50 Mother's Day Lunch Ideas That Will Make Her Day
Kick off the celebration in the most delicious way.
Every item on this page was chosen by an editor from The Pioneer Woman. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
There are so many wonderful ways to make Mother's Day special. Certainly, Mom deserves to be treated in more ways than one! Why not kick off the celebration with these Mother's Day lunch recipes to make her afternoon one she never forgets? After all, nothing will make her feel more pampered and special than a relaxing day filled with all her favorite foods. (And maybe an at-home manicure? 😉)
If your mom is anything like Ree Drummond, she'll appreciate a good pasta recipe like the gnocchi primavera, shrimp pesto pasta, asparagus pasta, or even chicken Caesar pasta salad. While some of these recipes lean towards comfort foods, others are great for a lightened-up meal or a Mother's Day tea party. So, go ahead and whip up one of the sandwiches, salads, or quiche recipes. You could even set up a mimosa bar to make it more celebratory!
Looking to take your lunch outdoors? Try the grilled salmon, turkey burgers, or the Waldorf salad that's perfect for a picnic in the park! Or maybe you want an elegant sit-down meal. Plenty of these Mother's Day lunches fit the bill like crab cakes and puff pastry tarts with pretty sliced radishes. There are also quick and easy lunch recipes so you can get back to spending quality time with Mom instead. No matter what you decide, don't forget to serve her one of our sweet Mother's Day desserts to make her meal complete.
Crustless Quiche
Skip the hassle of making pie dough and try this crustless quiche instead! It's an easy and delicious way to serve up eggs, sausage, hash browns, veggies, and cheese.
Get Ree's Crustless Quiche recipe.
Gnocchi Primavera
Give green veggies a glow up! Broccoli, asparagus, and green beans get mixed with gnocchi and a hearty dose of parmesan cheese for a tasty spring pasta.
Get Ree's Gnocchi Primavera recipe.
Crab Cakes with Arugula Salad
Make a restaurant-quality meal right at home! Crab cakes feel extra special, though they only take about 30 minutes of prep. A simple salad on the side is a perfect accompaniment.
Get Ree's Crab Cakes with Arugula Salad recipe.
Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants
Sandwiches, but make 'em fancy for Mom! Don't worry, store-bought croissants, rotisserie chicken, and pesto make them a cinch to put together.
Get Ree's Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants recipe.
Asparagus Salad
This salad proves that it is possible to make asparagus even better. It gets mixed with bacon, parmesan, walnuts, radishes, and fresh herbs. Then it all gets tossed in a lemony vinaigrette.
Get the Asparagus Salad recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Take lunch outdoors with this easy recipe for grilled shrimp skewers. You can serve them up over a salad or pair them with a bowl of rice or pasta.
Get the Grilled Shrimp Skewers recipe.
Avocado Toast
Get creative with lunch: Prepare an assortment of toppings to pair with classic avocado toast. Set out bowls of pico de gallo, chopped mango, or scrambled eggs and bacon. Then, let Mom build her own.
Get the Avocado Toast recipe.
Waldorf Salad
Nothing says "ladies lunch" quite like this classic New York City-inspired salad. It's an ode to the Big Apple with chunks of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp, along with grapes, celery, and a creamy dressing.
Get the Waldorf Salad recipe.
Spinach, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Strata
You'll get so much flavor in each bite of this hearty casserole. Best of all, you can assemble it the night before and bake it off on Mother's Day for a piping hot meal.
Green Goddess Salad
The combo of sliced cabbage, cucumbers, snap peas, and green onions will stay crunchy for days. But the real star of a show is the herby, lemony dressing that you can also use for a marinade for shrimp or burgers.
Get the Green Goddess Salad recipe.
Tea Sandwiches
Surprise Mom with a tea party for the afternoon. It's easy to do with these mini finger sandwiches featuring curried chicken salad, smoked salmon and cucumber, or ham and cheddar.
Get the Tea Sandwiches recipe.
Grilled Salmon
Don't be intimidated by grilling salmon. It only takes a couple of minutes and it comes out flaky and perfectly cooked every time. The Dijon marinade ensures optimal flavor!
Get the Grilled Salmon recipe.
Lobster Rolls
Treat Mom with lobster for lunch! The chilled lobster salad-style rolls will make her feel like she's on a vacation to coastal New England―no travel required.
Get the Lobster Rolls recipe.
Carrot Ribbon Salad
Let carrots take center stage in this unique salad. Ribbons are dressed with a creamy lemon-tahini dressing and then tossed with crunchy, salty pistachios.
Get Ree's Carrot Ribbon Salad recipe.
Asparagus Quiche
Tender asparagus really makes this beautiful dish shine. You can serve it hot out of the oven or make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature for an easy afternoon feast.
Get the Asparagus Quiche recipe.
Oven BBQ Chicken
Sometimes all Mom wants is a sweet and smoky BBQ chicken, and this recipe is sure to satisfy her cravings. You can make it in the oven so you don't even have to fire up the grill.
Get Ree's Oven BBQ Chicken recipe.
Green Goddess Salmon Grain Bowls
Treat her like the goddess she is with this recipe for green goddess grain bowls. They're filled with flaky oven-roasted salmon, snap peas, avocado, and sunflower seeds.
Get Ree's Green Goddess Salmon Grain Bowls recipe.
Spring Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
It's fresh, it's herby, and it's packed with crispy prosciutto! There are so many reasons to love this springy pasta salad. But the lemon-parmesan breadcrumbs might just be our favorite.
Get the Spring Pea Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.
Lemon-Herb Chicken with Snap Pea Salad
These chicken thighs are bright and herby thanks to a marinade made with lemon, parsley, basil, and garlic. Serving them up alongside a fluffy bed of couscous and a crunchy salad of sliced sugar snap peas is perfect for spring.
Avocado Salad
Buttery avocado, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy cucumber make this salad a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. For an extra pop of flavor, there's also a zesty salsa verde dressing.
Get the Avocado Salad recipe.
Serve Golden Honey Cake With Tea or Coffee
This Easy Frosé is the Best Summer Drink
Homemade Blackberry Smash Sweet Tea
Watermelon Sweet Tea Is Ice-Cold and Refreshing
