65 Mother’s Day Dinner Ideas (Because Your Mom Totally Deserves a Top-Notch Meal)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Trade the usual jarred red sauce for juicy cherry tomatoes and creamy, dreamy burrata. The trick to getting glossy, saucy results is starchy pasta water. Make sure to save some before draining the noodles—it’ll cook down with the vegetables to coat the strands of pasta just so.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, low sugar, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

Alternatively, ditch the tomatoes altogether and opt for a gorgeous green sauce. This dish calls for 11 ingredients (including salt and pepper) and is ready in less than an hour. The sauce is similar to pesto in how it’s made, but the garlicky, herby flavors are reminiscent of green goddess dressing, hence the name. 

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <500 calories, one pan
• Serves: 4

Your mom called and said she wants cheese for Mother's Day dinner, no presents needed. (Don’t worry, the addition of tender, sautéed kale and chickpeas makes the skillet dish hearty enough to be the star of the table.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4

Nothing says, “I love you, Mom,” quite like a rich, velvety tomato cream sauce. The vodka helps loosen up the flavorful brown bits at the bottom of the pan and tames the sweetness of the tomato. While it wouldn’t really be vodka sauce without it, you can skip the ingredient if you don’t have it on hand.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 4 to 6

While it sounds fussy, spatchcocking is the magic method that allows you to cook a whole chicken to crispy perfection in less than an hour. By flattening the bird on the sheet pan, it exposes the meat to more heat, making it cook faster, crispier and evenly.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, high protein
• Serves: 4

If you’re a little intimidated by cooking seafood at home, take solace in the fact that this dish takes 20 minutes to make. The key to the Insta-worthy sear lies in a scorching hot pan and thoroughly dry scallops, BTW.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 5

Pro tip: Be sure to really pat dry the cauliflower florets so the breading sticks, both while it's cooked and after. And make a double batch of the crema—you’ll want to drizzle it on everything from steak to shredded pork.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, low carb, keto-friendly
• Serves: 4

Forget about dry, overcooked pork tenderloin. This one is so buttery, it'll practically melt in your mouth. A crust of bright-green, ground pistachios and spices adds a festive touch, and the whole things cooks on one sheet pan. It's a breeze, promise.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 1o minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6 to 8

“You made this?” Uh, don’t sound too shocked, Mom. Consider this your sign to take the barbecue out of hibernation. Trust me: This recipe is worth stocking up on fish sauce, coconut milk, lemongrass and chili crisp, if you don’t already have them in your pantry.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <500 calories, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

This recipe seems fancy, but it's actually foolproof. The scallops require just two minutes of cooking per side, and lime juice livens up the entire dish. It would plate beautifully with white rice or cheesy risotto, if you'd like to add a grain to the mix.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, one pan, low carb, keto
• Serves: 4

The secret to impossibly crisp skin (which is, in my opinion, the best part) is to start with a cold pan. This allows the fat in the skin to fully render out without burning. Place the thighs skin side down and resist the urge to fiddle with them until they’re golden. It works every time.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: low carb, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 to 6

These chops are as easy to cook as chicken, even for newbies. Just throw them on the grill for about eight minutes (or use a searing-hot skillet if the weather won’t comply). P.S.: You’ll find pomegranate molasses in the international aisle of most grocery stores.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Hot take: Risotto isn't just for wintertime. Grab the prettiest produce you can find at the farmers market (carrots, corn and kale are my go-tos), then customize this dish as you please. Cherry tomatoes and asparagus would be lovely in the spring.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <500 calories, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

It’s not quite a vacation to Italy, but it’s the next best thing. "This summer dish, popular in Puglia, respects the burrata’s integrity by applying only the heat that comes from the cooked pasta," recipe creator Katie Parla writes. Inscribe the heartfelt note you’ve been meaning to write in her Mother’s Day card during that 90-minute roasting time.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit salty and completely delicious. Even if you’re a baking beginner, don’t stress—you can handle this recipe, thanks to the easy, press-in crust. (It gets its stick and fattiness from extra-virgin olive oil.)

