I think I first heard about Galentine’s Day on Parks and Recreation, and I loved the idea of taking a day to gather and celebrate all the love I have for the women friends in my life! The way I show love is (suprise surprise) through food and hosting, so I usually cook up a storm when I host friends on February 13th. By the way, you can host a Galentine’s party any day you want to, but most of us do it on the day before Valentine’s Day.
I tend to take inspiration from what the internet calls ‘girl dinner’ but what I call all my favorite foods. A Galentine’s Party is a chance to indulge my girlfriends in some seriously good food, and I try to get a few things I know they wouldn’t treat themselves too, necessarily, like fancy olives, a good cheese board, fun cocktails, and often some nice sashimi or ceviche, too.
My favorite tip for hosting a really memorable Galentine’s Party is to invite a few women that you actually don’t know very well yet, but would like to get to know! You can even ask friends to each bring a friend, to grow your circle a bit. If you do, it can be nice to have a few get to know you questions in your pocket (or in the Notes app on your phone) to break the ice when people arrive.
Below are my 10 favorite Galentine’s Day recipes. If you’ve never thrown a Galentine’s party before, I hope you feel inspired to celebrate it in 2026!
Marinated Olives and Cheese
A step up from just grabbing some olives from the olive bar (which is fine to do, too) these marinated beauties are always popular with my girl friends especially. Bursting with herbs and garlicky flavors, with a hint of orange zest, they’re an easy, make-ahead nibble.
Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp cocktail is the ultimate luxurious appetizer and THIS is the ultimate shrimp cocktail recipe—just add champagne!
Rosé Sangria
OK, first of all, it's pink. Second of all, it's so yummy. As if you didn't love rosé enough, I've loaded it with citrus, spiked it with gin, and then topped it off with a fizzy glug of club soda! It's a Galentine's must.
Pasta Carbonara
Name a more indulgent pasta. Ok, there are probably more, but this one seems to be the most soul satisfying and we want food that cuts straight to the heart.
Aperol Spritz
Colorful like a sunset, fizzy and refreshing, a classic Aperol Spritz recipe has just three simple ingredients, and is so easy to make! It's perfect for a Galentine's party.
Deviled Eggs
My simple recipe includes a secret ingredient that your friends will loooove. Just be ready to give out the recipe!
Crab Dip
I break out this classic, easy crab dip recipe when it’s time to treat my favorite people and it never, ever fails. In the chilly months, I love to serve hot crab dip, all bubbly and cheesy and ready for us to dip big hunks of crusty bread into.
Radicchio Salad with Crème Fraîche Vinaigrette
I love a theme, and Galentine's is such an easy theme to celebrate. I love to serve this salad because radicchio is at its peak in wintertime, and the rich purple of the bitter lettuce looks so darn good on my table!
Beet Hummus
Imagine this on your Galentine's party table next to the purple salad. Gorgeous, right? Jewel-hued roasted beet hummus is an instant mood booster. Serve it with raw or roasted veggies, and some pita for dipping.
Homemade French Fries
A labor of love, homemade french fries are a must for completing the ultimate girl dinner. Salty, hot and oh so crispy. These fries just need a dirty martini to go alongside.
