Easily feed a crowd with this collection of 20 brunch recipes your guests will love! From make-ahead egg bakes, frittatas, and breakfast boards, to quiches, cakes, and homemade lemonade, you’re sure to find a favorite brunch recipe everyone will love!
The last thing I want to do first thing in the morning is fuss in the kitchen. So anytime I have guests coming before I’ve had my morning coffee–or a house full of hungry people on a Sunday morning–easy is the name of the game. I look for brunch recipes I can make ahead or put together in 30 minutes or less.
In this collection of 20 brunch recipe ideas, you’ll find breakfast mains that easy enough for a lazy Sunday morning, are impressive enough for a special brunch party or holidays–Mother’s Day and Christmas morning alike!
And don’t forget about light and refreshing drinks, like homemade Strawberry Lemonade you can make by the pitcher, and after-breakfast cakes and treats to serve with Black Tea. They’ll put an extra special touch on brunch, making it a truly unforgettable meal!
Best Brunch Recipes: Big Batch Casseroles, Egg Bakes, and Boards
With these breakfast casseroles, bakes, and boards, there’s no need to stress about hosting guests for brunch. Many of these recipes are meant to be prepared in advance. Or they’re whipped up using just a few simple ingredients. They’re all big-batch recipes, so one dish will easily feed your entire group!
Breakfast Strata (Baked Egg Casserole)
Give yourself the gift of a stress-free morning and make this easy casserole the night before! With crusty bread, prosciutto, chevre, and parmesan, this breakfast strata is full of rich, savory flavors while remaining light and fluffy. While we love the addition of salty prosciutto, simply replace it with extra veggies if you’re serving vegetarian guests.
Overnight Baked French Toast with Challah
This recipe has everything you love about your favorite French toast bake, but is healthier and comes together with less fuss! Yogurt, milk, and a touch of honey cut down on heavy cream and added sugar without skimping on flavor. The entire dish is prepared the night before and will easily feed up to 6 people. Top with seasonal fruit and homemade honey simple syrup, or replace both with Quick Berry Compote!
Easy Sheet Pan Baked Eggs and Vegetables
All you need is a sheet pan and 20 minutes to make this veggie-packed breakfast. I like to use bell peppers, onions, and bold Mediterranean spices, but you can use this recipe as a base and add whatever vegetables and spices you prefer. It’s a quick and convenient way to feed a crowd and is delicious served on its own, or with a crusty piece of Focaccia to soak up the runny egg yolk!
Italian-Style Breakfast Strata Recipe with Fillo
Store bought fillo dough puts a creative twist on your traditional strata recipe, swapping day-old crusty bread for a light and flaky crust. This simple substitution dramatically transforms the taste and texture of the dish, making it not only a crowd-pleaser but a total show-stopper! Fresh vegetables, chicken sausage, and Italian herbs add flavor, while eggs and milk keep the casserole light and fluffy.
Smoked Salmon Appetizer Platter
When I’m serving a crowd, this easy no-cook platter is one of my favorite recipes to prepare! It’s my take on a bagel and lox but in a shareable, big-batch form. The platter is loaded with smoked salmon, fresh veggies, olives, artichoke hearts, cheese, and soft-boiled eggs. Serve it with your favorite crackers, Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagels), or fresh Pita Bread.
The Ultimate Mediterranean Breakfast
Bring classic Mediterranean flavors to your morning with this Mediterranean brunch board. You can use your favorite store-bought dips and spreads, or pick and choose what you make from scratch. Simply make the falafel mix the night before, and fry the falafels the day of so they’re nice and crispy (or make oven-baked falafels for an easier option). Easily feeds up to 12 people!
Crustless Quiche with Spinach and Mushrooms
This versatile baked egg recipe is sure to satisfy your vegetarian, gluten-free, and low-carb guests. It’s so flavorful and filling that no one will miss the crust! Creamy, savory, and full of vegetables, it’s the perfect make-ahead main dish for your next big breakfast gathering. Serve alongside Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad, a classic “breakfast salad” on just about every morning table across the Mediterranean!
