The Perfect Brunch Menu
Searching for the perfect brunch menu? We’ve put one together that we think you’ll LOVE! It’s got something for everyone, and much of it can be assembled ahead of time for a smooth preparation on the day of your brunch party. If you need a vegetarian menu, this one is easily adaptable. Below is the menu. Scroll on for each recipe!
Breakfast Charcuterie Board with Homemade Fruit Dip
Mimosas, Fruit Juice, & Coffee
Frittata Casserole
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Carrot Cake
Breakfast Charcuterie Board
Firstly, we suggest that you have a charcuterie board set up before your guests arrive. This will allow them to pour their drinks and graze while chatting and enjoying your home. Adapt the board to be vegetarian by omitting the meats. Some ideas for a brunch-ish charcuterie board include:
Bacon (can be cooked a day ahead of time, stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, and microwaved before assembling the charcuterie board)
Sausage links (can be cooked a day ahead of time, stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, and microwaved before assembling the charcuterie board)
Cubed or sliced cheeses (can be cut or sliced the day before and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator)
Fruit with Fruit Dip (see recipe below; dip can be prepared the day before and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator)
Smoked Salmon
Caviar
Croissants
Bagel Pieces
Cream Cheese
Jam
Mixed Nuts
Hardboiled Eggs (can be boiled and peeled the day before and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator)
Fruit Dip
8oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
6 oz carton lemon yogurt
1 Tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
First, with a mixer, beat cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Next, mix in sugar until completely dissolved. Mix in remaining ingredients. Serve with fresh fruit for dipping. This recipe would work for a vegetarian brunch.
Dip can be prepared a day in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Mimosas
Fruit juice of your choice (we like orange, mango, pineapple, & cranberry)
Champagne
In a carafe, combine juice and champagne in the ratio of your choice. We like half and half. Secondly, pour into champagne flutes, garnish if desired, and enjoy! (Mimosas are a bruch classic, and moreover, they’re vegetarian.)
Frittata Casserole
1 medium Yukon gold potato, cubed
12 strips thick cut bacon
14 large eggs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups + 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, divided
2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 pkg puff pastry
On a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, arrange potato cubes. Place a cooling rack over potatoes on baking sheet, and arrange bacon slices on cooling rack. Then bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and potatoes are nicely roasted. Allow bacon and potatoes to cool. Reserve bacon fat.
Soft boil 6 eggs (about 7 minutes). Next transfer eggs to ice water, then peel. In a nonstick skillet, caramelize onions in 2 tsp of bacon fat. Then add garlic for the last minute of cooking the onions.
Chop the bacon. Coat a 9×13 pan in bacon fat. Whisk 8 remaining eggs. Next, whisk in cream until well combined. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper, potato, onion/garlic mixture, and chopped bacon. Then stir until combined. Pour into prepared 9×13 pan.
Now cut boiled eggs in half lengthwise, and arrange in the egg mixture, pressing them down until the cut surface of each egg is even with the top of the egg mixture.
Roll 1 sheet of puff pastry to fit the 9×13 pan. Cover the casserole, trimming pastry to fit the pan. Brush pastry with 1 Tbsp cream. Finally, bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes (turn the pan half way through cooking time), or until pastry is golden brown and filling is set. Make this dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon.
Casserole can be assembled (except for the pastry), covered, and chilled one day in advance.
Spinach Strawberry Salad
2 bags raw spinach, stems removed
4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup white sugar
¼ tsp paprika
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
¼ cup feta
¼ cup slivered almonds
In a large bowl, combine spinach and strawberry slices. Next, in a salad dressing bottle, shake the rest of the ingredients together, then toss with the salad. Top with feta and almonds. This salad is vegetarian.
Carrot Cake
Ingredients (Cake)
a pound carrots, trimmed & peeled (about 8-10)
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Ingredients (Icing)
8 oz cream cheese
1stick butter, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
8 oz can crushed pineapple
1 tsp vanilla
Grease & flour 3 8” cake pans. Finely grate carrots. Mix oil & sugar in a large bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift together dry ingredients & add to egg mixture. Blend well. Next stir in carrots & pecans. *If you like raisins in your carrot cake, add 1/2 cup at this point. Then divide batter equally between the 3 pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 min. Cool 10 min. Once cooled slightly, remove cake from pans & cool completely before frosting. *For an extra fancy cake, cut each cake in half and only frost in between cake layers (leaving the outside of the cake naked).
Beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Add sugar a little at a time, beating until very smooth and fluffy. Drain pineapple and pat dry. Beat in pineapple and vanilla. Then chill about 30 min before frosting cake. *If you don’t care for pineapple, you can omit it from the icing.
Garnish with pecan halves. This cake is vegetarian.
This cake can be made a day in advanced and stored in the refrigerator.
Brunch is such a fun, relaxing meal to share on the weekend with family and friends. What else would you add to this menu? However you do it, we hope you’ll gather your tribe for a delicious brunch experience and let us know how it goes.
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