37 Mother's Day Dinner Ideas to Make Her Feel Special
Mom will be so happy to have everyone around the table.
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The best gift you can give is spending time with Mom. In all honesty, she probably just wants is for the whole family to gather around the table to make some memories. (Although a thoughtful card couldn't hurt either!) Luckily, you've found the best Mother's Day dinner ideas to make your time spent with Mom even more valuable. Here, you'll find tons of easy spring salads, grilling recipes, comforting casseroles, and more ideas.
Some of the ideas ahead are simple like the oven BBQ chicken, while others are a little more luxurious and elegant, like the surf and turf and lobster mac and cheese. But no matter which direction you choose, these family dinners will make her special day complete. This list of Mother's Day dinner ideas also includes some of Ree Drummond's family favorites, including the tomato tart that she first made with her sister Betsy and linguine with clam sauce (that has a hilarious backstory with her husband Ladd).
For more Pioneer Woman winners, try the lemony chicken Francese, the homemade enchiladas, or the pasta with peas that's simple, yet decadent. There are even a few recipes that you can take outdoors, like the grilled salmon, veggie skewers, and flank steak. Just don't forget to pair your meal with a Mother's Day cocktail and finish the night with something sweet—she deserves a big slice of Mother's Day dessert, too!
Mediterranean Chicken
If Mom loves olives, make her this one-skillet dish. It's packed with tons of veggies and flavor on its own, so it only needs a simple side like rice or orzo to round out the meal.
Get Ree's Mediterranean Chicken recipe.
Crab Cakes with Arugula Salad
Crab cakes might seem fancy, but they only take about 30 minutes of total prep time. The secret is to look for lump crabmeat, which can be either fresh or canned.
Get Ree's Crab Cakes with Arugula Salad recipe.
Asparagus Casserole
Mom won't be able to resist a second scoop of this springtime casserole. It features tender asparagus, a rich homemade cheese sauce, and buttery breadcrumbs for crunch.
Get the Asparagus Casserole recipe.
Chile-Lime Steak Salad
"There are few things I love more than a big green salad with sliced grilled steak on top," Ree says. If that sounds like what your mom would order on a nice night out, then this is the recipe for you!
Get Ree's Chile-Lime Steak Salad recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
Picture this: You go out all day to spend quality time with your mom and come home to a creamy pasta dinner. It's totally possible when you make this in a slow cooker!
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo recipe.
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Is pesto your mom's love language? It is for Ree, so you can trust that she won't steer you wrong with this easy-to-assemble dish. It'll be done in just 25 minutes.
Get Ree's Shrimp Pesto Pasta recipe.
Chicken Francese
The combination of lemon and chicken never gets old! Whip up this Italian classic and serve it over a bed of these mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.
Get the Chicken Francese recipe.
Baked Salmon
If you're looking for something equal parts easy and elegant, then baked salmon is the way to go! You just need five minutes to prep the marinade and let the oven do the rest of the work.
Get the Baked Salmon recipe.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
There's nothing like stuffing chicken with extra goodness to make it feel extra special. In this restaurant classic, crispy chicken cutlets get rolled with ham and cheese.
Get Ree's Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe.
Grilled Veggie Skewers
These colorful skewers will have everyone at the table excited to eat their veggies. That's because they're marinated with a tangy, bright mixture of balsamic vinaigrette and lemon juice.
Get the Grilled Veggie Skewers recipe.
Linguine with Clam Sauce
Lemony, garlicky, and with just enough cream and parmesan to make it extra decadent, this classic will surely impress a seafood-loving mom. Best of all, it only takes 20 minutes to prepare!
Get Ree's Linguine with Clam Sauce recipe.
Lemon-Herb Chicken Thighs with Snap Pea Salad
This zesty spring dinner is so easy. In fact, you can even get started on it the night before by marinating the chicken. Serve it up with quick-cooking couscous and a snap pea salad for some freshness.
Get Ree's Lemon-Herb Chicken Thighs with Snap Pea Salad recipe.
White Chicken Enchiladas
"Oh my goodness, these are good," Ree says—and you'll agree! These enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, shredded chicken, and a homemade spicy cream sauce. It's no wonder why they're a Drummond family favorite.
Get Ree's White Chicken Enchiladas recipe.
Surf and Turf
Bring the fancy steakhouse dinner home with this luxurious surf and turf. The filet mignon is paired perfectly with a creamy, lemony serving of shrimp and whatever sides you like best.
Get the Surf and Turf recipe.
Oven BBQ Chicken
Jazz up store-bought BBQ sauce by adding sweet peach preserves, garlic, and hot sauce to the mix. It'll be the base for this easy chicken dinner that's made in the oven.
Get Ree's Oven BBQ Chicken recipe.
Chicken Piccata
Ree's version of this chicken and pasta dinner is covered in a luscious sauce that's made with white wine, butter, lemon juice, and heavy cream. It's bursting with bright spring flavor and dreamy decadence.
Get Ree's Chicken Piccata recipe.
Lemon Pasta
This creamy, silky, lemony pasta is like a burst of sunshine on a spring day. It only takes 25 minutes to make so you can have plenty of time to spend with mom.
Get the Lemon Pasta recipe.
Pasta with Peas
Don't be fooled by the name, this dish is so much more than just pasta with peas. It's also has a silky mascarpone cheese sauce, crispy pancetta, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Add extra black pepper for that added kick.
Get the Pasta with Peas recipe.
Coconut Shrimp
These succulent shrimp are coated in a mixture of crispy panko breadcrumbs and shredded unsweetened coconut for a crunch that's out of this world. Serve them up with a Thai sweet chili sauce for dunking.
Get the Coconut Shrimp recipe.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
The combination of ooey-gooey mac and cheese and fresh lobster tails is both nostalgic and comforting, yet luxurious at the same time. It's even better with a cheesy, buttery breadcrumb topping.
Get the Lobster Mac and Cheese recipe.
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