
Even with the addition of decadent lobster meat, there's no compromise to the traditional Southern soul food flavors in this meal. In other words, this is still baked macaroni and cheese made the Black folks' way!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Soul Food Chicken Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce
Chicken spaghetti just got the ultimate soul food glow-up, made more flavorful and faster in the Instant Pot! Tender chicken, perfectly cooked pasta, and a seasoned tomato sauce come together with bold, soulful spices for a dish that feels like a big warm hug.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Fried Chicken And Waffles Recipe
Chicken and waffles is a soulful dish that captures the essence of Southern cuisine and is deeply rooted in Black culture. It serves as a prime example of elevated soul food. I'm bringing this comforting meal into your home, adding my unique twist of syrupy-sweet heat to a dish traditionally found on the menus of popular soul food restaurants!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Chicken Yock Recipe (Yock-A-Mein)
Born from the kitchens of Black communities in Tidewater, Virginia, and New Orleans, Louisiana, soul food chicken yock is a cultural mashup, equal parts savory broth, tender chicken, slippery spaghetti noodles, and that unmistakable kick of seasoning that says, “somebody’s grandma or auntie made this!”
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Lamb Chops
Black folks' soul food lamb chops is a rack of lamb seasoned with rosemary and slathered with olive oil to quickly air fryer cook to soul food perfection!
Check out this recipe!
Easy Soul Food Gumbo With Thai Flavors
The secret to a great gumbo? It’s the roux! In this recipe, creamy coconut milk blends with spicy Thai red curry paste to create a rich, flavorful base, perfectly balanced by tender, salty crab meat for a soulful twist on a Southern classic. Where Cajun tradition meets Thai inspiration.
Check out this recipe!
Blueberry Chicken Thighs In The Instant Pot
Blueberry chicken is a sweet blueberry brine made easily in the Instant Pot for tender, juicy & delicious chicken – sweet & savory with every bite!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Shrimp And Grits
This is the Black folks’ shrimp and grits recipe you’ve been looking for! It’s a creamy, saucy seafood goodness dish, featuring a rich and flavorful Creole sauce generously drizzled over a warm bed of the fluffiest grits, complemented by succulent, jumbo garlic-butter seasoned shrimp to keep things interesting.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Stuffed Peppers
This Southern stuffed peppers recipe may seem like a fancy dish at first glance – but take another look… They're an old-fashioned Southern meal homemade with ingredients you can easily find in your pantry!
Check out this recipe!
Tuna Steak Seasoning
What's a good seasoning for tuna steak? This recipe uses pickling spice for flavorful tuna steak, and it only takes a mere 3-minutes to make!Quick, rich in flavor, and delicious!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe- The Southern Way – The Soul Food Pot
How to make a whole roast chicken in the Instant Pot – the Southern way! More than a traditional chicken recipe. A tender & juicy soul food entrée!
Check out this recipe!
Easy soul food Valentine’s Day side dishes
Black Folks Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
The secret to my Black folks’ creamy mashed potatoes recipe is cooking them the soul food way—rich, creamy, and seasoned far beyond just butter, salt, and pepper. It’s all about layering flavor with creamy texture.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Green Beans The Soul Food Way
Tender, savory Instant Pot green beans are soul food flavorful… fast! Steeped in Southern tradition, but ready in a fraction of the time. Cooked with chicken stock, onions, and bold seasoning, this recipe captures all the down-home goodness of Grandma’s stovetop pot, but without the long simmer.
Check out this recipe!
Black Southern Cinnamon Apples Recipe
Tender, buttery apples simmered in brown sugar and cinnamon, just like Grandma used to make! This Black Southern classic is sweet, spiced, and full of soul. Perfect as a side, dessert, or spooned over warm biscuits or ice cream.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Glazed Carrots The Soul Food Way
Savor the sweetness and nutrition of glazed carrots for busy weeknight dinners or as a standout holiday side dish. The ease and efficiency of using the Instant Pot shine through, without compromising the distinctive, soulful, sweet, and savory flavors of this traditional Southern recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Sweet Cornbread With Pineapple
This Southern sweet cornbread starts with the classic mix of cornmeal, butter, and a touch of sugar, but gets a delicious upgrade with crushed pineapple and cream cheese. The result is a softer, sweeter, and more indulgent version of the traditional favorite. Perfect as a standout side dish or sweet-savory treat!
Check out this recipe!
What is a sweet thing to eat on Valentine’s Day?
Check out these best Southern Valentine’s Day recipes for dessert.
