Simple Breakfast Buffet Ideas
Entertaining guests for breakfast is always a source of panic for me. Not only am I NOT a morning person, who has the time in the morning to cook a full meal for guests? That’s where make-ahead recipes or easy assembly jobs come in handy. And this easy breakfast board has become my go-to for fuss-free breakfast entertaining or fun family brunches. Guests can make up their own breakfast plates leaving you to enjoy a cup of coffee and bask in the glory of being the hostess (or host) with the mostess.
What To Put On A Breakfast Board
- Pastries. Using store-bought waffles, croissants, muffins, bagels and Danish pastries are a great way to keep a breakfast board as simple as possible. Adding a stack of pancakes are also a good idea.
- Eggs. I used boiled eggs here but you can make scrambled eggs, fried eggs or poached eggs.
- Bacon. Bacon is a breakfast necessity for us but you can swap it out for breakfast sausage patties, pork sausages, etc. Other forms of protein like smoked salmon, slices of ham or charcuterie all work well too.
- Yogurt. I added little pots of yogurt with fruit compote in the bottom to my board. Other forms of dairy like cream cheese (essential if you’re serving bagels) and cheeses are a good idea too.
- Jams and spreads. Toast isn’t complete without jam, right? Strawberry jam, apricot preserves or fig jam are all delicious. Don’t forget maple syrup for the pancakes and waffles!
- Fruit. Oranges, strawberries, melon and grapes all add freshness to an otherwise indulgent breakfast board.
How To Build An Easy Breakfast Board
- Prepare the hot foods: Cook the bacon (or any meat) that you’ll be adding. I love cooking bacon in a hot oven on a sheet pan when I’m feeding a crowd. Boiled eggs can be made the night before as can poached eggs. Make them ahead and keep in a bowl of water in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Scrambled eggs are best made right before serving to prevent them from becoming dry and rubbery. Heat up the pastries that are better served warm like waffles, pancakes and croissants.
- Assemble the board: Using your biggest platter or board, place pots of jam or spreads, cheeses, yogurt and fruit. This can be done up to an hour or two before serving and kept loosely covered at room temperature. Add the warm pastries, bacon and eggs and serve immediately.
Build-Your-Own Brunch Buffet
Egg Dishes
What would a brunch be without eggs? Use this versatile ingredient to make your favorite dish, from basic fried, poached and scrambled eggs to dressed-up eggs Benedict.
- Soufleed Spinach Omelet (pictured)
- Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce
- Fried Eggs With Truffles
- Michael Symon’s Scrambled Eggs
- Scrambled Eggs With Chorizo
- Baked Eggs With Canadian Bacon
- Southwestern Eggs Benedict
- Italian Egg Sandwiches
- Bacon and Egg Rolls With Spicy Tomato Relish
One-Dish Breakfasts
These comforting all-in-one breakfasts make for easy, hearty morning meals.
- Frittata With Potato and Prosciutto
- Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding
- Cinnamon French Toast Bake
- Berry Strata
- Chorizo Torta
- Asparagus and Jack Cheese Frittata
- Quiche Lorraine
- Mexican Egg Bake
- Spicy Breakfast Casserole
- Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheese Strata
Potatoes
Potatoes are a culinary blank canvas, especially for breakfast and brunch. Fry them, grate them, turn them into a pancake, then finish the dish off with your favorite herbs and spices.
- Potato Pancakes
- Parmesan Potato Pancake
- Cheesy Hash Browns
- Patatas Bravas Home Fries With Roasted Tomato Aioli
- Spicy Southwestern Home Fries
- Bacon-Rosemary Potato Hash
Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast And More
Weekend breakfast and brunch is the perfect time to mix up a sweet batch of your favorite batter, whether you prefer pancakes, waffles or crepes. Don’t forget the French toast!
- Cardamom-Orange French Toast
- Doughnut French Toast
- French Toast with Salted Caramel and Creme Fraiche
- Chocolate Waffles
- Crepes Suzette
- Cakey Buttermilk Pancakes
- Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
- Banana-Pecan Pancakes With Maple Butter
Bake For Breakfast
Turn your kitchen into a bake shop with our best recipes for decadent morning treats, from biscuits and doughnuts to muffins and coffee cake.
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Raspberry Crumb Coffee Cake With Maple Frosting
- Olive Oil Muffins
- Crisp, Buttery Canneles
- Apple Zeppole With Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- Indian Doughnuts
- Apple Fritters
Breakfast Meats
On the side: Serve a slice of maple-candied bacon or spicy sausage.
- Maple Bacon
- Homemade Spicy Turkey Sausage
- Mustard Chorizo Sausage
Salad For Brunch
Whether you choose a sweet or savory salad, something light and fresh rounds out a rich meal.
- Tropical Fruit Salad
- Melon, Prosciutto and Arugula Salad
- Cucumber Ribbon Salad
- Grapefruit Salad With Honey and Mint
- Arugula and Roasted Fruit Salad With Panettone Croutons
- Mixed Green Salad with Whole Citrus Vinaigrette
Drinks And Smoothies
Go beyond the typical cup of coffee with these inspired cocktails, smoothies and fruity drinks.
- Strawberry Lassi
- Mango Smoothie
- Mango Lassi
- Melon Agua Fresca
- Virgin Pomegranate-Cranberry Bellini
- Lemonade With Mint
- Champagne Lemonade
Best Breakfast Buffet Recipes
1. Breakfast Buffet Bake
This super easy breakfast bake is basically a loaded breakfast casserole: It’s heavy on the onions, peppers, and sausage, but lighter on the eggs, so it’s an inverse of your typical breakfast casserole. The layered format and ease on the eggs keeps this from getting soggy. You can go ahead and cook this ahead of time by cooking the hash browns ahead of time, then layering on the onions, peppers, and sausage before covering and refrigerating overnight. Then, simply add the custard the next morning and bake. If you can’t find frozen hash patties, you can use shredded hash browns instead. Simply spread about a pound of frozen hash browns in the baking dish and bake at 400 until cooked through. Then go on with the rest of the recipe.
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Directions
2. Breakfast Potato Casserole
Breakfast casserole is a beautiful thing because it puts everything you want on your plate in one warm bite. Our Breakfast Potato Casserole is essentially a baked omelet with all the toppings: hearty potatoes, flavorful veggies, savory sausage, and light, fluffy eggs. You could serve this with tortillas on the side, since it’s pretty much instant breakfast burrito filling. We used mild sausage, but if you prefer more heat, go for the spicy stuff. If you’d like to prep this ahead of time, you can follow the first three steps up to a day in advance.
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Ingredients
Directions
3. Cheesy Potato Bake
This Cheesy Potato Bake makes a great potluck dish or side for brunch. It’s super easy to mix together and throw in the oven, and you can even assemble it a day ahead and bake just before serving. You can use any brand of shredded hash browns, or make it with fresh potatoes that you peel, boil and dice beforehand. Cream of bacon soup is readily available, even if you’ve never heard of it.
