36 Best Mother's Day Dinner Ideas She's Sure to Enjoy
A homemade meal will melt her heart! These recipes make it easy.
Eating at a restaurant on Mother's Day is... not great.
Every restaurant worth going to gets booked up weeks in advance. Even if you do get a table, it'll be crowded and noisy, with more shouting than pleasant conversation. And frankly, you could make something better yourself.
So why not do that?
We've put together a list of more than 35 extra special dinners so you're sure to find something that'll strike your mother's fancy. From pure comfort food classics to elegant and impressive dinners, these Mother's Day meals are as tasty (or tastier) than you'll find at a restaurant.
Pair dinner with a glass of fancy wine that she wouldn't get herself, or perhaps a classy cocktail. What could be more perfect than that? You could even cap it off with a Mother's Day dessert!
More Ideas to Help You Get Ready for Mother's Day
Quiche Lorraine
Is there a more classic Mother's Day dish than this? Quiche is an versatile dish, at home on a brunch plate as well as at the dinner table, especially with a salad on the side.
Chicken Kiev
One bite of this decadent chicken recipe will send Mom straight back to her childhood. It's an herby, buttery, tender delight. And we've taken the classic recipe and made it even easier, with a super-smart breading trick!
Gnudi with Brown Butter Sauce
Want to make Mom a super decadent dinner? Then make her some gnudi! Pronounced "nyoo-dee" these are essentially ricotta-stuffed ravioli without the pasta pouch! We've drenched them in rich brown butter with basil and pine nuts. You won't regret making these.
Creole Shrimp Caesar Salad with Cheesy Croutons
Fresh, spicy shrimp top a classic romaine salad in this light but lovely dinner that mom will flip for. Pair it with candied bacon and biscuits for a complete meal!
Get the recipe for Creole Shrimp Caesar Salad with Cheesy Croutons.
Baked Halibut with Snap Pea and Toasted Sesame Gremolata
If mom loves seafood, serve her a perfectly baked fillet of worth-the-price Alaskan Halibut, garnished with a fresh spring-flavored topping made from blended snap peas and toasted sesame.
Get the recipe for Baked Halibut with Snap Pea and Toasted Sesame Gremolata.
Buttered Leek and Gruyère Galette
This simple savory French country pie makes a delicious and light dinner with a salad and a glass of mom's favorite wine.
Roast Chicken with Braised Leeks and Fingerling Potatoes
There's nothing like a roast chicken for making the whole house smell amazing—or for celebrating. And cooking it atop some spring veggies means that the main dish and side can cook all together!
Get the recipe for Roast Chicken with Braised Leeks and Fingerling Potatoes.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
If mom's a fan of hearty meat-and-potatoes type recipes, serve up this Sunday dinner of a feast.
Squash Ribbon Salad with Sunflower Seeds
This bright, easy-to-make salad is a perfect accompaniment to a celebratory dinner.
Get the recipe for Squash Ribbon Salad with Sunflower Seeds.
Southern Tomato Pie with Bacon
Pull a Southern-style tomato pie out of the oven, garnish with fresh herbs, and watch mom's face absolutely light up with pleasure.
Grain Salad with Trout, Almonds, and Herbs
Want a more casual dinner? We love to make this easy, tasty grain salad the centerpiece of a grazing-style meal, with roasted veggies, a cheese board, and some wine or a cocktail.
Get the recipe for Grain Salad with Trout, Almonds, and Herbs.
Asparagus Quiche
Take spring's best vegetable and bake it into an elegant and delicious dinner dish!
Salade Niçoise
This classic French salad is perfect for building a fancy dinner around.
Pork Chops with Roasted Maple-Bacon Radishes
This elegant dinner has a sauce that really makes the pork chops sing, and flavors both the main and the side.
Get the recipe for Pork Chops with Roasted Maple-Bacon Radishes.
Salmon Patties
Tastier even than crab cakes, these easy to cook patties are perfect atop a bed of greens, or with cole slaw!
Baked Deviled Crab
When it comes to special-occasion food, it's just not possible to be more satisfying than deviled crab. NOM.
Butter Baked Salmon with Cast-Iron Hasselback Potatoes
Want a main you can make in 30 minutes? The rich butter not only suffuses the salmon, but it makes it harder to overcook!
Roast Chicken with Tarragon-Braised Fennel
This one-pan dish is both elegant and easy to make, and works well as a sheet pan meal!
Get the recipe for Roast Chicken with Tarragon-Braised Fennel.
Classic French Onion Soup
Homemade onion soup doesn't cook fast, but the results, in terms of flavor, are more than worth the time.
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
This classic pot pie will send mom straight to her happy place.
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