The Best Make Ahead Savory Brunch Recipes
brunch
Spring time always feels like the unofficial start to brunch season and I am here for it. I have compiled some of the blogs favourite savory brunch recipes that will help make any Sunday brunch feel effortless - and not like you’ve been up early and spent the entire day in the kitchen. You can enjoy most of your time with your guests as that is what brunch is all about. “Make sure to check out sweet editions/ bundle of recipes to make your brunch complete! "
Why Make Ahead Recipes Are Perfect For Brunch
- They help keep brunch simple and low stress - no juggling oven times with arrival times.
- Enjoy better food with way less effort the day of - simply reheat, pop them in the oven or assemble and dress before serving
- You get to be present & focus on enjoying your cup of coffee (or mimosa) and setting up your brunch table instead of spending it in the kitchen. Sit and enjoy time with your family and guests instead of on your own in the kitchen.
The Overnight Prep Guide for Brunch Recipes is divided into:
- Assemble - Don’t Bake (Overnight Breakfast Casseroles, Stratas/ Savoury Baked French Toast)
- Shape, Freeze/Chill, Bake - Bake (Savoury Scones, Puff Pastry Tarts and Bundles)
- Bake Ahead & Reheat (Quiches & Crustless Pies)
- Make Ahead Salads (Overnight Prep, Assemble & Don’t Dress, Overnight Cook & Don’t Dress)
Assemble - Don’t Bake
We love these kinds of recipes because they take so much of the work, effort and fuss out of the brunch. Most of these recipes can be made ahead and are the type of recipes that lend themselves to being made ahead of time. Breakfast Casseroles, strata or savory baked French toast are great make ahead but don’t bake ahead recipes. They are perfect for feeding a crowd. Assemble, cover and chill in the refrigerator for an overnight soak them bake off in the morning - couldn’t be easier.
Make them 1 day ahead / overnight: All of these recipes can be prepared and assembled the night before. Remove them from fridge while preheating the oven so the chill comes off the dish, then bake as stated in recipes.
Shape, Freeze/Chill, Bake
What’s not to love about buttery savoury scones or puff pastry filled pockets. Don’t let the way they look fool you - they look impressive but both recipes are quite forgiving and simpler than you think. We use store-bought puff pastry for even more convenience.
Make them 1 day ahead of time: The puff pastry tart and bundles can be fully assembled the night before then stored covered and wrapped with plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to bake.
Freeze them ahead of time: The scones can be made, shaped and portioned then frozen or chilled ahead of time. If chilling place them on a plate or container and cover with plastic wrap chill in the fridge overnight. They will keep much longer if freezing so you could potentially make the dough up to 1 month ahead of time. How to bake from frozen and other tips in blog posts.
Bake Ahead & Reheat
Quiches and pies are the ultimate bake-ahead elegant anchor to any brunch menu. They can easily be the main recipe of your savory brunch spread. They serve 6–8 from one dish, slice up beautifully when cold-rested, and work at room temperature — no reheating stress. They do reheat beautifully too though, if you would like to serve them warm.
Make them 1-2 days ahead of time: Bake the recipes as directed, cool then either cover or place any of these recipes in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. These recipes can all easily be reheated in the microwave at 30-60 second intervals. You can also reheat a full quiche in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes. Check the full posts for detailed heating instructions.
Freeze them ahead of time: Let the recipe cool completely after baking, wrap slices, and place them in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply do so straight in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
- Tip: Quiches and stratas need time in the fridge to let the custard absorb into the bread/ pastry or to fully set. The overnight rest is what makes them slice cleanly
Make Ahead Salads
These salads are great for brunch. They balance out the table by adding a fresh element, they lighten up the spread and allow guests to graze. We complied some of our favourite entree salads, and fresh salads perfect for brunch.
Overnight Prep (Protein/Cold Entree Salads)
These types of salads are almost like your deli-style salads that do really well and even better made a head. So making them ahead of time is strongly recommended. They are flavor packed and easy to make and can be served with pre-sliced croissants, crackers, veggies (crudite), sliced baguette or crostini.
Make 1 day ahead: Prepare recipe and store in airtight containers in fridge 1 day ahead and until ready to serve. If adding salad greens or other fresh veggies to the salads feel free to toss those in right before serving.
Assemble & Don’t Dress (Fresh Salads)
These salads are fresh salads where components can be chopped and prepared, and dressing can be made the day before and stored separately in the fridge. Simply assemble and dress before serving. We love these kind of recipes because they take away all the thinking plus extra cooking involved day of.
Prepare 1 day ahead: Chop, slice, steam, grill, roast or prepare the individual ingredients (same goes for the dressing) 1 day ahead and store them separatley in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to assemble the salads and toss with the dressing.
Overnight Cook & Don’t Dress
These Salads can be served warm but usually are served cold cause they are meant to be enjoyed as hearty meals for the warmer parts of the year like spring and summer. they are perfect for brunch and rely on fresh and vibrant ingredients ut with heavier root veggies or proteins in them. They are easy to assemble. Cook the components that need to be cooked the day before and assemble before serving.
Prepare 1 day ahead: Cook the salmon, shrimp, chicken, any bacon required, and steam or blanch any veggies, make dressing the day before and store each component of the salads separately in the fridge in airtight bags or containers. Assemble and dress just before serving.
Our Indulgent Sweet Brunch Recipe Guide
A savory spread is the mainstay of any great brunch, but no table feels totally complete without something sweet. Whether you’re adding a single coffee cake to the mix or going all-in on waffles and cinnamon rolls, the sweet side of brunch is where things get really fun. Stay tuned for that!
How To Build A Full Spread
The easiest way to plan and build your brunch spread is a 3-dish formula. 1 egg-based main + 1 pastry or scone + 1 fresh element (salad or fruit). This is a really easy framework for a complete savory brunch that doesn’t overwhelm you or your guests. Make sure to check out the recipes and decide which ones fit your needs - ie group size and personal taste. You can’t go wrong with any of these! Make sure to check out the sweet brunch recipes linked above if you would like to add a sweet comment to your brunch menu! Happy Brunching!