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 6

Your mom will think you took private cooking lessons from the Barefoot Contessa herself. Don't be afraid of that nearly 9-hour time commitment; it includes letting the chicken marinate for 8 hours or so overnight, so most of it is fuss-free and hands-off.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, high protein
• Serves: 4

If brunch a little too filling, keep the evening light with this Mother's Day dinner idea that's still satisfying, since it's packed with protein. The creamy, dressed vegetables feel indulgent, but the dressing is made with plant-based yogurt.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein
• Serves: 4

Would you believe this beauty is made with just four ingredients? Chalk all its smoky, spicy splendor up to canned chipotles in adobo. Pair the poultry with a big green salad (and perhaps a potato side dish) for a complete feast.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <500 calories, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 2

It’s healthy yet filling and uses up leftover vegetables—Mom will be so proud. If you don’t happen to have beet greens lying around, you can totally sub in two cups of any other chopped veggies, like bell peppers, carrots, Swiss chard or kale.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe
• Serves: 8

Pull this sheet pan meal out of the oven and prepare yourself for a chorus of oohs and ahhs. Pomegranate molasses adds a sweet-tart note, while sumac is sour enough to cut through the fat of the chicken. Don’t forget to save your carrot greens: They’re the crowning glory.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, low carb, keto
• Serves: 4

My mantra: Everything is better with a little bacon—even fish. It doesn’t hurt that the entire meal can be cooked and on the table in a matter of 40 minutes. I also love the addition of briny capers, which cut through the fattiness of both the seafood and pork.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Careful: This pie is so impressive that your mom might ask you to make it every Sunday after Mother’s Day, too. Don’t tell her the crust is actually store-bought naan (you can use pre-baked pizza crust instead, too).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <500 calories, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

If she’s more of a veggie-pie person, make this 30-minute number with all the fixings. This Mother's Day dinner recipe calls for marinara, but you can substitute Alfredo sauce or pesto if the lady of honor would prefer.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 to 6

This one-skillet dish is the ultimate trifecta: It’s easy to make, pretty to serve and so damn delicious. (The combination of olives, lemon and feta can have that effect.) Plus, the carby side (in this case, rice) cooks in all the chicken's savory juices.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, low carb, high protein
• Serves: 6

This chicken dinner tastes indulgent, thanks to a generous dusting of Parm. But in reality, it’s pretty healthy (not to mention ready in 40 minutes). It's pair beautifully with some al dente spaghetti or couscous, if you ask me.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 4

Creamy pasta, smoky chicken and white wine. What’s not to love? Grilling the meat isn’t traditional, but it adds a certain je ne sais quoi that no one can resist. (Plus, it gives you an excuse to move the party outside.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <500 calories, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

There’s really no such thing as a *bad* lobster roll, but somehow, these cuties taste even better since they’re bite-size. If you want to make them full-scale, however, just divide the salad among four large rolls and call it a day.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 3

These savory tacos start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken but shh, don’t tell anyone. As if this Mother's Day dinner recipe wasn't already easy enough, the sauce also comes together in the blender with a mix of chipotles in adobo and fire-roasted tomatoes.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, vegetarian, one pan
• Serves: 6

Name a better way to use store-bought gnocchi, I'll wait. Serve this one—which comes together in a single skillet for maximum convenience—with a bottle of white wine, and you’ll instantly become the favorite at the table.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <500 calories, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

This spicy pasta is pretty simple to make, but it tastes like a million bucks. The traditional version uses guanciale, a salt-cured pork product. It’s worth seeking out at an Italian grocery, but it can be hard to find, so substitute with pancetta or bacon in a pinch if you need to.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, one pot, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

How does this recipe shave 90 minutes of cooking time off of the iconic Provençal seafood stew? Easy: Cook it in one pot with a smaller selection of seafood. Splurge on high-quality ingredients for this one—you won’t regret it.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 4

Excuse me, is your name Julia Child? This one’s got a long time commitment—but most of that is completely hands-off cooking in the oven. (Psst: If you’re not into duck or can’t find it at the store, you can use chicken legs instead.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: high protein, low sugar, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 2

Home-cooked steak that’s tastier than from a restaurant? Yep, believe it, friend. You’ll sear the meat on the stovetop, then finish it in the oven until it’s your ideal level of doneness. The potatoes and veggies are added at just the right time so all the components finish cooking together.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: high protein, one pot, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

