--- title: An Italian Mother’s Day description: Whether cooking for momma, with her, or in memory of her, these Italian dishes are a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day. image: https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/Frittata-with-eggs,-spinach-and-mushrooms-on-plate-with-fork.jpg --- [![Paesana Logo](https://www.paesana.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/paesana-flat-logo.png?noresize&width=180&name=paesana-flat-logo.png)](https://www.paesana.com/) [italian food](https://www.paesana.com/blog/topic/italian-food), [holidays](https://www.paesana.com/blog/topic/holidays), [lasagna](https://www.paesana.com/blog/topic/lasagna), [pesto](https://www.paesana.com/blog/topic/pesto), [italian desserts](https://www.paesana.com/blog/topic/italian-desserts), [risotto](https://www.paesana.com/blog/topic/risotto) # An Italian Mother’s Day Whether cooking for momma, with her, or in memory of her, these Italian dishes are a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day. By [Paesana](https://www.paesana.com/blog/author/paesana) 04.30.21 | 3 min read [![Frittata with eggs, spinach and mushrooms on plate with fork](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/Frittata-with-eggs,-spinach-and-mushrooms-on-plate-with-fork.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/an-italian-mothers-day) [** Blog](https://www.paesana.com/blog) Mom is often the cornerstone in Italian-American households, known for keeping the family together—and well fed—through thick and thin. In Italy, *la mamma* is respected and celebrated by *bambini* and adults alike, who lavish their mothers with flowers and gifts for *La Festa della Mamma*.  First celebrated in Italy in 1957—around 50 years after it was founded in this country—the Italian Mother’s Day tradition was started by a parish priest in Assisi, a hillside village in Umbria. Word of the festivities spread throughout the surrounding countryside and one year later, the holiday was adopted across the entirety of Italy’s 20 regions.  As it is in the old world, we here in this country reserve the second Sunday in May for young and old to honor their mother. We honor her with gifts, flowers, and cards, or—if we can’t be there in person—a long-promised phone call. Beyond those Mother’s Day traditions, one of the truest expressions of love is, of course, through food. A home-cooked meal—either prepared for mom while she relaxes or with her standing over you in the kitchen—is the ideal way to show mom how much you appreciate all the hard work she put in throughout your life. With that, here are some of our favorite Italian Mother’s Day dishes to cook for mom, with her, or in honor of her. ## Frittata Mother’s Day is one of the most “brunch worthy” special days of the entire year. Italian moms are notoriously early to rise, which makes brunch an obvious choice for Mother’s Day festivities. And one of the most long-standing food traditions of pre-noon Italian meals is the frittata. Similar to a French omelette, frittatas can be made with meats, cheeses, or veggie, which all serve to make it a more robust and filling plate than a typical scrambled eggs dish. A classic potato and egg frittata is best made in a cast iron skillet, with maybe some broccoli or spinach and whatever Italian cheese you have on hand.  ## Risotto We’ve espoused the virtues of risotto numerous times on this blog, with variations of the dish always serving to satisfy cooks and eaters alike throughout the year. As we’ve said before, the work and attention to detail it takes to prepare truly transcendent risotto is a gift unto itself—as for the taste, well, that elevates risotto from a well-meaning gesture to a remarkable expression of affection. With versions featuring asparagus, mushrooms, and more, your mom will always remember the year you cooked her risotto, no matter how you prepare the dish and what ingredients you choose to incorporate. ***Check out our recipe for mushroom risotto, ***[***here***](https://www.paesana.com/family-recipes/mushroom-risotto)***!