Mother’s Day is the perfect day to honor Mom with my collection of quick, easy, and mostly make-ahead Mother’s Day Recipes and Menu Ideas for 2023. Because she deserves the best, how about treating her to a tasty homemade breakfast, breakfast in bed, brunch, or lunch for her special day?
Mother’s Day isn’t about fancy gifts; it is about those she loves the most doing something thoughtful for her, and what’s more thoughtful than giving her the day off and preparing her favorite dishes for a lovely breakfast or brunch?
To help you pull all of this together, I’ve teamed up with my sister at the Pudge Factor blog to bring you these top-rated Mother’s Day recipes and menu ideas. They are perfect for serving at a sit-down breakfast, a brunch buffet, lunch, or even for breakfast in bed.
Most of these recipes can be made ahead and are easy enough to be prepared by dads and even kids with a bit of supervision.
Easy Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole with Blender Hollandaise Sauce
Easy Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole with Blender Hollandaise Sauce is the answer to your make-ahead breakfast or brunch dreams! A family favorite, this creamy and decadent make-ahead breakfast casserole recipe only takes minutes to prepare and boasts a short list of ingredients.
Spinach and Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes
Make-ahead Spinach and Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes is quick, easy to make, and sure to impress! Fresh spinach, crisp, smoky bacon, and sliced cherry tomatoes are the superstar ingredients in this savory quiche recipe.
Wild Rice Chicken Salad with Cranberries
Flavorful Wild Rice Chicken Salad with Cranberries is a stunning, make-ahead, cold main dish salad showcasing a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors and textures. With nutty wild rice, tender and juicy roasted chicken, dried cranberries, tart granny smith apples, sweet red bell pepper, crisp celery, and buttery pecans, each bite is nothing less than a flavor explosion in your mouth.
Perfect Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame
The perfect Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame is a simple creation. However, if you try to order one in an American restaurant, you’ll likely receive a quizzical look, not so if you ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. From the Pudge Factor blog, Croque Monsieur, literally translated as “crunch sir,” is somewhat of a French grilled cheese sandwich. Add a fried egg on top, and you have a Croque Madame!
Southern Cheese Grits Casserole
Cheese Grits are about as Southern as it gets, and this delicious make-ahead Southern Cheese Grits Casserole is a perfect side dish for everything from an elegant Easter or Mother’s Day Breakfast or Brunch to a quick weekday meal.
Easy Southern Sweet Potato Hash
Easy Southern Sweet Potato Hash is full of healthy sweet potatoes, crisp Granny Smith apples, tart cranberries, and bacon cooked with eggs in a cast-iron skillet!
Easy Old-Fashioned Frozen Fruit Salad
Ultimate Make-Ahead Frozen Fruit Salad is an easy, quick and delicious fruit salad. It’s full of pineapple, cherries, and pecans, and it would be perfect for serving for an Easter or Mother’s Day brunch, lunch or dinner, or anytime for that matter.
Easy Sausage Cheese Bread
Easy Sausage Cheese Bread is an excellent choice for a fabulous make-ahead breakfast or brunch! Also, this versatile, tasty, and easy-to-make bread is delicious when served as an appetizer with marinara sauce or even as a light entrée with a salad.
Easy Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata
My quick, easy and flavorful Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata comes together in minutes, and this healthy, veggie-filled, egg and cheese dish makes a perfect low-carb breakfast or a main brunch dish.
Kir Royale
Kir Royale is a classic French aperitif consisting of crème de cassis and champagne. It is typically served in a champagne flute and makes an elegant addition to a special occasion brunch. From the Pudge Factor blog.
Canadian Bacon and Brie Crustless Quiche
Canadian Bacon and Brie Crustless Quiche is a delicious and easy to prepare choice for a Mother’s Day healthy, low-carbohydrate breakfast, brunch, lunch, and yes, even dinner!
Old Fashioned Southern Ambrosia
Ambrosia is a traditional Christmas dish for many Southerners, and I am no exception. I actually can’t imagine the holidays without ambrosia, and if you have never tasted it, you are in for a real treat. Old Fashioned Southern Ambrosia is also a perfect side dish for a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day breakfast or brunch!
Easy Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole
From the Pudge Factor blog, Easy Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole is a perfect complement to a holiday brunch. It’s delicious but quite versatile in terms of the ingredients that can be added to dress it up. Also, it can be made ahead of time. If by chance, there are any leftovers, they reheat beautifully. Who could ask for more?
Southern Grape Salad with Pecans
Southern Grape Salad with Pecans is quick, simple, and delicious. Toasted pecans and brown sugar top this old-fashioned, make-ahead “salad” full of juicy grapes and a delightful and decadent dressing with cream cheese, sour cream, and granulated sugar.
Classic Mimosas with a Twist
One beverage that comes to mind when I think of an elegant and festive breakfast or brunch is Mimosas. These citrusy cocktails are light and delicious and would be the highlight of breakfast in bed or a brunch for Mom on Mother’s Day!
Make-Ahead Sausage and Grits Casserole
Imagine Mom’s surprise waking up to the peppery and robust aroma of sausage sizzling in the skillet this Mother’s Day. And then, her absolute delight in knowing this Southern-style Make-Ahead Sausage and Grits Casserole was made to honor her on her special day.
Chicken Crepes with Mushrooms
Make-ahead, savory Chicken Crepes with Mushrooms are perfect for a romantic and elegant brunch or a dinner party main dish. These chicken and mushroom crepes with mornay sauce are easy to prepare and will impress even the most discerning guests.
