Pink food recipes for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, weddings, and baby showers…so many yummy reasons to think pink in the kitchen!
planning a pink menu? pink food is delicious food!
Planning a color themed menu can be a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work sourcing all that color coordinated food. I’ve rounded up all my recipes that owe their gorgeous pink hues to Mother Nature, so put away the food coloring, you’re not going to need it. From strawberries and rhubarb to beets and radishes, I’ve got a shade of pink for every course and occasion.
Let’s dig in
pink appetizers and salads
Fresh, naturally pink fruits and veggies like pink grapefruit, heirloom tomatoes, magenta endive leaves, and watermelon radishes make pretty in pink soups, salads, and starters.
- Pink Grapefruit and Watercress Salad ~ refreshing is the word for this bright, healthy salad with bold clean flavors.
- Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho ~ look for heirloom tomatoes with a pinkish hue to make a rose-toned version of everybody’s favorite cold soup.
- Shaved Apple and Radish Salad ~ perfect for fall and winter meals, this elegant salad uses gorgeous watermelon radishes for a shot of color.
- Creamy Shrimp Bisque ~ serve this beautiful and easy to make bisque as a starter or as a light lunch option!
- Russian Beet Salad with Sour Cream and Dill ~ earthy beets turn the sour cream dressing on this salad a bright and vivid pink!
- Smoked Trout Dip ~ this savory dip is perfect paired with some crackers or a sliced baguette
- Individual Salad Cups with Rhubarb Vinaigrette ~ these cute little crudite cups are perfect for parties, and the tart pink rhubarb dressing makes them anything but boring.
pink drinks
A pink drink is always inviting. From healthy breakfast and brunch-friendly smoothies to cocktail-hour beauties, theres a rosy beverage for every time of day or night.
- Cranberry Cleanse Smoothie ~ this superfood smoothie is energizing and creamy with the perfect amount of sweetness and tang from fresh cranberries.
- Blood Orange Margarita ~ blood orange juice gives amazing flavor to this hot magenta margarita!
- Strawberry Milk ~ this is one of the simplest recipes ever, but it is soooo delicious, especially when good, seasonal strawberries are involved.
- Gin and Jam Cocktail ~ the beauty of this cocktail is that it’s just 3 ingredients and you can use any kind of jelly or jam you like for a rainbow of hues and flavors!
- Blackberry Moscato Slushie ~ fruity, refreshing, and just so perfect for those hot days of midsummer.
- Cardamom Rose Cocktail ~ two unusual flavors shine in this unique cocktail that I particularly love for Valentine’s day.
- Rhubarb Spring Fling Cocktail ~ the arrival of rhubarb in the grocery stores is one of the first true signs of spring for me, and I love to make it into a cocktail to celebrate the occasion.
- The Trinidad Sour Cocktail ~ an exotic Caribbean cocktail with a vivid hue!
- Rhubarb Martini ~ go classic with a pretty twist on the mad men era favorite.
- Rhubarb Soda ~ no one will miss the alcohol in this sweet tart homemade soda.
- Bee Balm Tea ~ serve this hot or iced.
pink food for dinner!
The gorgeous natural hues of fresh seafood like salmon and shrimp are the perfect way to bring a touch of pink to the main course.
- Salmon with Berry Salsa ~ This stunning dish is perfect for spring and summer gatherings when fresh, seasonal berries need little embellishment to serve as an amazing, fruity “salsa” with simply baked salmon.
- New England Style Shrimp Rolls ~ jumbo chunks of wild caught shrimp simply tossed with mayo and lemon and then stuffed into a butter toasted bun ~ life doesn’t get any better.
- Instant Pot Rosé Risotto ~ this unique rosé wine infused risotto takes just 6 minutes in your Instant Pot!
- Shrimp Scampi Fra Diavolo ~ like traditional shrimp scampi but with a tiny kick of heat from red peppers, this garlicky pasta dish is a great way to serve a crowd.
- Salmon and Corn Chowder ~ a comforting Scandinavian inspired salmon soup with lots of potatoes and fresh corn.
- Lobster Risotto ~ lobster risotto is about as elegant and refined as it gets, I love it for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day or an anniversary.
- Shrimp in Romesco Sauce ~ bright punchy colors and bright punchy flavors. Serve this shrimp with crusty bread and a salad for an unforgettable meal.
- Mediterranean Sheet Pan Salmon ~ this spectacular but easy salmon platter always steals the show.
pink cakes and cookies
Who can resist pink frosting? Not me! These cakes, cookies, and bar recipes are kissed with berry-toned pink frosting, glazes, and fillings, they’re some of the most tempting pink food out there.
