27 Mother's Day Recipes to Celebrate Mom

Build the ultimate menu that says thank you.

Spanakopita pie
Photo:

Food & Wine

Mother's Day only comes around once a year, so make it extra special to celebrate everything the moms in your life do on a daily basis. Go all out and whip up a next-level homemade meal, whether you're making brunch or dinner. These Mother's Day recipes span breakfast to dessert with cocktails, appetizers, and all sorts of dishes in between, so you have options for a celebration any time of day. Make a batch of Chocolate Toffee Bar Brownies for a sweet treat, have this creamy vegan pasta on deck if you need a meatless dinner, or whip up these Pecan-Plantain Sticky Buns for brunch. Whatever you make, you'll have memorably delicious results. Read on for more ideas to celebrate the moms in your life.

01 of 27

Croque Madame

Croque Madame
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Made with white bread, butter, cheese, ham, Mornay sauce, and a fried egg, the French Croque Madame sandwich is a luxurious, deeply comforting dish.

02 of 27

Turmeric-Poached Eggs with Chive Biscuits and Lobster Gravy

Turmeric-Poached Eggs with Chive Biscuits and Lobster Gravy
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

Chef Brooke Williamson gives crawfish étouffée a West Coast approach with this poached egg sandwich, lending gravy rich flavor from lobster and adding a sunny pop of color with turmeric eggs.

03 of 27

Coffee Delight

Coffee Delight

Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

With caramel sweetness from aged rum and rich Cognac, bitterness from cold brew coffee, and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, this coffee float combines the best of dessert and cocktail hour.

04 of 27

Palacsinta (Hungarian Pancakes) with Apricot Lekvár

Palacsinta (Hungarian Pancakes) with Apricot Lekvár

Aubrie Pick

These tender and light crêpe-like pancakes are rolled up with freshly made apricot preserves for natural sweetness.

05 of 27

Sausage and Red Onion Sheet Pan Quiche

Sausage and Red Onion Sheet Pan Quiche
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee

Inspired by a foot-long quiche chef Cedric Maupillier has historically served at Convivial in Washington, D.C., this version feeds the whole family.

06 of 27

Pecan-Plantain Sticky Buns

Plantain Sticky Buns
Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Pastry chef Paola Velez pays tribute to her Dominican mom's love of both plantains and sticky buns with this treat. Cook the soft, ripe plantain down to a smooth filling with a touch of brown sugar and a slew of spices, including not only cinnamon and vanilla but also black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger for added depth.

07 of 27

Cheesy Breakfast Tacos

Plate of cheesy breakfast tacos
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper.

Customize these tacos with your mom's favorite ingredients for the scramble, type of cheese, and toppings, as long as you get that cheese skirt for an extra toasty crunch.

08 of 27

Spanakopita Pie

Spanakopita pie

Food & Wine

To turn a classic spanakopita appetizer into a crunchy, cheesy, and earthy pie, pack store-bought phyllo dough with plenty of greens and tangy cheese. When the phyllo bakes to a crisp in the oven, the filling will get a little creaminess and richness from eggs, feta, and provolone, plus a touch of warmth from nutmeg and brightness from lemon juice.

09 of 27

Ruby Red Spritz

Spiced Pear Spritz and Ruby Red Spritz Recipe
Victor Protasio

This rosy, bittersweet aperitif is an ideal way to toast to Mother's Day and it primes appetites for whatever meal you've made.

10 of 27

French Onion Baked Brie

French Onion Baked Brie

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe

If your mom loves that first spoonful of French onion soup — with toasted bread, melted cheese, and savory caramelized onions — then they’ll love this appetizer, which is a decadent mash-up of French onion soup and baked Brie. Smear the cheesy snack on slices of toasted baguette.

11 of 27

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines

Sharp, peppery radishes; creamy artichokes; bright, earthy asparagus; gemelli pasta; and tangy green dressing come together for a refreshing, herby side dish or lunch.

12 of 27

Broiled Leeks with Toasted Pine Nut Sauce

Broiled Leeks with Toasted Pine Nut Sauce

Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Inspired by a traditional Catalan calçotada, Ann Taylor Pittman and Scott Mowbray broil leeks, top them with a zingy pine nut romesco sauce, and garnish with extra pine nuts for texture and a buttery finish.

13 of 27

Gnocchi Asparagi e Pancetta (Tuscan Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta)

gnocchi with asparagus and pancetta

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

For this gorgeous spring dish from Tuscan winemaker Cinzia Merli, pillowy homemade potato gnocchi are tossed with delicate asparagus and a light yet creamy pancetta pan sauce.

14 of 27

Chicken Freekeh Skillet with Warm Feta-Lemon Relish

Lemon Chicken Freekah Skillet Recipe
Alison Miksch

Serve crispy chicken with hearty whole-grain freekeh and bright citrus in 35 minutes for a quick and satisfying spring dinner.

