55 Best Mother’s Day Dinner Ideas to Make Her Feel Extra Special
Celebrate Mom with a feast!
Sure, you could show gratitude to the mother figure in your life with a nice Mother’s Day gift (you could and you should), but there’s nothing that’ll get to her heart faster than a home-cooked Mother’s Day dinner. Whether she’s usually the chef in your family or she regularly handles dish duty, give her the night off by whipping up a spread from our best Mother’s Day dinner ideas, designed to be easy yet elegant enough for your number one gal.
Skip the crowded restaurants and make her a meal she can enjoy in the comfort of her own home. Armed with our recipe ideas, you can make anything she likes. Seared, juicy steak recipes? Consider it done. Tender, homemade meatballs that are ready to pair with spaghetti or crusty bread? Easy! Whether she’s interested in comfort food or lighter fare — you’ll find vegetarian tacos, chicken skewers and flaky salmon on this list — there is something here for every craving. Looking for something fancy to impress her? Creamy polenta, healthy salads and fresh pasta all fit that bill.
After you’ve wrapped up Mother's Day brunch or another Mother's Day activity, get ready for the main event. And if you really want to make her night, you can have a fresh batch of Mother's Day cookies or another special Mother's Day dessert ready once dinner’s over. Best Mother’s Day ever!
Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
Just like Mom, this lemon-butter classic will never go out of style. Use a dry white wine for the sauce, such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
Get the Shrimp Scampi with Linguine recipe.
RELATED: 30 Seriously Easy Shrimp Recipes
Roasted Lamb Chops with Snap Pea Salad
Get perfectly medium-rare lamb with just a sprinkle of seasoning (we love the zesty kick of coriander and sumac) and 20 minutes in the oven.
Tomato-Poached Cod with Olives and Capers
Save about a cup of rosé to impart acidity and depth of flavor to this one-skillet dish — and save the rest to drink with dinner.
Blue Cheese and Blueberry Pizza
Here's a pizza combination she probably hasn't tried! The sweet, salty stunner might just become her new favorite.
Moroccan-Spiced Skillet Chicken and Couscous
Impress Mom with this flavorful main that gets complexity from preserved lemon rind, smoked paprika and ras el hanout — but only takes 30 minutes to make.
Get the Moroccan-Spiced Skillet Chicken and Couscous recipe.
RELATED: 60 Healthy Chicken Recipes Perfect for an Easy Weeknight Dinner
Roasted Clams with Lemony Panko
Complete this under-30-minute dish with a bright green salad and plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the lemony pan juices.
Steak and Rice Noodle Bowls
Pour a punchy chile-lime fish sauce over these bowls to really make them pop. Mom will be proud!
Get the Steak and Rice Noodle Bowls recipe.
Salmon Salad Tartines
For a casual dinner you can serve on the porch, stir good canned salmon into a bright and briny fennel salad. All it needs is a glass of white.
Get the Salmon Salad Tartines recipe.
Vegetarian Antipasto Salad
Loaded with tomatoes, chickpeas, cukes and mini mozzarella balls (the best part!), you won't miss the meat.
Get the Vegetarian Antipasto Salad recipe.
RELATED: 55 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes You’ll Absolutely Love
Grilled Skewers
Skewers are easy to make and even easier to eat — plus, everything tastes better on a stick!
Get the Salmon, Scallion, and Asparagus Skewers recipe.
Get the Sweet-Spicy Beef and Broccoli Skewers recipe.
Za’atar Chicken with Whipped Feta
This gluten-free dinner gets a serious boost from feta blended with yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill.
Sriracha Shrimp Tacos
Fire up Mother's Day with these spicy tacos. They get a hit of sweet, cooling flavor from mango salsa.
Get the Sriracha Shrimp Tacos recipe.
Steak, Peach, and Watercress Salad
This elegant, flavorful salad brings together hearty bites of steak, juicy peaches, peppery watercress and creamy blue cheese. Mom is sure to love it.
Cherry Bourbon-Glazed Ham
Celebrate Mom with this showstopper of a main: baked ham coated in a unique tangy-sweet glaze made with tart cherry juice, cherry jam and bourbon.
Get the Cherry Bourbon-Glazed Ham recipe.
Saucy Sausage Meatballs
These meatballs get an extra boost thanks to the grated provolone, cinnamon and orange zest. Pile them atop a plate of spaghetti for a classic meal for Mother's Day or get some bread to make meatball sandwiches.
Get the Saucy Sausage Meatballs recipe.
Adobo Glazed Portobello Tacos
These smoky-sweet vegetarian tacos + a margarita = a Mother's Day dinner she's guaranteed to enjoy.
Get the Adobo Glazed Portobello Tacos recipe.
Chicken with Stewed Peppers and Tomatoes
This bright one-pot meal brings together paprika-rubbed chicken, onions, peppers and tomatoes, all topped with parsley and sliced almonds.
Chicken Satay with Spiralized-Carrot Salad
We can't get enough of spiralized veggies, and this bright carrot salad accompanying chicken satay is no exception!
Lemony Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin
Serve up this herb and garlic pork tenderloin to really wow Mom on her special day.
Polenta with Mushrooms
This creamy polenta topped with garlic and chile mushrooms is a hearty vegetarian option perfect for your main course.
Get the Polenta with Mushrooms recipe.
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