Easy Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche
My foolproof, flavorful, low-carb, Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche is full of silky egg custard, melted cheddar cheese, and chunks of sweet and savory ham. This crustless quiche recipe is so easy that anyone, even beginner cooks or kids, can make it.
Sweet Potato Biscuits with Cranberry Aioli
Easy Southern Sweet Potato Biscuits with Cranberry Aioli – say yes, please! How could you not love this combination of sweet and savory flavors? Add some salty country ham, and you have a great homemade biscuit fit for a king or queen.
Sous Vide Bacon and Gruyère Egg Cups
Sous Vide Bacon and Gruyère Egg Cups are amazingly delicious, easy to make, and quite versatile from the Pudge Factor blog. They’re perfect for a sumptuous breakfast, light brunch, or a take-along breakfast with their velvety texture. Also, they can be refrigerated and reheated with no loss of flavor.
Cornmeal Biscuits with Orange Butter
If you have never had Cornmeal Biscuits, you are in for a real treat! And, if you have never had Orange Butter, oh my goodness, you don’t know what you are missing. But, put them together and try to imagine just how delicious hot crispy Cornmeal Biscuits would be slathered with melty, citrusy Orange Butter. I can promise you after one bite; your taste buds will think they have died and gone to heaven!
Make-Ahead Breakfast Enchiladas
Make-Ahead Breakfast Enchiladas is the perfect dish for your Mother’s Day celebration. This breakfast enchilada recipe is full of cheesy, sausage and bacon goodness.
Bacon and Tomato English Muffin Pizza
Bacon and Tomato English Muffin Pizza may not be fancy-schmancy enough for a dinner party. Still, it is a quick, easy, versatile, and delicious dish that you definitely want to add to your menu rotation. Of course, it would also be perfect for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day!
Easy Oven-Baked Caramel French Toast Casserole
The name, Caramel French Toast, says it all. This delicious, make-ahead wonder, easy Oven-Baked Caramel French Toast Casserole, is filled with crusty french bread soaked in sweet, creamy caramel and then baked in a decadent and dreamy custard sauce.
Easy Southern Style Cherry Tomato Pie
This mouth-watering savory pie is perfect for a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day brunch. Southern Style Cherry Tomato Pie is also ideal as a light entrée paired with a fresh vegetable salad for lunch or dinner.
New Orleans Beignets
In New Orleans, Beignets are a fried yeasted dough served with confectioners’ sugar on top. They are traditionally prepared right before they’re served, to be eaten fresh and hot. Beignets were brought to New Orleans in the 18th century by French colonists and made famous by the Café du Monde.
Butterscotch Pecan Monkey Bread
Decadent Butterscotch Pecan Monkey Bread is down-home delicious with butterscotch, pecan, and brown sugar glaze. It is perfect for a Mother’s or Father’s Day Brunch or any holiday breakfast or brunch!
Easy Orange Cinnamon Rolls (No Yeast)
What if I told you that you could make and serve homemade orange cinnamon rolls with a decadent orange cream cheese glaze in about 40 minutes, start to finish? Would you be interested?
Easy Apple Cranberry Muffins
These Easy Apple Cranberry Muffins are just the ticket for a quick and delicious breakfast on the go. They are full of fresh juicy apples, tart cranberries, and toasted pecans.
Breakfast Fruit Salad with Orange Syrup
‘Tis the season for delectable fresh berries and fruits. This Breakfast Fruit Salad with Orange Syrup is every bit as delicious as it looks.
Lemon Blackberry Bread Pudding
Simple Lemon Blackberry Bread Pudding is an easy make-ahead, light, and lemony old-fashioned bread pudding. It’s filled with blackberries and decadent egg custard and baked in the oven. This delicious, simple bread pudding would make a tasty ending to a grand Easter or Mother’s Day Breakfast or Brunch!
Roasted Shrimp Pasta Salad
Roasted Shrimp Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is a magical combination of fresh succulent shrimp, orzo pasta, and a flavorful lemon vinaigrette that you can make in less than twenty minutes. It’s a lovely addition to a brunch or luncheon menu.
So many choices, yet so little time. Which Mother’s Day recipes will you choose?
Frequently asked questions:
When planning your menu, I would start by thinking about your Mom’s favorite dishes or what she always orders for breakfast or brunch when she is at a restaurant. Speaking as a mom, no matter what you make, I can tell you, she will love it!
If my children are reading this, my idea of a perfect Mother’s Day brunch might include either Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole or Oven-Baked Caramel French Toast Casserole, Grape Salad with Pecans, or Southern Ambrosia, and Sausage Cheese Bread or Butterscotch Pecan Monkey Bread.
My recipes for Bacon and Tomato English Muffin Pizza and Old Fashioned Frozen Fruit Salad are both easy enough that most kids could make them. But, of course, depending on their ages and kitchen skills, they may have to have a bit of help. This simple menu would also be good to serve as a breakfast in bed surprise.
Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata, Spinach and Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes, and Easy Southern Sweet Potato Hash are loaded with fresh vegetables. They are the healthiest options in this Mother’s Day recipe roundup.
Although this roundup features mostly recipes that can be served for breakfast, brunch, or lunch, my recipes for Chicken Crepes with Mushrooms and Roasted Shrimp Pasta Salad would also make great make-ahead main dishes for dinner.
Mother’s Day Dessert Recipes
If you need more dessert ideas, check out all of my dessert recipes.
★★★★★ If you make any of these recipes, please leave a comment to let me know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
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