15 of 27

Seafood Lasagna

Seafood lasagna and a couple of glasses of wine.

Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Serve a show-stopping seafood lasagna with depth by cooking crab and shrimp with wine and herbs, then layering the mixture with mascarpone cheese, noodles, mozzarella, and a clam juice-spiked bechamel.

16 of 27

Rosy Hibiscus-Gin Lowball

Rosy Hibiscus Gin Lowball
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner

In this refreshing, balanced beverage, roselle — the type of hibiscus used in most hibiscus teas — complements the floral notes of gin. Stir leftover hibiscus tea into lemonade for a refreshing nonalcoholic sipper.

17 of 27

Wedge Salad with Coconut Ranch and Furikake

Wedge Salad with Coconut Ranch and Furikake

Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This lighter version of the classic wedge salad replaces bacon and cheese with extra crunch and earthy flavors from bits of sesame seeds and seaweed in the Japanese spice mix furikake. The dressing, essentially a coconut-based ranch, gets its body from coconut cream. For a subtle allium bite, it’s spiked with fresh chives.

18 of 27

Lamb Shoulder Chops with Herb and Sunflower Seed Salad

Lamb Shoulder Chops with Herb and Sunflower Seed Salad
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Cook lamb shoulder chops quickly on the grill and serve with a simple salad of parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, chives, and crunchy sunflower seeds.

19 of 27

Madeira-Braised Swiss Chard with Garam Masala, Sultanas, and Toasted Almonds

Madeira-Braised Swiss Chard with Garam Masala, Sultanas, and Toasted Almonds
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Cookbook author Andrea Slonecker cooks Swiss chard down into tender, silky ribbons by braising with fruity Madeira and complex, tangy, earthy garam masala. Serve with bread to sop up the flavorful cooking liquid.

20 of 27

Sizzling Garlic Salmon with Sheet Pan Potatoes

Sizzling Garlic Salmon with Sheet Pan Potatoes
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

For this sheet pan dinner, baby potatoes, red onion, and spring onions get a head start in a hot oven before they're joined by a side of salmon. The salmon is slathered with mustard and drizzled with toasted garlic oil, then cooked alongside the vegetables for a seamless final presentation.

21 of 27

Honey-Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries

Honey Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries
Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner

Make ahead this velvety-smooth, berry-topped mousse in only 15 minutes and then firm the dessert up in the refrigerator for an hour. Ricotta cheese, quickly whipped in a food processor with honey and vanilla, forms the base of the mousse. Folding whipped cream into the ricotta yields a luscious dessert. 

22 of 27

Creamy Vegan Pasta with Greens, Peas, and Lemon Zest

Green Pasta in purple bowls
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

Quickly blanched greens and sizzling scallions and garlic meet in a surprisingly creamy vegan pasta sauce, with a touch of white miso for added depth. Feel free to top with your mom's favorite grated plant-based cheese.

23 of 27

Chocolate Toffee Bar Brownies

chocolate toffee bar brownies

heami lee / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by CHRISTINE KEELY

In this recipe from legendary baker and cookbook author Maida Heatter, buttery chocolate-covered candy bits melt as the brownies bake, leaving deep pockets of caramelized toffee for extra sweetness and texture.

24 of 27

White Asparagus Soup with Pickled Ramps and Hazelnuts

White Asparagus Soup with Pickled Ramps and Hazelnuts
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Winemaker and restaurateur André Mack's silky white asparagus soup is buttery and creamy with a mild sweetness from the asparagus and a touch of acidity from the pickled ramps that brighten the entire dish. Roasted hazelnuts and hazelnut oil lend a deliciously nutty body to the soup and make a beautiful garnish.

25 of 27

Chocolate Granola Pie

Chocolate Granola Pie

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

If you’ve got a bag of granola and a chocolate bar, you're already well on your way to making this easy, fast granola chocolate pie. The molasses and eggs form a light custard that balances the sweetness of the chocolate, while the granola and coconut give it crunch throughout. Serve this pie warm or at room temperature, and add a little ice cream on top to treat any mom.

26 of 27

The Best Cucumber Sandwich

The Best Cucumber Sandwich
Cedric Angeles

Chef Vishwesh Bhatt adds verve to these sandwiches with Benedictine, a creamy spread of cucumber and herbs; along with a spicy and herbaceous peanut pesto with serrano chile, cilantro, and citrus; and chaat masala. Layer in crisp cucumbers, spicy chile slices, and juicy tomatoes for a surprising lunch.

27 of 27

Biscoff Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The subtle spice of Biscoff cookies helps to balance the sweetness of each decadent layer of creamy custard and fresh bananas in this tall and impressive banana pudding for a crowd. It's inspired by one made by 2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi's aunt Yolanda, of Beaumont, Texas.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles