Food Holidays & Occasions Mother's Day 25 Mother's Day Dinner Ideas for a Seasonal Celebration Cook the best spring meal ever for the best mom ever. By Bridget Hallinan Bridget Hallinan As an Associate Food Editor, Bridget Hallinan primarily focuses on home cooking content for Food & Wine.com. She writes and edits recipe content, interviews chefs for helpful tips and tricks, and works on franchises such as our cookbook roundups and taste tests. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 7, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis Mother’s Day only happens once a year, and a homemade dinner, whether big or small, is a great way to make it feel special. Even better? It's a spring holiday, which means you can get creative with seasonal produce like asparagus, peas, and fresh herbs. We've compiled more than two dozen dishes that would make impressive additions to your table, from salads to meat, seafood, and plant-based main courses, to side dishes and desserts. You can pick and choose from the Mother's Day dinner ideas below to make a menu, or just prepare one dish and keep it simple. The gesture is meaningful all the same. 01 of 25 Little Gem Salad with Toasted Spice Vinaigrette Eva Kolenko The homemade sourdough croutons add an extra special touch to this pretty spring salad from cookbook author Aria Adjani, and the leftover spiced dressing can be used as a marinade for chicken or fish. Get the Recipe 02 of 25 Broccoli Rabe and Avocado Salad with Lemon Dressing and Herby Molten Eggs Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis Cookbook author Andrea Slonecker says this salad brings spring to life, combining warm and cold ingredients on one plate. Compose the salad with a bit of artistic flare and pour a glass of Chablis to toast to Mother's Day. Get the Recipe 03 of 25 Farro Salad with Radishes, Snap Peas, Olives, and Pecorino Eva Kolenko Mother of two, Aria Alpert Adjani uses seasonal vegetables like radishes and sugar snap peas for this fresh, earthy starter. Get the Recipe 04 of 25 Chilled Spring Pea Soup © Quentin Bacon Peas are a spring staple, so pea soup would definitely be a nice seasonal touch. Chef Daniel Boulud's version, pictured, is served chilled, so it’s deliciously light and clean tasting. Get the Recipe 05 of 25 Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Shortbread Coins © David Malosh You could also try TV chef Carla Hall’s creamy asparagus soup with savory Parmesan shortbread coins — both are “dead simple” to make, she says. Get the Recipe 06 of 25 Herb Garden Matzo Ball Soup Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver For something different entirely, make a lovely, herb-forward matzo ball soup from Leah Koenig. Get the Recipe 07 of 25 Pasta Primavera Victor Protasio Recipe developer Liz Mervosh’s pasta primavera is packed with vegetables — asparagus, carrots, and sugar snap peas, plus fresh herbs. Get the Recipe 08 of 25 Broccoli Rabe Risotto with Grilled Lemon © Con Poulos Chef Isaac Becker studs broccoli rabe risotto with fresh tarragon, parsley, and savory Parmesan cheese, then serves it with grilled lemon and mascarpone cheese. Get the Recipe 09 of 25 Garganelli with Speck, Peas, and Scallion Cream Victor Protasio Recipe developer Liz Mervosh shares how to make restaurant-quality pasta at home. In this one, sweet spring peas and garlicky sauce flood tubular garganelli, making each bite a surprise. Get the Recipe 10 of 25 Roast Chicken with Hot Honey John Kernick Kelsey Jane Youngman has a sweet chicken main with a play on words if mom's partner is cooking. The hot honey can be made ahead and used with a cheese plate or on pizza, too. Get the Recipe 11 of 25 Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Strawberry–Merlot Sauce Victor Protasio If mom's a fan of strawberries or Merlot, prepare a pork dinner with both using this recipe from Beringer chef Alex Hrabovsky. Get the Recipe 12 of 25 Skirt Steak and Asparagus with Salsa de Semillas Victor Protasio Food writer Paola Briseño González dresses up steak with spring asparagus and Mexican salsa de semillas varying flavors, colors, and textures. Get the Recipe 13 of 25 Roasted Honey-Dijon Salmon with Spring Vegetables Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis Save on dishwashing and cleanup with this sheet-pan meal from cookbook author Susan Spungen, organized so that you can prep for the next step while the previous step is in motion. Get the Recipe 14 of 25 Cod with Lemony Leeks, Snap Peas, and Herbs Victor Protasio Colu Henry quickly cooks cod in a skillet then gives the elegant upgrade mom deserves: Leeks take a quick bath in a broth composed of white wine and chicken broth; snap peas get the briefest of simmers so they maintain their fresh texture. Butter is swirled in at the end to slightly thicken up the sauce as well as some lemon juice for brightness. Pair this dish with a wine that’s equally as dignified, such as a Chablis. Get the Recipe 15 of 25 Shrimp and Grits with Mustard Seed Chowchow Victor Protasio New Orleans–based chef Isaac Toups makes Chowchow up to a week in advance and serves it with grilled meats or other rich dishes. Here's how to get a creamy texture and buttered popcorn flavor if shrimp and grits brings your mom comfort or nostalgia. Get the Recipe 16 of 25 Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce Con Poulos This quick, simple, and eminently usable vegetable-based dish from 2010 F&W Best New Chef Missy Robbins is packed with richness and only uses one pan. Get the Recipe 17 of 25 Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato Steaks with Brussels Sprouts Greg DuPree Spike Gjerde's recipe delivers beautifully caramelized honey and well-cooked brussels sprouts to round out this plant-based main. Get the Recipe 18 of 25 Palak "Paneer" with Pressed Fresh Ricotta Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner Fry crispy, cheesy cubes of fresh ricotta in ghee for cheese croutons that pair with this warm puree of chile-and-ginger-spiked spinach and cilantro for a meatless main. Get the Recipe 19 of 25 Roasted Baby Artichokes with Parsley and Mint Eva Kolenko Channel Italy with this 35-minute side dish that cooks quickly. Get the Recipe 20 of 25 Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and Parsley Abby Hocking Alison Roman offers tips to keep this 35-minute side dish recipe easy. Get the Recipe 21 of 25 Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms Eva Kolenko Chicago chef Sarah Grueneberg balances the earthiness of mushrooms and slight char on asparagus here with a drizzle of syrupy aged balsamic for a lovely seasonal side. Get the Recipe 22 of 25 Strawberries-and-Cream Gelato Cake Victor Protasio Treat any mom to spring strawberries, gelato, and cake all at once to make their Mother's Day. Get the Recipe 23 of 25 Ricotta-Orange Pound Cake with Prosecco Strawberries © Con Poulos Or pair strawberries with Prosecco and a little sugar using Giada De Laurentiis's orange-infused cake. Get the Recipe 24 of 25 Espresso Martini Pie Food & Wine For the moms who have not been out sipping espresso Martinis, bring the trend to them in the form of a silky chocolate pie spiked with coffee, Kahlúa, and vodka. Get the Recipe 25 of 25 Rocky Road Brownies Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Joshua Hoggle / Food Styling by Marianne Williams Motherhood is a rocky road. Bake treats for everyone taking on the role with this recipe from Marianne Williams. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit