Mother's Day Jewish Brunch Menu Ideas any Mother would Love!

Jewish brunch menu ideas to help you please your favourite Jewish mother (or mother in law!). A list of Mother's Day brunch recipes any Jewish mother would love!

Mother's Day in North America is a much bigger affair than it is in Israel, both commercially and guilt-wise. In Israeli elementary and middle school, kids are encouraged to prepare handmade gifts for our mothers, but this habit drops by the wayside once you reach high school age. But that doesn't mean a Jewish mother (or mother-in-law) would tolerate being forgotten on Mother's Day! To help you avoid offending the benevolent ruler of any Jewish household, I have poured my years of experience and knowledge to cull together these Mother's Day brunch recipes any Jewish mother would love.

Crepes

Perfectly thin and laced with delicate green chives, these chive crepes from 101 cookbooks are what my Jewish mother would like to eat any day of the week so its perfect for our Jewish brunch menu, but to make them extra special, we only save them for one day a year. If you want crepes that celebrate both your mom and the spring season, make savory buckwheat crepes or ricotta buckwheat crepes with peach thyme confiture for crepes as sweet as your mom.

Bread Pudding

With rich slices of challah (the Jewish brioche) dipped into an eggy mixture and then covered with a perfect salted caramel sauce that gets into every nook and crevice, this morning bread pudding with salted caramel butter from Smitten Kitchen is the ultimate in breakfast bread dishes for your Jewish Mother's Day brunch. Another bread pudding I come back to time and time again is this Argentinian bread pudding with caramel sauce. The only trouble is, once you taste it you will never want to go back to good, ol', pan-fried French toast. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Challah

To really wow your Jewish mother, there are few things better than making a batch of homemade challah - and if it's this glorious black sesame challah, with its striking good looks and intriguing taste, then even better. Serve with cinnamon butter for an extra-special treat.

Rugelach 

In Israel, traditional Israeli rugelach are eaten year-round, and served with every fancy breakfast, so they definitely should be present at your Mother's Day brunch. For a gluten-free version, try my chocolate gluten-free rugelach, its just as good! Little twists of cream cheesy goodness, smeared with layers of chocolate and cinnamon belong at every meal, if you ask me.

Potato Latkes

Because everyone loves pimped-up latkes, I can't think of one Jewish mother who wouldn't approve of my potato latke topped up with egg, kale, tomatoes and tamari almonds. It's salty, crispy around the edges, crunchy from the almonds and creamy in the middle, with that beautiful perfectly cooked egg yolk. And unlike most of the things in this list, it's also gluten and grain free! Make the latke with yams for a paleo version. For another gluten-free latke option, I recommend my lemon ricotta latke, apple potato latkes served with a curried yogurt sauce, or plantain latkes with lime crema sauce for something light and refreshing.

Lox Board

Instead of going to the store and picking up overpriced, ready-made lox, it's much easier to just make your own! This beet and bourbon cured lox slices beautifully on my brunch lox and bagel board, has a pink exterior, and allows you to more easily consume booze with your Mother's Day brunch (just kidding, you won't feel the bourbon). All it takes is just a bit of planning ahead, with little actual work, and you've got yourself a stunner of a dish. Serve it with smoked salmon salad with bagels, cream cheese, capers and tomatoes for the traditional, or offer some grilled yam slices and fresh cucumbers to allow people to save their carbs for dessert.

Sachlav 

As an ending to a perfectly decadent Mother's Day Jewish brunch menu, any Jewish mom would approve of a cup of sachlav (malabi), or rose water pudding. It's a little different, very fragrant, and will bring spring into your house better than any bouquet. Just go easy on the rose water to start, then taste and correct flavourings if necessary. (Quick fact: sachlav is the name of liquid rose water drink; malabi is what we call it in its pudding consistency).

Breakfast Shakshuka

No Jewish brunch is complete without a pan of shakshuka, the beloved Jewish Sunday brunch dish of eggs simmered in a spiced tomato sauce. Whether you go classic with the ultimate Israeli green shakshula, a salty and savory combination perfect to celebrate greens. Another classic is my Middle Eastern eggplant shakshuka - a thick, chucky tomato sauce base with perfectly-cooked eggs on top. For a more modern take on the classic, try my cheese shakshuka that tastes just like pizza to truely your Jewish mom on Mother's Day! Serve it straight from the pan with thick slices of challah or crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Matzo Brei

Matzo brei is another great savory or sweet option to add to your Jewish brunch menu. My classic matzo brei recipe is a simple yet irresistible mix of matzo softened in water, then scrambled with eggs and fried to golden perfection. Some Jewish mothers prefer it savory, served with salt and pepper, while others prefer a touch of cinnamon and sugar, like my sweet matzo brei recipe (the "French toast" of Passover).

Blintzes

Blintzes are what happen when crepes and cheesecake have a baby, and no Jewish mother will be able to resist! These delicate pancakes are wrapped around a creamy cheese filling, then pan-fried to golden perfection. My traditional Russian blintzes can be served with either sweet or savory fillings, like cottage cheese, cream cheese, my special sour cherry sauce, or blueberry sauce. Do some detective work to uncover your mother's favorite filling, and go with that one!

Happy Mother's Day 🙂!

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