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Southern red velvet cake is a slice of pure indulgence! Smooth, rich, and unforgettable. Imagine sinking your fork into a soft, velvety crumb that’s moist and tender, with the slightest hint of cocoa teasing your taste buds.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Living Chocolate Lava Cake In The Instant Pot
What is Southern Living chocolate lava cake in the Instant Pot?It's a spin on a classic Southern Living chocolate lava cake recipe. Today it's elevated for easier Instant Pot making instead of oven baking!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Cheesecake
Move over chocolate-covered strawberries! Who wants Cheesecake Factory cheesecake instead? Everybody and their mama! Duh. Make this easy cheesecake recipe at home. Enjoy with strawberries or cherries!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Tea Cake Recipe
A Black folks' tea cake recipe is a delightful Southern dessert. These little round cakes are light and airy, sometimes compared to soda bread or pound cake. Like sweet little biscuits, tea cakes are highly valued in the South and are a traditional African American treat dating back to the 1600s.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe
While a regular cobbler might taste one-note sweet, a Black folks’ peach cobbler sings in harmony: sweet, spiced, tangy, and buttery. The peaches are lush and syrupy, kissed with brown sugar and a soulful blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of ginger. And the crust? Lawd, that crust! Flaky, golden, and buttery, it soaks up the peachy syrup like a sponge, wrapping every bite in rich, Southern comfort.
Check out this recipe!
Pie Crust Cookies Southern Desserts
What is a pie crust cookie?Imagine this. The perfect sweet, flaky crust, bite-size piece of pie with your favorite seasoning (cinnamon, nutmeg) or simply sugar sprinkled over the top…You just imagined pie crust cookies!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Bread Pudding
Are you looking for an old-fashioned Southern bread pudding or a soul food African American bread pudding recipe? Then look no further than this Black folks' Southern bread pudding – your easy go-to recipe!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Banana Pudding
Southern banana pudding is a celebration of soul food heritage. The simplicity of a few high-quality ingredients transforms into a layered dessert masterpiece!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Sweet Potato Pie With Cream Cheese
Similar to my original Black Folks' Sweet Potato Pie™, this Southern sweet potato pie recipe uses fresh sweet potatoes and soul food spices and seasonings. But for this recipe, it's the Southern charm added to the pie after it bakes, a thin layer of homemade cream cheese frosting is spread on top to savor the sweet taste of Southern hospitality!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Purple Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
New twist on an old classic: Black folks purple sweet potato pie recipe. Same but new – incredible soul food flavors with a regal purple hue. Sweet potato pie for your sweetie!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Banana Pudding From Scratch
This Instant Pot banana pudding isn’t about rushing tradition. Instead, it’s about reimagining it for the way you like to cook. If you love the soul-soothing taste of homemade pudding but prefer using your Instant Pot over the stovetop, this recipe’s for you!
Check out this recipe!
Chocolate Southern Banana Pudding
What happens when you take a beloved soul food classic and add a rich, chocolatey twist? You get Black folks' Southern chocolate banana pudding, a decadent spin on a traditional recipe that still tastes like home. Rooted in Southern tradition yet bold enough to break the mold, this chocolate banana pudding is love in a bowl, infused with a touch of soulful cocoa flair!
Check out this recipe!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Strawberry pretzel salad combines strawberries with crunchy pretzels and cream cheese whipped topping. This Southern dessert is a great way to use up some of the strawberries that are in season now!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Desserts Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Let's pair rhubarb with strawberry to prepare delicious strawberry rhubarb pie! The combination of tart rhubarb, tangy strawberry, and buttery crust turns into an addictive flavor that will have your mouth watering for more!It's delicious, easy to make, and will have people begging you to make this recipe again and again!
Check out this recipe!
TikTok Booty Dip Recipe
TikTok dessert recipe for Booty Dip: An easy, no-bake chocolate chip marshmallow dip perfect for all holidays made by simply mixing cream cheese, brown sugar, whipped cream, marshmallow fluff and chocolate chips. AKA: Big Booty Dip!
Check out this recipe!
Easy Instant Pot Chocolate Dip
Easy melted chocolate in minutes. Perfect for fondu and chocolate-covered strawberries!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Lemon Fruit Dip
Lemon fruit dip is a simple, no-bake Southern specialty that combines zesty lemon flavors with creamy textures, creating an irresistible, refreshing, sweet, tangy twist!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Moscato Sangria
Super easy and supremely delicious Black folks Moscato sangria recipe. Infused with cranberries and holiday colors red and green apples. Delicious with both red wine and white wine Moscato.
