The 51 Best Recipes to Bring Those Sunday Brunch Vibes Home
These sweet and savory brunch recipes are ready for the weekend.
ByErin Alexander
Published On
Photo by James Ransom
For me, the hardest thing about brunch has always been deciding whether I'm in the mood for something savory or sweet. Normally, I'd stare at the menu for 15 minutes until the server comes around and I'm forced to make a snap decision. These days, I stare into the fridge and let the ingredients I have on hand dictate what I'm going to make.
In the last few weeks, pancakes, waffles, and scrambled eggs with sausage have all made it to my Sunday brunch table. But after weeks of rotating through my tried-and-true staples, I think it's time to mix things up.
So I rounded up our 51 best brunch recipes, from shakshuka focaccia and everything bagel casserole to chocolate babka French toast and cinnamon buns. In the weekends to come, I'll be working my way through this list, mixing and matching the recipes with these easy breezy brunch cocktails.
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Savory
This BLT eggs Benedict combines my favorite brunch dish (don't hold back on the hollandaise) with one of my favorite sandwiches—the ultimate win-win.
Classic avocado toast, with an umami twist.
The platonic ideal of a quiche—flaky crust, creamy custard filling and all.
Crispy-spicy-cheesy chilaquiles, where have you been all my life? (Psst: right here.)
Ultra-fluffy biscuits become even more magical with the addition of pecorino cheese and lots of black pepper.
Hotdish (a Midwestern term for casserole) and croque madame team up for the ultimate family-style breakfast: toast layered with creamy béchamel sauce, ham, and Gruyère cheese, with a few eggs on top.
This tender pumpernickel focaccia is basically one giant bagel—top it however you like, but I'm partial to lox, schmear, red onions, and capers.
8. Pizza Omelet
Pizza for brunch? Yes, please.
This simple yet satisfying strata makes the most of your leftovers. Toss in that soon-to-be-stale bread, the last of your kale and mushrooms (or any other veggies you have on hand), mix in a couple of beaten eggs, and you're in business.
Meet your new favorite breakfast (or brunch) sandwich.
This tomatoey egg dish is typically served with Turkish simit, but any crusty bread will play nicely.
This Genius-approved method for frying eggs is quick, repeatable, and totally satisfying—what more could your brunch want?
One reviewer of this shakshuka-inspired focaccia recipe wrote: "I want.....to live......inside......this recipe." Same.
You can prep these spanakopita scones ahead of time and keep the dough in the freezer. Bake them about 15 minutes before you're ready to serve brunch, and they'll be toasty-warm by the time everyone sits down to eat.
Ramp season comes and goes in the blink of an eye, so if they're not available, don't worry—leeks make an excellent swap.
Six ingredients (including salt) and less than 10 minutes gets you the ultimate egg sandwich, which I'll happily eat any time of day, but especially at brunch.
Make your homemade brunch feel extra special with a bit of lobster (I promise you won't regret it).
This hot chicken and jalapeño bacon-cheddar waffle won our recipe contest for "The Best Thing I Ate This Year," and I am so not surprised.
This ham, egg, and cheese galette might look (and taste) fancy-schmancy, but it's actually very easy to make.
This potato chip tortilla comes together in 15 minutes flat, which means you can have brunch on the table in a snap.
If the weekend got the best of you, this hearty pesto brown rice bowl with tangy radishes and soft-boiled eggs will help you recharge.
This eight-layer sandwich takes a little bit of effort to put together, but trust me when I say it's so worth it.
With a few handy tricks and ingredients, a classic Roman pasta becomes this brunch-worthy frittata.
If you've got a grill, why not fire it up to make these pork chops with scrambled eggs and a homemade ketchup that packs a fiery punch.
In case you couldn't tell, this vibrant shakshuka is all about the greens—spinach, leeks, parsley, scallions, you name it.
This breakfast burrito with all the fixings (roasted potatoes, bacon, and pico de gallo for starters) makes a most soul-satisfying brunch dish—especially when it's paired with a Michelada.
Sweet
The icing on these buttery, rich cinnamon rolls has a spirited addition: Maker’s Mark 46® bourbon and vanilla bean.
"These pancakes will taste richer, more buttermilk-y, and more complete in any side-by-side taste test—all thanks to one little ingredient switcheroo," says Kristen Miglore, our resident Genius. Can you guess what it is?
I get unreasonably excited about these raspberry toaster strudels, a homemade riff on the frozen breakfast pastry I loved oh-so much as a kid.
You'd never guess that this vegan-friendly baked oatmeal comes together with just a few simple stirs.
I'm a fan of every single thing that Ovenly—a beloved New York City bakery—makes, and these currant rosemary scones are no exception.
The absolute best way to use up leftover chocolate babka: turn it into French toast.
The secret to these muffins' light and delicate texture? Olive oil and crème fraîche.
Or, you know, brunch.
With almost 200 positive reviews, it's safe to say this blissful pancake is a brunch winner.
These Genius cinnamon buns get their magic from a quick bread-style technique that makes them speedier than their slower-rising cousin, the cinnamon roll.
"We had this for breakfast this morning and thought it was such a nice change from our usual yogurt with some fruit thrown into the mix," writes one reviewer.
Light, lemony, and just-the-right-amount-sweet, these cheese blintzes are what breezy brunch dreams are made of.
This sandwich has been described as a "joyously messy experience." Consider me sold.
You don't need much to make damn good French toast—just challah, eggs, heavy cream, and butter. Oh, and maple syrup, of course.
These Swedish buns are soft, gooey, and well worth the time and care they take to make.
It took our Test Kitchen more than a few tries to get these apple muffins juuust right, so I can say with certainty that they really are the best.
A hands-off brunch dish you can completely prepare the night before? Count me in.
A dollop of whipped cream and a cup of hot coffee for sipping are the only finishing touches this divine blueberry and cherry buckle needs.
Bake up this rhubarb cake the night before and enjoy a slice right around brunch time.
Combine granola and creamy cold brew for a fresh new take on cereal you'll slurp down to the bottom of the bowl.
47. Croissant Rolls
Why make individual croissants when you can make a whole loaf.
These vegan-friendly crêpes are ready in a cinch, but they'll still feel like a special treat.
Use your favorite citrus in this warm, gooey pudding—grapefruit, lemon, blood orange, sky's the limit.
50. Roasted Jam
Keep this roasted jam handy at brunch for spreading on toast, English muffins, and more.
One extra step—toasting the oats—pays off big time in adding an extra level of sweet, nutty flavor to the finished dish.
What's your all-time favorite brunch recipe? Tell us in the comments below!