24 Best Egg Dishes To Serve For Brunch
The institution of brunch has emerged as one of the most passionately debated subjects in the culinary world. Some foodies swear by a ritual Sunday brunch to catch up with friends. Others write it off as an overpriced scam; Just consult the New York Times article "Brunch is for Jerks" or the best-selling book succinctly titled "Brunch is Hell." Even The Great Anthony Bourdain (an outspoken hater of all things brunch) proffered a contradictory opinion on the topic, writing "What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?"
Love it or hate it, brunch is a great excuse for spending hours grazing through a delicious meal, lolling away the afternoon in conversation, and slugging cocktails before noon — especially if you skip the restaurant and cook it yourself. Why drop $45 on the same meal at a trendy brunch place in the Lower East Side when you can just make it at home? (And go back for unlimited seconds... or thirds.) When you make brunch at home, every mimosa can be a bottomless mimosa. Enjoy these 25 brunch recipes centered around perhaps the humblest ingredient in any kitchen: eggs.
1. Soft and Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
You walk into your favorite wood-paneled local diner. It smells like hot, burnt coffee and conversation wafts up from crammed-together two-top tables like an aroma all its own. At old reliable diners like these, the scrambled eggs always come out perfect.
Do yourself a favor and raise your own scrambled egg game to this holy echelon. The key is to incorporate a good amount of air before they even hit the pan and continue stirring as they cook. Take them off the heat before you would consider them done, and voila! No more burnt, dry, flavorless scrambles from here on out.
Recipe: Soft and Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
2. Herby Pickled Eggs
Pickled eggs are the ultimate bar snack. Ask any dive bar regular and they'll tell you the truth. But, pickled eggs aren't just for after-hours enjoyment — they can also add unexpected flair to your brunch table.
Slice up these pickled eggs into coins and use them as a savory, umami topping for your next loaded avocado toast. Or, simply enjoy a few pickled eggs with crispy bacon, rye toast, orange marmalade, and a lobster claw Bloody Mary.
Recipe: Herby Pickled Eggs
3. Fool-Proof Poached Eggs
In the culinary world, there's an unspoken Mount Olympus of largely unreachable dishes that only pros can attempt. Macarons, il flottante, hand-rolled ramen noodles — these are foods only home cooks with bulletproof techniques even dare try. For many home cooks, one of these "save it for the pros" foods is the elusive poached egg. But, if you've been shying away from this culinary beauty, allow this recipe to embolden you into shifting the tide.
With this technique, it's never been more accessible to achieve that jammy yolk center encapsulated in a soft, fluffy egg white house. All it takes is a little vinegar. Serve your poached eggs with eggs Benedict, on top of avocado toast, or over a mound of corned beef hash.
Recipe: Fool-Proof Poached Eggs
4. Creamy Egg Salad
The mildness of egg salad allows you to flex your creativity a little. Feel free to add a favorite mix-in like salty capers, smoky paprika, pesto, or even caviar. Thanks to how easy it is to transport and how economical it is to make, this classic egg salad is an ideal dish-to-share for brunches and outdoor potlucks this summer. All it takes is eggs, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, eggs, mayo, chives, parsley, and about 10 minutes.
Serve open-faced on pumpernickel toast and garnish with fresh dill. For a garden party, scoop uniform-sized dollops of this egg salad onto small rounds of white bread and top with a cucumber slice for low-effort, high-appeal tea sandwiches.
Recipe: Creamy Egg Salad
5. Easy Deviled Eggs
For as often as they tend to appear at dinner parties, work functions, and potlucks, nobody ever seems to get tired of deviled eggs. Why? They're awesome. These bad boys are the ultimate appetizer — tidy and portable to munch while you mingle with friends and guests, light enough to not spoil your appetite, and flavorful enough to keep you satiated until mealtime.
Black pepper and dill make these easy deviled eggs fresh and tangy, perfect for outdoor brunch on a balmy day. Serve with a similarly fresh, tangy brunch cocktail like a Mimosa or an Aperol Spritz.
