37 Mother's Day Lunch Ideas That Are As Easy As They Are Elegant

When cooking a special lunch for Mom, you want a meal that looks impressive without a ton of effort. After all, you still have a Mother's Day dinner coming later. That's why we recommend easy yet elevated meals that are sure to please. From simple pastas to flavorful fish, these lunches are a step above the everyday meal. And, they pair beautifully with special cocktails for Mom and beautiful desserts she'll love. Start, for example, with these sandwiches. Kardea says, "To me, a BLT is the perfect sandwich. I wanted to elevate the beloved sandwich a bit, so I've added some seared salmon and a homemade avocado aioli. Serving them open-faced makes for a really pretty presentation, too!"

The beauty of this dish is that is mostly all assembly, making it the perfect recipe for easy entertaining. With capes, smoked salmon, and everything bagel seasoning, it's reminiscent of a classic bagel combo! Make the frittata in advance, dress it up right before your guests arrive and sit back and relax!

Kardea's dish looks impressive, but they're deceptively simple! She uses store-bought croissants and rotisserie chicken to make these creamy, flaky sandwiches. Serve them on a pretty platter for a special lunch that Mom will love.

A crisp, refreshing café-style green salad tossed with a bright homemade vinaigrette that brings simple ingredients to life. It’s light, flavorful and perfect as a beautiful quick side for a Mother's Day lunch.

These cherry cheesecake shooters layer creamy, sweet cheesecake filling with vibrant cherry topping for a fun, crowd-pleasing dessert in every bite. Their elegant, individual presentation makes them a perfect addition to a lunch spread, adding a festive and indulgent touch.

Looking for a dish that can fit in on any table? This Spanish-inspired asparagus pairs well with everything, making it perfect for potlucks or buffet-style meals. Serve it with a frittata, quiche, or even a roast chicken!

Tyler's Chicken Francese is just what you need for a refined meal that's not overly complicated. The light lemon flavor makes it a nice main dish for lunch, when you don't want something too heavy. Serve it with whatever you like — the chicken pairs equally well with a salad or pasta.

Who can ever resist a lobster roll?! As Kardea says, "Summertime in a sandwich: That's what a lobster roll feels like for me. For ease, I sometimes use lobster tails instead of whole lobsters. They're easier to shell. I've also found frozen cooked lobster in the shell as a more affordable option."

Ina never steers us wrong; especially when it comes to these delicious crab cakes! She kicks the flavor up a notch by adding hot sauce, capers and seafood seasoning, making these crab cakes the furthest thing from bland. If you want them to be a bit more filling, serve these crab cakes with rolls for making sliders!

Make the most of your seasonal produce with Molly’s spring salad. Granny smith apple and fresh fennel lend a tart sweetness to the dish, which is topped with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. It's the perfect appetizer or side dish for whatever else is on the table, from quiches to salmon!

Kardea's tea sandwiches strike the perfect balance between dainty and satisfying. She gives a flavorful twist to two classic fillings, taking these sandwiches a step above the rest. She makes a homemade onion cream cheese to pair with smoked salmon and cucumber for one — and a bacon-studded egg salad for the other.

Beautiful and delicious, this cake is a true showstopper. Perfect for Mother's Day, it's light, tasty and perfect for late spring. The sponge cake is layered with sweet berries, vanilla bean chantilly and an orange liqueur soak for a dessert that's sure to impress.

It doesn't take much to prepare a delicious, yet simple side dish. Boil green beans until tender, then top with buttery, toasted almonds. Bonus? The whole dish comes together in just 10 minutes!

Keep halibut simple with fresh herbs and a little wine. We promise you'll love the results! Serve it over a bed of rice or potatoes to soak up the delicious wine sauce!

Though only slightly thicker than regular spaghetti, the extra width helps spaghettoni soak up the flavors of the sauce— in this case tangy lemon juice and fragrant scallions and garlic. This dish is cooked in just one pot (no need to bring water to a boil beforehand!), so it's a super quick and easy choice for lunch. We top it off with creamy ricotta, salty Parmesan and bitter lemon zest for a bold but balanced finish.

It doesn't get better than Ina's chicken piccata. She fries chicken breasts until golden and crispy, then drizzles a beautiful lemon sauce over top. Mom will love this classic recipe, which is always reliable — just like her.

As Valerie says, this orzo salad is deceptively easy. While the cooked orzo cools, use a grill or grill pan to quickly cook tons of veggies, including squash, eggplant, bell peppers, and onion. Once that's done, toss everything together with a simple dressing made from the leftover veggie marinade.

If you've never had a Dutch baby before, then you are missing out. This eggy, giant pancake is made in a skillet, and can be sweet or savory, as in this recipe. It's the perfect option for brunch or lunch when you want something elegant that's still easy to prepare.