The traditional version of this hearty Spanish rice dish is delicious...but time-consuming. This version isn’t exactly authentic, but it tastes just as good and comes together in half the time, since the recipe minimizes the seafood to shrimp and clams.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Store-bought pizza dough is the trick to making a pizza with just seven ingredients. And if your mom doesn’t love both potatoes and burrata, then you two might need to have a chat. Finish it with a generous drizzle of jarred pesto, everything bagel seasoning and a spritz of lemon.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, high protein, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

If I was stranded on a desert island, Athena Calderone’s pan-roasted chicken with shallots and dates just might be the one meal I’d eat for the rest of my life. It’s sweet, salty and bright, thanks to an ingenious combination of green olives, caramelized Medjool dates, shallots and lots of fresh lemon juice.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

This skillet number takes only 30 minutes from start to finish, but go ahead and pretend you spent the whole day in the kitchen. One bite, and your mom might actually believe you. Spice things up by going heavy on the crushed red pepper flakes or by using spicy Italian sausage instead of sweet.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

I'm sometimes wary of salad for dinner, since it can verge on snoozy (not to mention that it never seems to fill me up). But this plate has both fresh, seasonal fruit and melty cheese, so it’s impossible not to love. If you want to add meat, crispy prosciutto would go well.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, high protein
• Serves: 4

Mom orders the salmon at just about every restaurant, but…yawn. On a day like this, it’s time to pull out all the stops (without letting a recipe take over your life). Warm, smoky spices and sweet-tart pineapple make for an unforgettable riff on her fave.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, <500 calories, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Fire up the barbecue and show everyone your top-notch grilling skills. The homemade sweet-and-sour sauce is easy to whisk up with pineapple juice and a few pantry staples...but the char marks will be what actually steal the show.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
• Serves: 8

If “appetizers for dinner” is her Mother’s Day dream, serve a platter of these with a fresh salad on the side. They’re like Hawaiian pizza, but better. "They have a little bit of protein, a little bit of richness and plenty of tartness," recipe creator Erin McDowell explains.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, one pan
• Serves: 4

It’s spring, so save the spaghetti and meatballs for another day. This pasta skillet (which gets dolloped with fresh ricotta!) is what the warm weather calls for. Go all out by buying the produce from the farmers market—Mom will appreciate it.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

They’re sweet, spicy and best eaten al fresco. Making the mango salsa is an extra step, but I think it’s worth it for the fresh flavor (plus, Mom loves fresh fruit). Might as well prep a batch of margaritas while you’re at it.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, <30 minutes, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

The word “scallopini” makes this dish sound ambitious, but it’s actually super approachable. Basically, it refers to thin slices of meat that get breaded and pan-fried. Set your timer for 20 minutes and dinner will be ready in no time.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <500 calories, vegetarian
• Serves: 6

With a bunch of seasonal veggies and a batch of pasta, you don’t need to try hard to make an amazing meal. The recipe calls for peas and spinach, but you could swap in another fresh green if desired. Just don't skip the grated Parm, OK?

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: high protein, <500 calories, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 6

For maximum flavor, this steak gets marinated for a few hours before it hits the grill. The malt vinegar in the marinade will help ensure buttery, tender results to boot. Plan accordingly, and do the rest of the hands-on prep while you wait.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours and 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, low sugar, low carb, keto
• Serves: 4

You can never have too many roast chicken recipes in your back pocket. Here, the potatoes soak up all those glorious juices from the bird. Mom’s going to be *so* impressed. Note: If you can't find piri piri peppers, use fruity, mild red finger or Anaheim chiles instead.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

It’s fancy enough that if you put it down in front of Mom, it will elicit plenty of praise, but it’s easy enough for cooks of any skill level to tackle in the kitchen. The only thing you have to cook is the fritters (which taste like summer, BTW).

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 4

As it turns out, a handful of ingredients and just three simple steps are all it takes to make an impressive Mother’s Day dinner idea in one pan. Serve the chicken over roasted potatoes, pasta or rice, or pair it with crusty baguette for sopping up every last drop of the rich sauce.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6 to 8

With a luscious avocado sauce, this recipe is rich but totally virtuous, not to mention dairy free. Even better, the whole meal takes just 30 minutes to prepare. Cue the singing angels (and a bouquet of flowers for Mom).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: high protein, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

This Sicilian dish traditionally stars eggplant, tomatoes, basil and ricotta salata, but I sub in pecorino because it’s easier to find stateside. Either way, the whole masterpiece is vegetarian, totally satisfying and extremely simple to make. 

