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

1. Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Corn and Burrata

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly

Trade the usual jarred red sauce for juicy cherry tomatoes and creamy, dreamy burrata. It’s the best way to say “I love you,” no? The trick to getting a glossy, saucy result is all in the 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.

2. Green Goddess Pasta

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

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.

3. Salmon al Pastor

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

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.

4. Baked Feta with Garlicky Kale and Chickpeas

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, under 500 calories

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

5. Seared Scallops with Green Peas, Mint and Shallots

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, <10 ingredients, high protein

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 success lies in a hot pan and really dry scallops.

6. Cacio e Pepe

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

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.

7. Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Crema

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, crowd-pleaser

Pro tip: Be sure to really pat dry the cauliflower florets so the breading sticks better. And make a double batch of the crema—you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.

8. Pistachio-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Escarole Salad

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

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.

9. Lemongrass-Ginger Coconut Grilled Steak

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

“You made this?” Uh, don’t sound too shocked, Mom. (Trust us, this recipe is worth stocking up on fish sauce, coconut milk, lemongrass and chili crisp, if you don’t already have them on hand.)

10. Pan-Seared Scallops with Citrusy Corn Succotash

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

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.

11. Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Green Olives

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

The secret to impossibly crispy skin (which is, in our opinion, the best part) is to start with a cold pan. Place the thighs skin side down and resist the urge to fiddle with them until they’re golden. It works every time.

12. Pomegranate-Maple Glazed Lamb Chops

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

These chops are as easy to cook as chicken, we promise. Just throw them on the grill for about eight minutes (or use a searing-hot skillet if the weather won’t comply).

13. White Risotto with Corn, Carrots and Kale

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

Grab the prettiest produce you can find at the farmers market (carrots, corn and kale are our go-tos), then customize this dish as you please.

14. Orecchiette with Burrata, Tomatoes and Almond Pesto

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <500 calories

It’s not quite a vacation to Italy, but it’s the next best thing. Finally inscribe the heartfelt note you’ve been meaning to write in her Mother’s Day card during that 90-minute roasting time.

15. Whole-Wheat Feta Tart with Caramelized Onions and Herbs

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

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.

16. Ina Garten’s Updated Chicken Marbella

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

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.)

17. Salmon and Fennel Dinner Salad

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

If brunch was a little too filling, keep dinner light but satisfying with this protein-packed salad. The creamy dressed vegetables feel indulgent, but the dressing is made with plant-based yogurt.

18. Whole Roasted Chipotle Chicken

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

Would you believe this beauty is made with just four ingredients? Pair it with a big green salad (and perhaps a potato side dish) for a complete feast.

19. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Easy Frittata

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

It’s healthy yet filling and uses up leftover vegetables—just what Mom likes. If you don’t happen to have beet greens lying around, you can totally sub in two cups of any other chopped veggies.

20. Pomegranate-Sumac Chicken with Roasted Carrots

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

Pull this sheet pan meal out of the oven and prepare for the oohs and ahhs. Pomegranate molasses adds a sweet-tart note, while sumac is sour enough to cut through the fat of the chicken.

21. Bacon-Wrapped Black Cod with Spinach and Capers

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

Our 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.

22. Cheater’s White Pizza with Béchamel Sauce

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

Careful: This pie is so impressive, 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.)

23. Cheater’s Vegetarian Pizza with Zucchini and Bell Peppers

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

If she’s more of a veggie-pie person, make this 30-minute number with all the fixings.

24. Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, high protein

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.

25. Bruschetta Chicken

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

This chicken dinner tastes indulgent, thanks to a generous dusting of Parm. In reality, it’s pretty healthy (not to mention ready in 40 minutes).

26. Pasta Florentine with Grilled Chicken

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

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.

27. Mini Lobster Rolls

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

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.)

28. Chicken Tinga Tacos

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

These savory tacos start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken but shh, don’t tell anyone. The sauce comes together in your blender with a mix of chipotles in adobe and fire-roasted tomatoes.

29. Summer Skillet Gnocchi with Grilled Corn and Burrata

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, vegetarian

Serve this one—which comes together in one skillet—with a bottle of white wine, and you’ll instantly become the favorite at the table.

30. Spicy Bucatini Amatriciana

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <500 calories

This spicy pasta is pretty simple to make, but it tastes like a million bucks. The traditional Italian 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.

31. 30-Minute, One-Pot Cheater’s Bouillabaisse

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, one pot

How did we shave 90 minutes of cooking time off of this delicious 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.