Mom is sure to enjoy this lovely beet and goat cheese salad. Ree roasts the beets at a high heat to get tender and extra sweet, then pairs them with creamy goat cheese for a delightful combination of both flavor and texture. A simple Dijon dressing is the ideal finishing touch!

Similar to a ceviche, Kardea's dish makes a great addition to any occasion. She says, "Pickled shrimp is a dish that's often served at Southern dinner parties and picnics. I love it because it features my favorite — Charleston shrimp — and it's also one of those recipes that gets better the longer it sits."

This is a savory pasta dish, so the addition of apricot preserves may seem strange. However, many cuisines combine salty and sweet flavors and are delicious. Though oven-ready lasagna sheets are called for, they still need a brief boil to make them flexible enough to roll.

Flank steak is a relatively lean cut of meat but full of flavor. This preparation is low on the fussiness factor: Put your seasoned steak on a preheated broiler pan and cook, no flipping needed. Just be sure to cut the meat against the grain-across, not parallel with, the visible lines of muscle fibers-so the steak will be tender, not chewy.

Look no further for a stunning, edible centerpiece for your Mother's Day lunch. Picture a stack of two vegetable and cheese-packed frittatas with a layer of creamy, herbed goat cheese in the middle. Bright green asparagus spears decorate the perimeter of the frittata "cake" for a make-ahead showstopper.

This pasta salad is all about green vegetables and herbs like peppery watercress, fragrant dill, raw asparagus and sugar snap peas. Reserving a bit of the dressing to toss with the salad right before serving, refreshes and revives some of the bright flavors that have already been soaked into the orzo.

Pomegranate lends its sweet-tart essence and ruby hue to this impressive main dish in two ways: First, pomegranate molasses is the base of a fruity glaze for the salmon fillets, resulting in perfectly caramelized exteriors. While the fish cooks, we toss together a bold and colorful relish of pomegranate arils, cilantro and spicy serrano chiles to cut through the richness of the salmon. And since it's ready in just about 20 minutes, you'll have plenty of time for Mom.

Take a Caprese salad up a notch by roasting the tomatoes before assembling. Roasting tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness — a technique that makes Ina's version of this dish feel rich and decadent. You'll never go back to uncooked caprese again!

You can never go wrong with a classic quiche Lorraine. A buttery and flaky crust is filled with a rich custard, caramelized onions, bacon and gruyere cheese. Baked in a pie dish, this crowd-pleasing quiche is both beautiful and delicious.

Pizza makes a great choice for lunch, especially when it's packed with fresh herbs and vegetables! Molly's pizza features zucchini, a basil mint pesto and lemon juice for acidity. The dough has to be prepared the day before, but once that's done, the rest of the pizza comes together easily.

This no-cook side dish comes together quicky and feels like summer. Tossing the ripe fruit with a bit of vinegar doesn’t make them sour, rather it heightens the natural sweetness and nuanced flavors of the fruit. Mom will love this simple side!

Who says dessert is just for after dinner? Kardea's key lime pie tartlets are a great dessert for lunch because they're perfectly portioned, so you won't get too full to have dinner later. They do need time to cool before serving, so be sure to take that into account when planning your day.

Ree's easy salad is the best of both worlds: all the creaminess of a Caesar with the heft of a Niçoise. Plus, it makes a stunning presentation when arranged on a big platter. With salmon, potatoes and more, it's filling without being too heavy.

Two classic pasta dishes combine into one delightful lunch! Ree's 30-minute mac and cheese is packed with veggies, including asparagus, bell pepper, peas and broccoli. It's cheesy, fresh, and an utter delight for a meal with Mom.

Edible flowers are the hack you need to beautify dishes without tons of work. The flowers add a beautiful color to this vibrant soup, which the whole table is sure to love. And, since it's served cold, you can make it ahead of time without stress once lunchtime comes.

This recipe is a variation on the ubiquitous Baked Feta Pasta dish that went viral on social media a few years ago. Adding fresh shrimp and a shot of ouzo gives the pasta a Greek twist (think shrimp saganaki!) and works perfectly with the sweet roasted tomatoes and creamy feta. Lemon zest and fresh parsley add a bright flavor that really rounds out the dish!

Michael's fruity salad is perfect for spring. He toasts almonds to add the perfect crunch, and goat cheese for creaminess. If you'd like, top this salad with roasted or grilled chicken.

These brie and pesto tarts look elegant and special, but could not be simpler to prepare. The best part is they are supremely customizable. Don’t care for brie? Use your favorite cheese! Not a fan of pesto? Use another sauce like salsa or marinara. Regardless of the flavors you choose, the method stays the same.