Possibly one of the best meals ever invented, brunch mixes sweet with savory and even makes daytime drinking socially acceptable. Whether it’s a Mother’s Day or Easter brunch, it can be a real treat.
Hosting brunch can be a little challenging since you don’t have all day ahead of the main event.
But never fear! You can host brunch and still enjoy it! Check out this Easy Brunch Menu to make the meal super simple.
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What Do You Serve at Brunch?
Brunch also usually has an array of different foods, more like a buffet. There are, of course, brunch classics that your guests will expect.
To make it easier, I’ve broken brunch into a basic formula:
- A fun cocktail, usually fruit-based, Juice, and Coffee (I love this coffee carafe. It keeps your coffee warm for hours so you can keep one in the carafe and start a second pot.)
- Eggs, usually as Eggs Benedict, soft-boiled eggs, or a quiche (Check out these 15 Egg Recipes.)
- Bacon or ham
- Fresh fruit
- Potato item (hash browns, potato pancake, Potatoes O’Brien)
- Bread-based item (bagels with cream cheese and lox, croissants, biscuits and gravy)
- Something sweet (cinnamon rolls, French Toast, crepes, coffee cake, mini tarts)
As you can see, there is a big spread of items. Luckily, you can ramp the complexity up or down.
Instead of making everything from scratch: pick something to make yourself, something to buy, and have something for people to bring.
Make Ahead Brunch Recipes
To save time, you can always make things ahead of the main event. Besides these Make-Ahead Breakfast Casseroles, here are some make ahead brunch ideas:
- French Toast Casserole from Adventures with Mel
- Strawberry Mango Tart by Geoffrey Zakarian
- Overnight Spiced Sugar Buns by Izy Hossack (These are prepped the night before but baked in the morning.)
- Crockpot Breakfast Potatoes by Well Plated
Easy Brunch Menu Ideas
Brunch Cocktails
Blueberry Bourbon Smash from the Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Raspberry Peach Mimosa from Chicken Scratch New York
Brunch Eggs
Cheesy Egg Casserole from Crazy for Crust
4-ingredent Egg Bake from The Pioneer Woman
Sweet Potato Kale Frittata from Good Housekeeping
Basic Quiche from Real Simple
Brunch Potatoes
Best Ever Vegan Breakfast Potatoes from the Minimalist Baker
Crispy Hashbrowns from Cookie & Kate
Brunch Bagels, Croissants, etc.
(This is a good item to buy if you’re crunched for time.)
Everything Bagel Casserole from Home Made Interest
Homemade Bagels by Sally’s Baking Addiction
Brunch Sweets and Brunch Desserts
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes by Life Love and Sugar
1 Hour Cinammon Rolls by Life Made Simple
Home-made Pop-Tarts by Brown Eyed Baker
Brunch Fruit
Any fruit will do, but make it easy for your guests with a pre-made fruit salad (make-ahead option!) or smaller bunches of washed grapes. Grapefruit halves with grapefruit spoons are always classic or you can cut large fruit like watermelon into fun shapes with cookie cutters. Make sure that the fruit is easy to eat. For example, serve orange slices instead of whole oranges that need to be peeled.
What’s your favorite brunch recipe? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you so much for sharing my French toast casserole. So many delicious ideas. I love brunch!
Of course! It is really yummy!