Feta and Spinach Frittata
Made with fresh veggies, herbs, warm spices, and tangy feta cheese, this easy frittata recipe is a vegetarian meal that even the meat lovers in your life will love. Even better, it comes together in just 20 minutes and makes up to 8 servings! Serve with a side of toast and fresh fruit salad for a filling and delicious start to your day.
Spanakopita Egg Muffins
Savory and nutritious, these gluten-free egg muffins have all the flavor you love about Spanakopita in the convenience of low-carb, handheld bites. Prepare them ahead of time, or whip a fresh batch in just 25 minutes! Go ahead and make extras too. They store beautifully for quick breakfasts the rest of the week.
Egg White Frittata with Smoked Salmon
This egg white frittata boasts healthy ingredients and packs in protein without sacrificing flavor. Featuring smoked salmon, goat cheese, and capers, it looks and tastes gourmet, yet it couldn’t be easier to make. Ready in just over 30 minutes, it’s always a crowd-pleasing recipe! Serve it with green mint smoothies and barbari bread for a well-rounded meal that will have your guests singing your praises.
Asparagus Quiche
Serving up to 8 people and easy to make in advance, this asparagus quiche is perfect for entertaining guests on a sunny weekend morning. Made with good-for-you extra virgin olive oil, whole wheat flour, and 2% milk, this quiche recipe is lighter and healthier than your typical quiche, yet still full of savory, rich flavor. Asparagus gives the dish a lovely springtime quality, and asiago cheese adds a sweet, nutty taste.
Mediterranean Vegetable Frittata
Full of Mediterranean flavors and serving up to 8 people, this roasted vegetable frittata with feta cheese is a great choice for feeding a crowd! This savory and satisfying baked egg dish only requires 15 minutes of prep time, and most of the cooking time is totally hands-off. You can easily whip up this comforting vegetarian recipe in the morning before your brunch guests arrive.
Easy Vegetarian Egg Casserole
When you have an early-morning crowd to feed, make-ahead breakfast casseroles are a game-changer! This vegetarian egg casserole is full of Mediterranean flavors, with creamy feta, marinated olives, and artichokes to dried oregano and fresh parsley. Feel free to make it your own by using whatever veggies you have on hand and even adding a meat of your choice if you’d like! Then, serve it with a side of fresh fruit salad!
Celebratory Brunch Treats: Cakes and More
No special meal is complete without a sweet treat to wrap it up! These lighter, healthier takes on classic treats are an especially welcome way to treat your loved ones at celebrations like birthdays or Mother’s Day. Here are some easy cake recipes to make for breakfast or brunch, to serve with Black Tea or coffee:
Torrijas De Leche (Spanish French Toast)
In this Spanish version of French toast, thick slices of day-old bread are soaked in sweetened milk until soft and custardy and flavored with cinnamon and citrus then fried in extra virgin olive oil (rather than butter) for a slightly lighter brunch, dessert, or afternoon indulgence
Easy Cassata Cake (Italian Sponge Cake with Ricotta, Chocolate, and Honey)
Always a crowd-pleaser, this easy cassata cake recipe is a simplified version of the traditional recipe, made with just two cake layers and a creamy ricotta filling studded with chocolate. Think Cannoli but in cake form! Although our version skips the complicated assembly, marzipan, and candied fruits, it does not skimp on flavor!
Healthy Carrot Cake
Made with wheat flour, Greek yogurt, olive oil, dates, and honey, this healthy carrot cake is a lighter, more grown-up take on the classic. But that doesn’t mean it's any less delicious! Topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, it’s warm, sweet, and decadent. Prepare it up to three days in advance.
Banana Walnut Bread
Not your average banana bread, this healthy recipe swaps the butter and sugar for extra virgin olive oil and honey. Then, we add warming spices and Medjool dates to bring a Mediterranean flair. It’s perfectly sweet (but not too much so), and ready to eat in under an hour. Plus, it tastes even better the next day. So you can prepare it in advance, making your brunch preparations an breeze!
