When I think back to what my own mom loved about food, I remember her telling me: “anything that someone else cooks for me!” Indeed, she cooked for a husband, five kids and lots of extended family and guests, so she deserved to be treated to a home-cooked meal at least for Mother’s Day. She really liked vegetables, soups, and the occasional snack like potato chips, so I treated her whenever I could.
If you’re busy (maybe you’re a mom or dad yourself), here are easy Mother’s Day brunch recipes for how to make visually impressive goodies on the simpler end of the kitchen that will have your mom feeling special—maybe even wowed!
1. Asparagus Tart
I make this savory, mild tart over and over—for company or just because we love it. And it’s impossible to mess up. Ruffle sheets of phyllo dough in a casserole dish with sour cream, one egg, thinly sliced fresh asparagus, brie (or camembert) and Parmesan. It comes out as a fairly thin tart, so it bakes fast and makes an amazing appetizer or side with your mom’s favorite soup or salad. A great addition to any Mother’s Day brunch menu.
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2. Grilled Pineapple Rings
The smoky char of grilled food adds deep flavor that is hard to replicate indoors. If your mom loves grilled veg as much as mine did, you may find these grilled pineapple rings a real surprise and delight. The trick is to leave them on the heat without turning. It’s tempting to move them, but to get that caramelization, the pineapple needs to sear. These are so succulent that most disappear before coming back in the house.
Try our Grilled Peaches and Grilled Tomatoes while your grill is already hot!
3. Roast Chicken with Vegetables
There’s something very “Sunday dinner” about a whole roast chicken. But this one roasts on a bed of fresh veggies so they all cook together. Season with your favorite blends (I like every flavor of Kinder’s) or fresh herbs. It makes a great savory centerpiece, as a Mother’s Day brunch for a crowd.
4. Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
These are fun little pops of flavor, a combination of tangy goat cheese, sweet cherry or cocktail tomatoes (they’re a little larger), and fresh basil. It takes a little time to hollow out the tomatoes, but they are as delicious as they are attractive on the plate.
5. Lemon Dill Salmon with Herbed Salad
The lemon lifts the richness of the fish with a clean citrus tang. The dill adds a delicate, almost grassy sweetness that makes the whole thing taste even fresher. Together with a simple herbed salad dressed in Dijon and apple cider vinegar, this dish is genuinely restaurant-quality — and it comes together in 30 minutes.
6. Cucumber Sandwiches
I grew up with my mom making these for her and my dad once the summer heat crept in. This is her recipe: open-faced on white bread (my dad liked the heel and crusts of bread so she left them on), mayo, cucumber sliced thin, with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and a little S&P. You can use cream cheese instead of mayo, cut the crusts off, and use whatever herbs you want, but the fun part is cutting them into fourths, a quaint tea-time tradition and a solid addition to any list of Mother’s Day brunch food ideas.
7. Sweet & Sour Pork Chops
I’m a big fan of lean pork chops, and this recipe combines the heavy hitters of flavor: balsamic vinegar, real maple syrup, garlic, plus a side of pineapple chunks and bell pepper. There are a few steps to get your produce washed and cut up, but overall, an easy menu that offers a true homemade experience.
8. Sheet Pan Pork Loin Dinner
Sheet pan dinners are the epitome of easy meals: A bit of seasoning, oil and your favorite meats and vegetables. Take it up a notch with my Sheet Pan Pork Loin in this easy Mother’s Day dinner. A marinated loin filet gives the flavor a head-start but a handful of pantry seasonings and some easy vegetables make a hearty centerpiece for a special occasion.
More Sheet Pan meals here: Steak & Vegetables, Teriyaki Chicken, Pineapple Chicken, Ground Beef Nachos.
9. Pink Fluff
We are such fans of these midwestern potluck salads. We keep trying out the tried-and-true and riffing on the combinations. We love this one because it starts out so fluffy and gets denser as it sets. Blend your cottage cheese before mixing in so it’s nice and smooth. Fresh strawberries are a lovely finishing touch, but if you need to make this more than a day ahead, leave them out and top them at serving time. (They tend to release juice, which affects the texture of the whole salad.)
10. Butter Dip Biscuits
Hot, homemade bread is such a comfort, and it’s even better when it’s easier on the baker. Mom still gets some fresh biscuits, and you get the accolades without spending all day proofing dough or cracking out the rolling pin. These start with a Bisquick-style mix, and you add sour cream to the dough and lots of butter to the baking pan. Slide her favorite jam on the table and these are quite the treat for a simple Mother’s Day brunch at home.
11. Apple Rose Tarts
An eye-popping dessert made with puff pastry with steps for rolling up the pastry with slices of apple. Packaged puff pastry does all the heavy lifting here, and each “rose” bakes into a neat bundle of deliciousness. Too full for dessert? They package up wonderfully to go with an evening hot tea or coffee the next day.
12. Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
As a risk-taker, I grew up licking beaters and slathering mixing spoons into mouth every time my mother or sister baked something yummy. Now that we all know better, it’s a little safer to heat up the flour to kill bacteria and leave out the eggs completely. Make your mom’s inner child all the happier with a container of my edible chocolate chip cookie dough that she can pull out of the fridge anytime, and even freeze the extras.
13. Lavender No Bake Cheesecake
I talk about this one a lot because I am a huge fan of the floral scent and flavor of lavender. This no bake cheesecake is visually stunning and equally luscious without requiring a complicated recipe. This one sets up in the fridge so you don’t have to worry about a water bath in the oven.
14. Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Dessert doesn’t get any more refreshingly sweet and easy to assemble than this. In fact, all you do is assemble: Gather a couple boxes of ice cream sandwiches, a container of whipped topping, a jar or squeeze bottle of chocolate fudge sauce, caramel or butterscotch drizzle, and M&Ms for garnish. Done and done.
15. Lemon Pastries
I just bought another jar of Bonne Maman Lemon Curd to make these again. These lemon pastries bake up crisp and golden with raised edges, a soft cream cheese center, glossy lemon curd, and a vanilla glaze that sets lightly over the top. Make them mini for a high tea style Mother’s Day Brunch alongside a quiche, salad and cucumber sandwiches.
16. Willow’s Texas Sheet Pan Cookies
If your mom is a Southern Mom™, you are probably super familiar with Texas Sheet Cake: a rich chocolate cake frosted with a sweet glaze. Take this recipe home to your momma so she gets a taste of the real thing but in a fun, yummy cookie.
17. From-Scratch Greek Pastitsio
Fair warning: This one isn’t fast or particularly easy, but it comes out so good, so rich, that for a special occasion, it’s worth the work. This one is our authentic Greek Baked Ziti, made with a homemade bechamel sauce, and layered with cheese, ground beef (and lamb if you want), topped with Greek olives, panko crumbs, and feta. It’s fragrant with all the spices that make this an incredible homemade meal, but it takes a long time to make. For faster prep, put guests to work and hand everyone part of the recipe. Even the sauce starts with canned or fresh tomatoes.
The bottom line
I hope this list was a helpful start to your mom’s special day. Restaurants are always packed and hard to plan for (and expensive) and a homemade meal might be just what she needs: Leisurely time with her family around a table full of treats that she didn’t have to cook herself.
Want to stick with just breakfast? Try our Mother’s Day breakfast ideas!