Check out this recipe!
Where is the best place to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Start with these easy and delicious Southern soul food recipes for Valentine’s dinner that will make your lover’s heart skip a beat!
But if you still need Valentine’s Day dinner specials, check out this article about Valentine’s Day specials at Bonefish Grill HERE!
What do you think of these best Valentine’s Day Southern soul food recipes?
Strawberries, cherries, cheesecake, chocolate cake, lobster, filet mignon, and more! Which recipes will make your dinner menu list?
More soul food recipes to love!
Anytime someone asks the question, what exactly is soul food? Tell them to start here!
The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
What is soul food? Soul food recipes are African-American recipes full of flavor! A legacy of Southern cooking the Black way. Check out this collection of the best soul food recipes!
Check out this recipe!
Like this post? Pin the below image to your Pinterest “Soul Food Recipes” board!
Servings: 12
Calories: 445kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot 7.7-inch round pan (or an 8″ round cake pan if not using Instant Pot)
- Instant Pot baking sling (for Instant Pot)
- KitchenAid stand mixer or electric mixer
- Aluminum foil (for Instant Pot)
- Paper towel (for Instant Pot)
- Cake scraper (optional for ease in frosting a layered red velvet cake)
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar granulated
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar white
- 4 tablespoons food coloring red (liquid or gel)
- 1 cup chocolate chips mini, semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- ¾ cup water (for the Instant Pot)
For the frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened or whipped cream cheese
- ¼ cup butter unsalted, softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Instructions for Southern Black folks red velvet cake
- Grease a round cake pan and set it aside.
- Starting with the wet ingredients, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and vinegar, stir, and set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well to blend, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar until creamy for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vegetable oil and mix again.
- Add the eggs one by one, beating each one into the butter mixture.
- Then add the mayonnaise and sour cream and electric mix again.
- Add the red food coloring and mix gently with a rubber spatula to achieve a batter with an intensive red color.
- Next, pour in the vinegar and buttermilk mixture into the red batter.
- Gradually pour in the dry ingredients flour mixture that was set aside.
- Then gently fold in the chocolate chips (optional) as you combine all the ingredients into the batter.
- Mix gently with the rubber spatula until all ingredients are absorbed into the batter, and the mixture is uniform.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan.
- Bake the red velvet cake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes in a conventional oven or the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- * If you’re using an Instant Pot for this recipe, continue with all the instructions. If baking your cake- skip to instruction number 22 and then 24-27: Cover the top of the baking pan with a paper towel, and wrap it tightly with aluminum foil, keeping the foil and the paper loose, so there’s room for the cake to rise.
- Open the Instant Pot lid and pour 3/4 cup of water into the stainless steel inner pot.
- Place the cake pan into the Instant Pot baking sling and place the sling with the cake pan into the inner pot.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 50 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 20 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Use the baking sling handles to remove the pan from the Instant Pot.
- Test the cake to see if it’s done by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready!
- If it’s not ready, wrap the pan again with a paper towel and aluminum foil, cook for 10 more minutes, and then allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.
- Then, remove the cake from the pan and let it cool to room temperature before icing it.
- This Southern Black folk’s red velvet cake recipe is usually served with icing (but it doesn’t have to be).
- Serve and enjoy!
Instructions for the cream cheese frosting
- *See the pro tips in the notes below for frosting a layered red velvet and creating a decorative crumb coating.
- Add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Once the ingredients are combined, turn the mixer up to medium and beat for another 2 minutes.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting onto the cooled red velvet cake.
- Optionally, garnish with chopped pecans, crushed pecans, or red velvet cake crumbs.
- Pro tip: Refrigerating a cake with cream cheese frosting for a few hours will give it a firm texture, making slicing easy upon serving.
- Slice, serve & enjoy!
Video
Notes
Pro tips: How do you make layered cakes?
- To make a layered red velvet cake, bake at least two cakes, and frost the top of the cake, which will be the bottom layer.
- This frosting makes the inner layer of frosting for the layered cake – and a little frosting here goes a long way!
- Then stack one cake on the other, inverting the top cake, so the bottom side of this layer is now the top, for a flat look on the cake.
- Now frost the cake stack, using a cake scraper to make a nice clean coat of frosting on the outside of the cake around the stacked layers.
- Before frosting, shave off a fine layer of the bottom cake and crumble it for a red velvet cake crumb coating after frosting.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake for 15 minutes to firm up the icing before the final crumb coating.
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 449IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg
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