Recipe: Easy Deviled Eggs
6. Cheesy Sous Vide Egg Bites
These little guys are small but mighty, packed with cottage cheese, cheddar, gruyere, savory pancetta, and white pepper. You can cook them ahead of time so when it's time for brunch, a simple reheat is all it takes to impress those last-minute guests who stopped by (or lingered a little too long, and now everybody's hungry).
To complete the meal, serve with a lightly-dressed arugula salad and a bright, citrusy Corpse Reviver No. 2 cocktail.
Recipe: Cheesy Sous Vide Egg Bites
7. Baked Eggs with Spinach and Leeks
These baked eggs with spinach and leeks are an impressive brunch for the morning after a big night, or any time you find yourself with an unexpected breakfast guest and an empty refrigerator. In addition to their wow factor, these baked eggs are also wicked affordable. All it takes is two eggs, a little heavy cream, one leek, and a handful of spinach. Plus, they're ready in just around a half hour, most of which is the cooking time, so you're freed up to make a pot of coffee and enjoy a slow morning while your brekky transforms into a healthy, warming dish. The most labor-intensive part is chopping the leek.
To complete the meal, pair with sausage patties and a bagel with cream cheese. Opt for an everything bagel or a rosemary sea salt bagel to round out the herbaceous flavor profile.
8. Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are a workhorse, and this recipe is your secret weapon for perfectly nailing them every single time. Whether you're whipping up potato salad, a bowl of ramen, egg curry, or a cobb salad, you're going to need hard-boiled eggs.
When brunch rolls around, they can be the star of the show. A few hard-boiled egg slices transform a slice of avo toast into a well-rounded meal. Two salted, halved hard-boiled eggs, a few strips of bacon, and some hashbrowns are all it takes for a delicious, filling brunch. If you have eggs, salt, vinegar, and about 15 minutes, then you have everything you need.
Recipe: Hard Boiled Eggs
9. Deviled Egg Salad
This reimagined egg salad captures the deviled egg flavor foodies know and love and skips all the involved hands-on prep work that home cooks know and (well) don't love. It's similar to a classic egg salad but features Dijon, pickle relish, paprika, and chopped chives — and it can be made ahead of time for a no-stress dish.
Serve on crackers, or open-faced on a slab of crusty bread with a lettuce leaf and more chopped chives to garnish. This elevated, classy deviled egg salad is great for brunch with mom or the neighbors. Opt for a similarly sophisticated brunch cocktail and pair it with a Lavender Lemon Drop Martini.
Recipe: Deviled Egg Salad
10. Vegan Deviled Eggs
These vegan deviled "eggs" embody the meme: "Can I copy your homework?" "Sure, just change it a little bit so the teacher doesn't notice." In this vegan deviled egg dupe, the eggs are swapped for tiny soft potatoes — specifically Baby Dutch Yukon Golds. The potatoes are cooked until soft and tender, then scoop out a hole in the center of each half using a melon baller. From there, the potatoes are simply piped as normal with a classic deviled egg filling made with vegan mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and turmeric.
It's a super cute dish for an inclusive brunch, picnic, or garden party. Serve with a balled honeydew melon and a Rosewater Cointreau Fizz cocktail to keep the adorable theme rolling.
Recipe: Vegan Deviled Eggs
11. Kimchi Deviled Eggs
Skip the morning probiotic supplement and wolf down a couple of these kimchi deviled eggs instead. Kimchi, mayo, and black sesame seeds deliver all the funk you didn't know your brunch needed. For even more flavor, you might even hit these bad boys with a drizzle of black vinegar just before eating, or chase them with a slice of pickled ginger.
Start your day off with a gut-healthy, flavorful punch of fermented umami flavor. Match that punchy umami profile with a mezcal-grapefruit Greyhound cocktail or a Pineapple Chili Margarita.
Recipe: Kimchi Deviled Eggs
12. Za'atar Egg Salad Sandwich
In this nutty, lemony za'atar egg salad, the star ingredient is the labneh (or, alternatively, the Greek yogurt, depending on your preference). It adds a rich, creamy texture and a big tangy flavor. Make sure to get your hands on some sumac, a Mediterranean spice that adds tartness and acidity to any dish, sans extra liquid. If you come up short and can't track any sumac down, substitute a squeeze of acidic lemon juice or else opt for a pre-made za'atar seasoning blend, which will likely include sumac in the mix.