- Vanilla Layer Cake with Raspberry Buttercream ~ this celebratory layer cake is full of fresh raspberry flavor from the pretty pink frosting to the delicious raspberry filling.
- Rhubarb Baci di Dama ~ Meaning “ladies’ kisses,” these adorable, buttery cookies are taken over the top with a tart rhubarb filling.
- Chocolate Cake with Cranberry Buttercream ~ the cranberry frosting is just about the best thing ever!
- Strawberry Shortbread Cookies ~ freeze dried strawberries give these shortbread cookies incredible flavor and the most gorgeous, delicate pink color.
- Strawberry Lemon Blondies ~ one of the most popular recipes on the blog, who can resist the sweet, tangy combination of lemon and strawberries??
- Yellow Cupcakes With Strawberry Frosting ~ the perfect strawberry frosting tops these spring cupcakes.
more pink desserts
Here’s where pink food really shines ~ get creative with fruits like rhubarb, strawberries, pink grapefruit, and fresh figs for the most gorgeous pink tones and flavors.
- Strawberries and Cream Pots de Creme ~ simple, delicious, and perfect for springtime entertaining.
- Strawberry Galette ~ this easy to make galette truly celebrates peak-season berries
- Baked Brie with Figs and Honey ~ cheese, for dessert? When it’s topped with fresh juicy figs and honey, this genre-defying dish makes an equally good appetizer or unexpected dessert dish.
- Rhubarb Shortcakes ~ a twist on the classic strawberry shortcake, spring’s first delicacy makes for a super aromatic and gorgeously pink version.
- Pink Grapefruit Gingersnap Pie ~ I love the combination of bright grapefruit and mellow, spicy gingersnaps.
- Cranberry Mousse Pie ~ with its eye-popping color and tart flavor this pie stands out from the rest.
- Raspberry Crisp ~ fresh raspberries make this a very luxurious but simple dessert.
- Strawberry Lemon Blondies ~ a fan favorite!
- Toasted almond pavlova with summer berries ~ this is the queen of pink desserts in my book!
…and pink ice cream!
The frosty side of pink food! Homemade ice cream and sorbet is a great way to highlight beautiful fruity colors.
- Manhattan Cocktail Ice Cream ~ the flavors of this classic cocktail make a super unexpected ice cream flavor that works so well. Once I tried it, I was totally hooked!
- Raspberry Champagne Sorbet ~ this sorbet is so simple yet so impressive and fun to serve!
- No Churn Cranberry Ice Cream ~ amazing fuschia color, bright tart cranberry flavor, I love this ice cream on its own or served along side an amazing chocolate cake or tart.
- Rhubarb Ice Cream ~ this delicate pink ice cream has a nostalgic, old-fashioned feel to it that I just love. It’s pure simplicity at its best!
- Rhubarb and Greek Yogurt Popsicles ~ these popsicles are a healthy and fun way to enjoy the refreshing flavors of rhubarb and greek yogurt.
- Roasted Fig Gelato ~ this easy homemade ice cream is made with fresh figs and mascarpone cheese, and stays beautifully scoop-able even after a night in the freezer.
- Fresh Plum Frozen Custard ~ when plums are in season this is a must make!
pink jams, jellies, and curds
The world of preserves is full of gorgeous pink food possibilities. Jams and jellies come in a kaleidoscope of colors, and the pinks are well represented here.
- Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jelly ~ rhubarb is ideal for jelly making because it has a super tart flavor to begin with and can handle all the extra sugar.
- Rose Wine Hot Pepper Jelly ~ this is a simple sweet/hot wine jelly that turns cheese and crackers into a gourmet experience.
- Rhubarb Curd ~ Spread it on toast, scones, biscuits, or just eat it out of the jar with a spoon!
- Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Butter ~ the natural sweetness of the apples tempers the tart cranberries in this vibrant butter.
pink sauces and condiments
Even the extras in your menu can fall in line with your pink theme!
- Cranberry Relish with Horseradish and Sour Cream ~ if the cast of characters sounds odd to you at first, reserve judgement, this creamy spread will transform your holidays, guaranteed.
- Pink Applesauce ~ apple sauce isn’t just for kids! This recipe adds the perfect hint of sweetness to every meal, whether it’s a holiday feast or simple weeknight dinner.
- Quick Pickled Red Onions ~ I love them on just about everything both for their bright color and their flavor that wakes up everything from tacos to cheese plates.
- Homemade Strawberry Sauce ~ this sweet tart sauce can be used on ice cream, shortcake, cheesecake, yogurt, even oatmeal!
This is perfect for celebratIng our local Cherry Blossom Festival in March!
I want to come!
Wow Sue, you ARE in the pink!! These all look delicious!
What a beautiful post!!?Everything looks delicious.