This Mother's Day menu celebrates the moment when spring stops being coy and bursts joyfully into full bloom. This change in the calendar is accompanied by a sudden abundance of delicious seasonal produce – the greenest shoots and stalks, sweet peas and beans, edible flowers in every hue and armfuls of soft, fragrant herbs. It’s an exhilarating time for keen cooks.
This menu for a perfect Mother's Day lunch, which falls on 11th May 2025, has been written with those ingredients and eating outdoors on longer, warmer days in mind. You might also be thinking amping up your al fresco entertaining spaced with Spring tablescaping ideas and outdoor dining ideas.
The menu is designed to serve six, except for the gateau, which happily provides extra helpings, and, while I’ve included both a soup and a tart to begin the meal, you could choose to do one or the other. Pick and choose dishes as you wish, or make them all to really push the boat out Mom on her special day. Most of the dishes can be made at least partly in advance so that things aren’t too frantic on the day itself.
Crab, broad bean, tomato and marigold tarts
Impress your guests with this gorgeously rich crab, broad bean, tomato and marigold tart, packed with seasonal ingredients and a golden custard, finished with pretty marigold flowers and leaves.
Spiced yogurt and herb soup with saffron butter
Make this stunningly vibrant spiced yogurt and herb soup with saffron butter up to two days in advance and keep chilled as a really useful time saver so that you can focus on spending more quality time with mom, and less in the kitchen on Mother's Day. Add yogurt for creaminess and the saffron butter with a sprinkling of edible borage flowers to elevate this simple, fresh soup.
Caesar-style salad of baby kale, spring herbs and flowers with Pecorino crisps
This pretty Caesar-style salad of baby kale, spring herbs and flowers with Pecorino crisps can be quickly tossed together on the day – make the pecorino crisps up to four days in advance as an easy time saver and make it vegetarian by omitting the anchovies and using a vegetarian version of Parmesan for the crisps.
Grilled lamb with a herby carrot pilaf
This grilled lamb with a herby carrot pilaf requires a little prep and advance planning, but it's a great excuse to dust off the grill for the season ahead. You can also cook in the oven though if you prefer. The full and flavor-packed pilaf is bound to become a go-to for other grilled meats, too.
Apricot, pistachio and rose gateau
What's not to love about this sweet, sticky apricot, pistachio, and rose gateau? This gorgeous cake will more than suffice as a dessert option (if you don't want to make something separate), but hey, why not make the most of the celebrations – there'll be plenty to share.
Early summer berry and roast rhubarb compote with a muscat and orange blossom syllabub
Make the most of the season's bounty, including ruby red rhubarb and succulent berries, for a super easy, yet delightful, early summer berry and roast rhubarb compote with a muscat and orange blossom syllabub dessert. You can make the shortbread biscuits in advance for this one (you can even freeze them for up to 3 months), but if you don't have time, pre-bought ones will do the job, too.
Lilac flower (vodka) sodas
These pretty lilac flower (vodka) soda drinks are exactly what is called for when you need something a little more impressive than your regular fizz. The bright purple-ish syrup is combined with refreshing soda (and a splash of vodka if you like) for a cocktail (or mocktail) made for celebrating.
These stunning recipes will be ones you want to re-create again and again. They'll take some time and effort, but the results will be beautiful as well as delicious.