Serve these za'atar egg salad sandwiches for a portable brunch in the park, and pair them with a similarly spiced Michelada or sweet-tart Hemingway Daiquiri made with grapefruit, lime, and rum.
Recipe: Za'atar Egg Salad Sandwich
13. Shrimp Egg Foo Young
Admittedly, this shrimp egg foo young recipe might be closer to lunch than brunch, but it could fare well for a "We got a late start," saying "Good morning" to the bodega cashier at 1:30 p.m. type of "brunch."
Egg foo young is essentially a pancake-like omelet served with white rice — aka the ultimate hangover cure. It's an umami party of shrimp, green onion, bean sprouts, soy sauce, and sesame oil. If shrimp isn't your thing, feel free to swap it for Chinese barbecue pork or chicken instead. To round out the meal (and show that hangover the door), pair this shrimp egg foo young with a super-spicy Bloody Maria, the tequila version of a Bloody Mary.
Recipe: Shrimp Egg Foo Young
14. Traditional Eggs Benedict
Nothing says "brunch" quite like eggs Benedict. Canadian bacon, English muffins, cayenne pepper, and creamy hollandaise are a culinary marriage made in heaven. (Just make absolutely certain to temper the hollandaise, lest you end up with a brunch table full of sick guests.) Incidentally, this recipe is also a great opportunity to try out that foolproof egg poaching recipe we covered a little bit ago. (Scroll up if you missed it.)
This savory dish would be well accompanied by a lightly dressed dark mixed greens salad. You could even whip up a simple raspberry vinaigrette here. Pair with a French 75 and brunch spots all over Manhattan will be catching meal envy.
Recipe: Traditional Eggs Benedict
15. Cheesy Bacon Egg Bake
This cheesy bacon egg bake is the ideal brunch recipe for feeding a houseful of overnight guests. It's not all potatoes, cheese, and bacon, either; spinach, red pepper, and onion add nutritional value and flavor. (It's also a sneaky way to get picky eaters to kick off their day with a serving of vegetables.)
To cut down on morning prep time even further, you could dice and pre-prep the ingredients the night before and store them in airtight containers in the fridge. Serve with jelly toast and a hot cuppa joe. This cheesy bacon egg bake also pairs especially well with slow, soft conversations on the front porch.
Recipe: Cheesy Bacon Egg Bake
16. Egg White Breakfast Cups
Word to the wise: These egg white breakfast cups are a bit more subtle than some of the other recipes in our brunch roundup. But, they're loaded with fresh veggies, protein, and natural vitamins. Plus, from a culinary standpoint, their mildness means that these egg white cups are a great opportunity for showcasing bold flavor in the accompanying dishes, like maple-glazed sausage patties or a delicate brunch cocktail like a Peach Bellini or a Kir Royale.
Recipe: Egg White Breakfast Cups
17. Ultimate Egg Sandwich
New York foodies might take issue with this recipe's title — and indeed, we aren't disputing that your corner bodega's baconeggandcheese isn't the downright best breakfast sandwich in the world. But, if you were to recreate the legendary egg sandwich at home, this recipe would be the best way to do it. The kicker here is the homemade sriracha butter, adding moistness and a spicy kick to this familiar go-to. Feel free to customize this sammy to fit your preference. Sub bacon for sausage, switch up your cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack, fontina, you name it), or even add a handful of fresh greens.
While the bacon egg and cheese sammy was designed with portability in mind for foodies on-the-go, this Ultimate Egg Sandwich can be just as good for a sit-down brunch with friends. It was made for enjoying with a paper cup of black coffee and a Newport on the stoop of a Brooklyn brownstone.
Recipe: Ultimate Egg Sandwich
18. Easy Spinach Frittata
This spinach frittata is the midway point between a crustless quiche and an omelet. Thanks to its eggy structure and firm ingredients (heavy cream, Parmesan, shallots, and goat cheese), it can be enjoyed hot or chilled and holds up well for leftovers.