*** > Beyond those Mother’s Day traditions, one of the truest expressions of love is, of course, through food. ## Lasagna Lasagna hits all the comfort food requirements necessary for Mother’s Day and any other special day of the year. It’s a hearty casserole with pasta, meaty tomato sauce, melty cheese and a crisp layer of cheese on top, all coalesced into a rich mouthful. Lasagna is the perfect Mother’s Day food because it comes together like an art project in the kitchen, and everyone can get involved. Sheets of pasta are par-cooked, then layered with tomato sauce and whatever other ingredients you wish to include. And the great thing about lasagna is that you can put it all together the day before and heat it on Mother’s Day. This gives you more time to hang out with the family! ## Pesto Pesto is that wonderfully green sauce that offers a flavor that can best be described as bright and pungent, with a basil-forward, herbaceous garden aroma suspended with delicate olive oil, enriched with pine nuts (pignoli), and kicked into overdrive with Italian cheeses and garlic. This “sauce” is an incredible way to herald Mother’s Day and the [spring season](https://www.paesana.com/blog/the-best-italian-dishes-to-celebrate-spring) the special day brings with it. If we had to choose one shape to use in our pesto preparation, it would be trofie. The tight twists of this ribbed pasta are the best at gathering the finely pulverized ingredients in pesto. [Click here](https://www.paesana.com/family-recipes/pesto-with-trofie) for our recipe for Pesto with Trofie! ## Tiramisù A favorite dessert at many Italian restaurants, Tiramisù is layered with coffee-soaked savoiardi (more commonly known as Ladyfingers), interspersed with a rich cream comprised of mascarpone cheese, eggs, sugar, and perhaps a drop of liqueur for an extra kick. The perfect sweet to enjoy after an afternoon of savory Italian delights, this smooth and soft dessert is supple enough to be eaten with a spoon, yet boasts some of the most robust and forward-facing flavors of any Italian dessert. This is a true “special occasion” Italian dessert—and as we’ve established, there’s no occasion more special than Mother’s Day. ###### Subscribe to the Blog ###### Featured Sauce [![Paesana Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Sauce%20Photos/paesana-marinara-sauce.png) ###### Marinara ](https://www.paesana.com/products/pasta-sauce#products-1) ###### Featured Articles ###### Featured Articles - [![upclose shot of uncooked penne, ziti and rigatoni](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/penne-ziti-rigatoni-uncooked-pasta-upclose.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/lets-talk-about-pasta-the-difference-between-penne-ziti-and-rigatoni) [Let’s Talk About Pasta: Comparing Penne, Ziti, and Rigatoni](https://www.paesana.com/blog/lets-talk-about-pasta-the-difference-between-penne-ziti-and-rigatoni) They look similar, but short-tube pasta, such as penne, ziti, and ... - [![assortment of dishes on a table including fish, spaghetti with seafood, bread](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/feast-of-the-seven-fishes.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/feast-of-the-seven-fishes-an-italian-american-christmas-eve-legacy) [Feast Of The Seven Fishes: An Italian-American Christmas Eve Legacy](https://www.paesana.com/blog/feast-of-the-seven-fishes-an-italian-american-christmas-eve-legacy) Christmas is the time of traditions—like the Italian-American Feast ... - [![Penne ala vodka on plate with utensils and tomatoes on the side](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/Blog-Template3.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/the-story-behind-the-sauce-vodka) [The Story Behind The Sauce: Vodka](https://www.paesana.com/blog/the-story-behind-the-sauce-vodka) Vodka sauce dishes such as penne alla vodka burst onto the Italian ... - [![Side by side shots of tortellini and ravioli dishes from overhead ](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/Blog-Template.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/whats-the-difference-between-ravioli-tortellini) [What’s The Difference Between Ravioli & Tortellini?](https://www.paesana.com/blog/whats-the-difference-between-ravioli-tortellini) Ravioli are square and tortellini are ring shaped, but both make for ... - [![assortment of dried pastas ](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/assortments-of-dry-and-fresh-pasta.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/fresh-pasta-vs.-dry-pasta-boiling-down-the-differences) [Fresh Pasta vs. Dry Pasta: Boiling Down The Differences](https://www.paesana.com/blog/fresh-pasta-vs.