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, skillet recipe, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

This mélange of pasta, corn and cherry tomatoes has the same cheesy goodness of the original you crave (and then some), minus the hours of assembly time and all that painstaking layering. It's begging to be served on the patio, if you ask me.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, vegan, 10 ingredients, <30 minutes
• Serves: 2

One of my favorite ways to get my greens is to sauté them until meltingly tender, then toss them into a hearty bowl of pasta. Even better, this one happens to be grain-free. “This is my weeknight go-to pasta dish because it can be ready in under 30 minutes, including prep time, and it’s incredibly flavorful and satisfying,” recipe creator Jodi Moreno asserts.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, low sugar, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

I'm no stranger to the old pesto switcheroo—you know, adding additional green vegetables to the traditional basil-based condiment for a flavorful and nutritious upgrade. Here, the veggies (peas and green beans) are simply tossed into the pasta rather than blitzed into the sauce.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
• Serves: 8

It’s like a fancy, ultra-impressive version of a pizza. Serve it with a big salad—like this blend of bitter greens—to complete the spread. If you want to make it ahead, roast the tomatoes the night before (they’ll keep in the fridge for a few days) and assemble the galette the day of. Thank me later.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, one pot, vegetarian
• Serves: 4

This one doesn’t even require an extra trip to the grocery store—you probably have all the ingredients (all eight of them) in your pantry right now. “The end result isn’t particularly saucy, but that makes it taste light, zesty and refreshing,” PureWow VP of content and recipe tester Candace Davison explains. “Don’t forget to spritz with a little extra lemon juice just before serving—it brightens up the whole meal.”

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: Instant pot recipe, <30 minutes, high protein, low sugar
• Serves: 4

Look, another 20-minute seafood stunner—can you tell I have a type? This one comes together in the Instant Pot, so the salmon is perfectly cooked at the press of a button. It's essentially steam poached in the coconut milk, ensuring moist, flavorful fish.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser, low carb
• Serves: 6

Bring on the caramelized onions and bubbly Gruyère cheese of the beloved soup, but in a sheet pan format that’s as impressive as it is easy to make. "Those epic cheese pulls and caramelized onions are still giving what they need to give, and all those incredible flavors transport me back in time," recipe creator Jocelyn Delk Adams writes.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy, gluten free, dairy free
• Serves: 4 to 6

Loin chops are just as delicious as the lollipop rib chops you’re already familiar with, but slightly larger and with more meat. These are seasoned with vinegar and garnished with a creamy, nutty sauce that's loaded with umami-rich flavor (thanks, miso) and fresh herbs.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: low sugar, dairy free, gluten free
• Serves: 4 to 6

Look no further for a Mother’s Day dinner idea that’s equal parts straightforward and elegant. This dish—which is flavorful, bright and vaguely French—starts and finishes in the same pan, so you don’t have to spend the entire evening doing dishes.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
• Serves: 6

For an impressive vegetarian meal, make this savory tart—which is hiding goat cheese under those glazed veggies—the main course and pair it with a big, green salad. (You could, alternatively, plate it alongside soup, charcuterie or roasted potatoes.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, one pan
• Serves: 4

According to the one and only Ina Garten, this is a really easy entrée to prepare while still being special enough to serve to company. Put it on your list immediately, and serve it atop a bed of basmati rice or couscous as she recommends.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, gluten free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Yes, risotto requires that you stand, stir and stare pretty much for the entire cooking process. But I can’t think of a better reason to endure the extra effort than to shower your mom with affection—and shrimp. Save some fresh parsley for finishing, along with freshly ground black pepper.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, one pan
• Serves: 4

Combine sweet and savory in this seasonally appropriate, seven-ingredient entrée. By using the same pan to roast the lamb chops and sear the strawberries, you’re using the juice from the berries to deglaze the flavorful fond into the sauce and creating one less pan to wash.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
• Serves: 4

This classic Italian pasta calls for just six ingredients, but it tastes like something from a restaurant. Pecorino Romano, a sheep’s milk cheese, is traditional, but if you only have Parmesan, that’s just as delicious. She’ll fall for the salty, silky, cheesy sauce at first bite, trust.