This protein-packed frittata calls for 10 eggs, so be sure to account for the extra carton during your grocery run. To help bulk up this simple-yet-flavorful frittata, you could play around with the veggies. Try adding sun-dried tomatoes, canned artichoke hearts, finely diced broccoli, or even a dash of cayenne pepper to turn up the heat. Serve with a generous dollop of salsa or spicy guacamole, and pair with crispy golden hash browns and a fresh fruit cup for a well-rounded vegetarian brunch.
Recipe: Easy Spinach Frittata
19. Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole
This cheesy sausage breakfast casserole is a dreamy warming comfort food on a fall or winter morning. To that end, if you're planning on hosting brunch for a crowd, but find it hard to get moving on cold winter mornings (we hear you), this casserole can be pre-assembled the night before and left in the fridge. When morning rolls around, all you'll need to do is slam it in the oven.
The hearty combination of hash browns, cheeses, sausage, and eggs will keep you filled up until dinnertime. You could even stir in some sauteed red peppers, or turn up the heat with pepper jack cheese. Serve with a drizzle of hot sauce and chopped scallions to garnish.
20. Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
"Breakfast is ready!" you cheerfully announce, to yourself. Why? Because you assembled this breakfast casserole before you went to bed and let the slow cooker work its magic overnight. With this recipe, by the time you wake up, the kitchen will smell like a cozy diner and brunch will be hot and ready.
Dill, garlic, and onion powder (and, if you're feeling wild, some Old Bay) make for a mouth-watering profile. This recipe recommends using crumbled sausage, but any protein of your choice will work here. Try using chorizo for a spicy umami kick or cubed pancetta for a super savory bite. Serve with a few slices of fresh avocado and a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
21. Croissant Breakfast Casserole
This recipe dares to ask the question, "What if make-ahead breakfast casseroles were kind of... fancy?" Pancetta, fontina, Dijon, and thyme come together over crispy croissants. Keep in mind, this casserole requires a fair bit of prep and baking time (about an hour and a half in total), so this recipe might be a better fit for brunches when you aren't in a hurry. But, it's a great, thrifty way to use up stale croissants. For this recipe, they should be at least one day old, but it's totally fine if they're even older.
Serve this hearty casserole with some fresh fruit or, for savory palates, a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon and olive oil.
Recipe: Croissant Breakfast Casserole
22. Simple Omelet
To pull from the wisdom of Anthony Bourdain (again), "The way you make an omelet reveals your character." If this is the case, make your omelet a knockout every single time and use this recipe as your guide. We're all about getting creative with different ingredients and flavor combinations, but to execute a perfect omelet, the most important foundation is a solid technique.
Few things are more impressive than a well-made omelet, and with this recipe, it takes less than 10 minutes. From there, you can get as luxurious or understated as you wish with the toppings. For an elevated brunch, fill your omelet with goat cheese and kale and pair it with an Espresso Martini.
Recipe: Simple Omelet
23. Homemade Chilaquiles
Add a little Mexican flair to your regular brekky. If you've never tried them before, chilaquiles are essentially breakfast nachos topped with a fried egg. To leave guests with their jaws on the floor (and their stomachs rumbling), this recipe provides instructions for making homemade tortilla chips and salsa. But, if you're short on time, store-bought will work just fine.
You could even try using "hint of lime" tortilla chips for a zesty flavor boost. Play around with the salsas here too, like using spicy avocado salsa or sweet mango relish to customize your chilaquiles. Serve with a Tequila Sunrise and an upbeat album playing in the background. (We suggest Stan Getz's "Gilberto" or "Compay Quinto" by El Diablo.)
Recipe: Homemade Chilaquiles
24. Simple Soft-Boiled Egg
We're kicking it old school with this one. Soft-boiled eggs may be a vintage classic, but the delightful jammy yolk and the satisfying thwack of the spoon against the eggshell make them timeless. This "recipe" is really more of an instruction guide for achieving perfectly soft-boiled eggs every time. All it takes is eggs, water, and a pot, and it can be adjusted to cook as many or as few eggs as you plan on whipping up.
Serve with a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice and some buttered rye toast to dip in the runny yolk. (Pro tip: If you don't have a designated egg cup, a shot glass will work just as well for serving.)
Recipe: Simple Soft-Boiled Egg