-dry-pasta-boiling-down-the-differences) When cooking an Italian meal, is fresh pasta or dry pasta the better ... - [![Closeup of osso buco made of cross cut veal shank with oranges and tomatoes](https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/Closeup-of-osso-buco-made-of-cross-cut-veal-shank-with-oranges-and-tomatoes.jpg)](https://www.paesana.com/blog/most-romantic-italian-meals) [Most Romantic Italian Meals](https://www.paesana.com/blog/most-romantic-italian-meals) Paesana’s top dishes to cook for someone you love on Valentine’s Day ... ![Paesana Logo](https://www.paesana.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/paesana-flat-logo.png?noresize&width=300&name=paesana-flat-logo.png) ###### About Paesana - [The Paesana Tradition](https://www.paesana.com/the-paesana-tradition) - [Family History](https://www.paesana.com/history) - [Paesana Process](https://www.paesana.com/paesana-process) - [Family Recipes](https://www.paesana.com/family-recipes) - [Commercial Services](https://www.paesana.com/commercial-services) - [Blog](https://www.paesana.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.paesana.com/contact) ###### Our Products - [Pasta Sauce](https://www.paesana.com/products/pasta-sauce) - [PAESANA RESERVE](https://www.paesana.com/products/paesana-reserve) - [Cooking Sauce](https://www.paesana.com/products/cooking-sauce) - [Organic Sauce](https://www.paesana.com/products/organic-sauce) - [Pizza Sauce](https://www.paesana.com/products/pizza-sauce) - [Condiments](https://www.paesana.com/products/condiments) - [Olives](https://www.paesana.com/products/olives) [**Facebook Icon](https://www.facebook.com/Paesana-844659075568834/) [**Instagram Icon](https://www.instagram.com/paesanagourmetspecialties/) Copyright 2025. Paesana. All Rights Reserved [Privacy Policy](https://www.paesana.com/privacy-policy) | [Accessibility](https://www.paesana.com/accessibility) ### The Jar With The Lady On It. Paesana means friendship, warmth and caring, which is what our family is all about. That’s why we honor our great-grandmother to reflect pride in our family’s Italian heritage. One taste and you’ll discover our sauces and condiments are like no other – Created from the finest quality ingredients! [** Back to Top Button ](https://www.paesana.com/blog/an-italian-mothers-day#) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "US", "addressLocality" : "Farmingdale", "addressRegion" : "NY", "postalCode" : "11735", "streetAddress" : "101 Central Avenue " }, "areaServed" : { "@type" : "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint" : { "@type" : "GeoCoordinates", "latitude" : "40.752527", "longitude" : "-73.409503" } }, "description" : "Inspired by generations of family food heritage, Paesana jars homemade sauces for pasta and pizza, along with an array of Italian specialties, for a taste of the Old World at your dinner table.", "email" : "info@paesana.com", "image" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/5002174/Blog/paesana-og-image.jpg", "logo" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/5002174/Logos/paesana-logo-no-pic.png", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.paesana.com/blog/an-italian-mothers-day", "@type" : "WebPage", "description" : "Whether cooking for momma, with her, or in memory of her, these Italian dishes are a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day." }, "naics" : "3119", "name" : "Paesana", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paesana/844659075568834", "https://www.instagram.com/paesanagourmetspecialities/", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/l-&-s-packing-company-inc." ], "telephone" : "800-447-1718", "url" : "https://www.paesana.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Paesana" }, "dateModified" : "April 30, 2021, 3:48:45 PM", "datePublished" : "2021-04-30 15:48:45", "description" : "Whether cooking for momma, with her, or in memory of her, these Italian dishes are a wonderful way to celebrate Mother’s Day.", "headline" : "An Italian Mother’s Day", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.paesana.com/hubfs/Blog/Frittata-with-eggs,-spinach-and-mushrooms-on-plate-with-fork.jpg" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/5002174/Logos/paesana-logo-no-pic.png" }, "name" : "Paesana" } } ```