Cook up one of these 15+ easy breakfast side ideas for an elegant brunch or a simple family breakfast. The morning meal is the most important meal of the day, after all!
From egg casseroles to cinnamon rolls, I am always down for some breakfast food.
Most mornings I enjoy a protein smoothie for breakfast, but on the weekends I love to prepare a bigger meal.
Whether you're hosting brunch or fixing a simple weekend breakfast for your family, it's important to have a well-rounded mix of foods on the table. This is true for holiday breakfasts as well.
Let's talk about how to put together a great breakfast spread with easy dishes.
1. Start with the Main Breakfast Dish
First, decide what your breakfast main dish is going to be. It's typical to plan something a little heartier. It's often usually a tad more time consuming than the other dishes on the table.
The star of the show can be savory or sweet, but your supporting side dishes should include the opposite. People like choices, you know!
Some of my favorites are a hearty egg dish like a Green Chile Egg Casserole or Homemade Egg McMuffins. Eggs and meat are both protein-rich, which makes them great ingredients for your centerpiece dish.
You could also set up a "taco bar" of sorts for guests to create their own breakfast burrito bowls, breakfast tacos or breakfast burritos. Put out some cheese, sour cream, guacamole (or sliced avocado), hot sauce and salsa and let people assemble their ultimate breakfast bowl.
For a sweet dish, you could go for a stack of sweet potato pancakes or a big tray of gooey cinnamon rolls.
2. Then Pick Your Breakfast Sides
Once you have your main dish picked out, it's time to dream up some great breakfast sides. (Don't worry, I have a big list of breakfast side ideas for you below!)
For a sweet main dish: If you went with something sweet like pumpkin donuts, you'll want to make sure you have at least one savory item on the table — say, crispy bacon or sausage patties — to balance out tastebuds. You may even want to have an additional savory side as well.
For a savory main dish: Likewise, a savory main dish like a breakfast tart should have at least one sweet item on the table to pair it with.
It's also usually smart to include a veggie or fruit dish, like these sweet potatoes with kale or the makings for a fruit and yogurt parfait with Greek yogurt, granola and fresh berries.
If your main dish isn't bread based (like waffles or sticky buns), you may want to add a bread side like buttermilk biscuits or avocado toast.
3. Don't forget the beverages!
Though not technically a breakfast or brunch side dish, per se, make sure you consider a couple of breakfast drinks as well when you're planning out breakfast for a crowd.
Not everyone loves coffee or wants alcohol, so make sure to have a few drink options for your guests. Here are a few ideas:
- fresh orange juice
- apple juice
- mimosas or bellinis
- hot coffee (with dairy and non-dairy creamers)
- milk
- chocolate milk
- boozy coffee drink (like Irish coffee) or 1-2 options to mix into regular coffee (like Kahlua or Baileys)
For a big group, set up a Bloody Mary bar or mimosa bar for guests to build their perfect brunch drink.
Now, let's get into those brunch and breakfast side ideas!
The Best Breakfast Sides
What should you serve with pancakes or breakfast casserole? Here are some great ideas to start with!
These biscuits will trump any store bought bread and the best part is they're ready quickly. Start with a basic drop biscuit recipe and add in a hint of goat cheese and rosemary for a buttery, creamy biscuit. Serve with a slab of butter or jam for a delicious breakfast biscuit.
Whipped cream fruit salad is the perfect side dish for breakfast! It's made with fresh fruit like grapes, bananas and apples and homemade whipped cream, sweetened with a bit of honey, so this dish is perfect for the whole family.
What's breakfast without potatoes? These easy breakfast potatoes are always a hit with kids and adults alike.
This strawberry jam quick bread is a special treat that the whole family can enjoy! Made with honey sweetened jam, it's the perfect little indulgence. Make mini loaves or a big one to slice and share.
These Make Ahead Breakfast Frittata Muffins are great for weekday breakfasts, but they're also a great finger food to serve to a breakfast crowd (versus a traditional breakfast casserole you have to slice), especially for an event where people stand and eat. These frittata muffins are packed with flavor and you can even customize them to use up the vegetables you have on hand, like spinach or bell peppers.
Homemade Fresh Cranberry Orange Scones are a treat you can make easily and these little treats are the perfect shareable! Made with fresh cranberries, orange zest and orange juice, these cranberry scones will be a hit!
Orange Juice Fresh Fruit Salad is a twist on a classic fruit salad. It's perfect for serving for brunch, showers, or just as a healthy side dish for lunch. Customize with your favorite fruits that are in season.
This easy breakfast casserole with sausage, eggs and cheese is perfect for special mornings or overnight guests! It's a great egg-based side to have alongside a sweet dish like French toast, pancakes or waffles.
Healthy Lemon Blueberry Muffins are the perfect thing to kick off the day. These muffins can easily be made ahead of time for brunch. Everyone will love the sweet taste of the blueberries and you'll love that they're refined sugar free and healthy!
These easy cheesy potatoes are the perfect breakfast side dish! Creamy and cheesy in every bite!
These Cinnamon Apple Muffins are spiced, soft and sweet, and oh-so-cozy. They are perfect for fall but can be enjoyed all year long!
These easy Sheet Pan Pancakes are made in one pan, which is so much easier than flipping pancakes all morning. These are a great side dish to have alongside a savory dish like a frittata. Add chocolate chips or blueberries to make several types of pancakes at once!
Serving a crowd? Don't flip bacon all day. Make it in the oven! This easy recipe for perfectly crisped bacon will be your new go-to.
These savory scones are a great alternative or addition to sweet scones and muffins. Made with cheddar cheese and bacon, every bite is perfection. Bet you can't make just one!
Who doesn't love a breakfast casserole with potatoes? This easy hash brown casserole is a great savory breakfast side dish for a big group.
French toast can be a pain to make for a big group, so why not make a French toast casserole? This one is sweetened with blueberries and cream cheese. It makes a great side dish or centerpiece dish.
Tips for a Great Brunch Menu
Consider dietary needs. For vegetarians, consider a vegetarian breakfast casserole and vegan sausage. For gluten-free and dairy-free folks, make sure there are options for them on the table as well.
Balance sweet and savory dishes. I usually aim for at least one sweet and one savory brunch side, no matter what my centerpiece is.
Consider the carbs. It's also a good idea to stick to just 1 or 2 bread based dishes. For example, if you're planning to serve biscuits and gravy with a side of sweet muffins, your other dishes should be non-bread. If you're going with my example, skip the French toast sticks as your other side, go for turkey bacon or a breakfast casserole instead.
Stick 1 or 2 of each type of dish. If you're making quiche, you might not also want to make scrambled eggs and a ham & cheese breakfast casserole casserole. However, more options might make sense for a big party.
How Many Breakfast Dishes Do You Need?
The number of dishes and how much to make for a breakfast or brunch really depends on how many people you expect.
For most parties, you should follow the one pound rule, meaning that you should serve approximately 1 pound of food for every adult and ½ pound of food for every child.
For a small group of up to 8 people: Start with 4 dishes, including a main dish, a sweet side, a savory side and a bread or biscuit (if none of the dishes are bread-like). For smaller groups, it's easier to plan around dietary concerns as well.
For a larger group of 8 or more: You'll want a bigger spread. Start with 6-8 dishes, including 2 types of main dishes, 2 sweet sides, 2 savory sides, 1 fresh dish like a fruit salad or fresh fruit, and at least one type of bread or biscuit.
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