Raspberry Clafouti
Light, custardy, and full of fresh fruit, this elegant, pancake-like baked dessert deserves a spot on your breakfast table. I like to prepare clafouti with raspberries, but you can use up almost any fruit you have on hand. It’s whipped up in just 5 simple steps and is best served warm and fresh from the oven.
Italian-Inspired Orange Ricotta Cake
This intensely flavored orange ricotta cake is a bit healthier than your traditional breakfast cake. Ricotta and extra virgin olive oil replace butter, and there’s no need for sugary frosting.
Italian Apple Olive Oil Cake
With slightly sweet fresh apple and plump raisins in every bite, this apple olive oil cake is sure to disappear quickly at your next brunch gathering! Cinnamon and nutmeg add a warming touch, and extra virgin olive oil makes the cake incredibly tender. The perfect dessert to make in advance!
Plum Cake Recipe with Pistachios
Tender with a subtle nuttiness, this plum cake is the perfect homemade dessert to serve after a hearty Sunday brunch! Sweet-tart and juicy plums are the star ingredient, taking this simple vanilla cake to the next level. Make plum cake up to 3 days in advance, and serve it with a dollop of homemade Labneh or Greek yogurt.
Best Brunch Ideas: Homemade Pitcher Drinks
Treat your guests to a light and refreshing homemade juice, mocktail, or cocktail! . Here are some of my favorite pitcher drinks:
Strawberry Lemonade
Made-from-scratch pink lemonade is fresh, delicious, and absolutely stunning. Not to mention it’s healthier too! It contains far less sugar than the store bought version and an entire pound of strawberries, which provide a big dose of naturally occurring vitamin C. Although I consider strawberry lemonade to be the official drink of summer, a pitcher of this refreshing drink is a welcome addition to Sunday brunch any time of year, particularly if you swap in frozen strawberries.
Agua De València
Fruity and refreshing, this big-batch Spanish cocktail is a cross between a mimosa and sangria. Made with just 4 ingredients, it's seriously easy to prepare for a crowd! Just make sure you reserve enough time to make it in advance because the longer it chills in the refrigerator, the better it tastes!
Red Sangria
This iconic Spanish cocktail consists of wine, fruit, spices, sweetener, and brandy. Made right in the pitcher, it’s a quick and easy drink to mix up a few hours before guests arrive. Garnish freshly poured glasses with extra slices of fresh fruit and serve it alongside Spanish snacks like Pan con Tomate.
Rosé Lemonade
Made in a big pitcher for easy entertaining, this Rosé Lemonade is bright, refreshing, and a breeze to make. Before juicing the lemons, reserve their skins to make Homemade Limoncello!
Easy Watermelon Sangria
Made in just 5 minutes and ready to serve right away, watermelon sangria is the perfect boozy drink for last-minute guests. Fresh watermelon is blended with lime juice and honey and mixed with wine, quickly infusing the wine with flavor (I like a light and delicate honey here, like the Greek honey at our shop). This sweet and refreshing drink will serve up to 6 people and perfectly complements all your favorite brunch recipes.
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most americans consume way too much salt. i have been subbing in liquid aminos. lots of umami and the difference? table salt=2,000 mg per tsp; liquid aminos=320 mgs per tsp. try it!
I love your recipes!
I wondered if you could put this collection, and others like it into a downloadable format so we could get all the recipes. You could sell it for a couple of dollars - something reasonable/affordable. After all they are already available.
I can't afford your beautiful cookbook but a small amount now and then I can afford. Just an idea.
Another subject - everytime I try to print one of your recipes, I get a printer error and can't print it. I only seem to have this problem with your recipes (no problems on other sites). Today I tried twice with recipes connected to two different emails.
Any suggestions? Are other people having problems?
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes and any help you can give me.
I am trying to eat more of a mediterranean diet and enjoy your recipes. Also, I have pre-ordered your cookbook. Thank you for sharing these delicious recipes and I especially love the notes using alternatives.
You are so sweet, Sue! Thanks so much for your support!
You are amazing as you bless us with fabulous and healthy recipes. Everything I have made by you have become favorites. Thank you so much!
Aww! You are so sweet, Maudie! Thank you!