32. Foolproof Cheater’s Confit

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

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

33. Skillet Steak with Asparagus and Potatoes

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

Home-cooked steak that’s better than at a restaurant? Yep, it’s a thing. You’ll sear the meat on the stovetop, then finish it in the oven until it’s your ideal level of doneness.

34. Cheater’s Skillet Paella

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: high protein, one pot

The traditional version of this hearty Spanish rice dish is delicious but time-consuming. Our version isn’t exactly authentic, but it tastes just as good and comes together in half the time.

35. Potato and Burrata Pizza

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

Store-bought 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.

36. Pan-Roasted Chicken with Shallots and Dates

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, high protein

It’s sweet-salty and bright, thanks to an ingenious combination of green olives, caramelized Medjool dates, shallots and lots of fresh lemon juice.

37. Skillet Gnocchi with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

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

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.

38. Grilled Peach and Halloumi Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

We’re sometimes wary of salad for dinner, since it can verge on snoozy (not to mention it never seems to fill us up). But this plate has both fresh fruit and melty cheese, so it’s impossible not to love.

39. Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce

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

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.

40. Sweet-and-Sour Pork Skewers with Pineapple

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

Fire up the barbecue and show everyone your grilling skills. The homemade sweet-and-sour sauce is easy to whisk up with pineapple juice and a few pantry staples.

41. Spicy Pineapple Prosciutto Tarts

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

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.

42. Skillet Pasta with Summer Squash, Ricotta and Basil

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

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.

43. Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, <30 minutes

They’re sweet, spicy and best eaten alfresco. Might as well prep a batch of margaritas while you’re at it. Making the mango salsa is an extra step, but we think it’s worth it for the fresh flavor.

44. Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, <30 minutes

The name “scallopini” makes this dish sound ambitious, but it’s actually super approachable. Basically, it just means thin slices of meat that get breaded and pan-fried. Set your timer for 20 minutes.

45. Orecchiette with Spring Greens

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

With a bunch of seasonal produce 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.

46. Grilled Flank Steak with Lemon-Herb Sauce

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

For maximum flavor, this steak gets marinated for a few hours before it hits the grill. Plan accordingly, and do the rest of the hands-on prep while you wait.

47. Piri Piri Chicken

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

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.

48. Corn Fritter Caprese with Peaches and Tomatoes

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

It’s fancy enough that if you put it down in front of Mom, it will elicit oohs and ahhs, but it’s easy enough for any skill level to tackle in the kitchen. The only thing you have to cook is the fritters.

49. Creamy Chicken, Corn and Tomato Skillet

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

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 in one pan.

50. Spaghetti with Avocado Pasta Sauce

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients

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.

51. Pasta alla Norma

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

This Sicilian dish traditionally stars eggplant, tomatoes, basil and ricotta salata—we sub in pecorino because it’s easier to find stateside. Best of all, you can make four servings for less than $10. Salute!

52. Skillet Lasagna with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

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

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.

53. Grain-Free Mushroom, Spinach and Leek Pasta

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

One of our favorite ways to get our 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.

54. Fusilli with Pesto and Green Beans

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

We’re no stranger to the old pesto switcheroo—you know, adding additional green vegetables to the traditional basil-based sauce for a flavorful and nutritious upgrade.

55. Cherry Tomato Galette with Garlic and Herbs

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

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.

56. One-Pot, 15-Minute Pasta Limone

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

This one doesn’t even require an extra trip to the grocery store—you probably have all the ingredients (yep, all eight of them) in your pantry right now.

57. Instant Pot Coconut Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lime

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

Look, another 20-minute seafood stunner—can you tell we have a type? This one comes together in the Instant Pot, so the salmon is perfectly cooked at the press of a button.

58. French Onion Sheet Pan Chicken

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

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.

59. Lamb Loin Chops Over Minty Pistachio Butter

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion–worthy, gluten free, dairy free

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.

60. Crispy Chicken Thighs Over Vinegar Beans

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

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

61. Deb Perelman’s Carrot Tarte Tatin

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

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.

62. Ina Garten’s Creamy Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Thyme

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

According to the Contessa, this is a really easy entrée to prepare while still being special enough to serve to company. Put it on our list immediately.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, gluten free

Yes, risotto requires that you stand watch pretty much constantly throughout the cooking process. But we can’t think of a better reason to endure the stir than to shower your mom with affection. (Oh, and it tastes delicious, too.)

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

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 in the berries to deglaze the flavorful fond into the sauce and creating one less pan to wash.

• Time Commitment:
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, special occasion–worthy

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