Need inspiration for breakfast sides that are tasty, unique, and good for family or friends? Explore these suggestions and recipes!
Breakfast is my favorite meal — I adore breakfast! One of my family’s go-to easy dinner options is breakfast for dinner, where I serve up anything from pancakes with bacon to scrambled eggs and bagels with cream cheese. And breakfast sides are one of the best ways to make the meal more fun and interesting!
I’m often looking for inspiration to mix up the routine and try something new, and maybe you are, too. I’d love to share some fun breakfast recipes with you, especially sides to go along with some of the classics you’re already serving.
These are perfect for breakfast for dinner, holiday mornings, or just another Sunday brunch at home with the family!
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes: This recipe is perfect for an easy but delicious side that is simple to prepare. Perfectly crispy with minimal effort, your family will love air-fried potatoes for a savory breakfast side.
- New Mexico Breakfast Burritos: Hearty and filling, these can replace omelets or other wholesome main dishes for your breakfast line-up. I love to offer something like this when preparing sweet dishes like French toast or pancakes because not everyone has a sweet tooth!
- Breakfast Egg Rolls: Looking for something light enough to serve as a side but filling enough to keep you satisfied? These breakfast egg rolls are a fun new way to enjoy eggs for breakfast and keep the menu fresh.
- Shrimp Avocado Salad with Watermelon: This unexpected side is perfect when you’re trying to add a fresh, light dish that still has protein to keep you full for later! Try it alongside scrambled eggs and toast.
- Cheesy Avocado Egg in a Hole: Ham, cheese, avocado, and runny egg combine with toast for a dish that is perfectly paired with some sweet offerings for a filling and wholesome breakfast.
- Cardamom Buns: Instead of your go-to cinnamon buns, try these cardamom buns for a bit of sweetness at your breakfast table. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the sophisticated flavors of cinnamon and cardamom in this light, fluffy bread that looks simply beautiful.
- Glazed Cranberry Orange Scones: Soft, tart, sweet, and buttery, these scones are the perfect complement to a breakfast spread that contains both sweet and savory items. Enjoy them with coffee for a light dessert after breakfast.
- Cream Cheese Bundt Cake: Bundt cake is an excellent dish for holiday breakfasts or family brunches! Dust with a fine layer of powdered sugar for a beautiful display piece.
- Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole: I love a good breakfast casserole! This cheesy hashbrown potato casserole is the perfect side dish, or you can top it with a runny fried egg for a combined flavor you’ll love! I would pair this with some crispy turkey bacon.
- Paleo Chicken Apple Breakfast Sausage: Try your hand at making your own breakfast sausage with this chicken and apple recipe that is Paleo friendly! Make extra to refrigerate or freeze for later.
- Everything Bagel Breakfast Tarts: If you didn’t already know this, you can buy everything bagel seasoning in just about any grocery store now (or online!). It’s delicious on avocado slices, but even better on these adorable little tarts with a cream cheese whipped topping that makes them so delicious and fun! If you’re looking for a fun appetizer or side for breakfast, these will do the trick!
- Smoked Salmon Avocado Cream Cheese Bagel: Instead of the same old same bagel, try this delicious and filling salmon and avocado cream cheese bagel! Along the same lines as lox, you will enjoy the flavor combination and the blend of healthy fats for a complete dish at breakfast.
- Green Chile Egg Taquitos: I love this side because it’s so easy to make ahead and freeze, which is perfect for last minute dinner at the end of a hectic day or a healthy breakfast on the way out the door. I love breakfast for dinner when I’m in a rush but still want to feel good about giving my family a balanced, hot meal- these are great for those nights!
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes: A new spin on an old favorite, these strawberry cheesecake pancakes are a flavorful and fruity way to enjoy a crepe-like treat for breakfast. The filling is the perfect touch and sets this pancake apart.
- A full English breakfast: Look to the English for inspiration! A full English breakfast contains sides you may not always include in an American breakfast, such as beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and black pudding. Even if you’re not feeling like trying the full breakfast, these culturally significant sides are a great way to try something new alongside your classic favorites.
- Chia Seed Parfait: I personally love chia pudding. I prefer adding some pureed pumpkin and cinnamon for a pumpkin pie-style treat that I can justify eating any time of day. Chia pudding is super filling, and while it looks odd, the texture is similar to that of other puddings you may enjoy already, like tapioca or rice. Chia seed pudding is so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you waited to try it! Pair the pudding in this recipe with granola and fresh fruit for a filling and healthy breakfast side dish.
- Protein Waffles: Add more protein to your diet without much effort with this protein waffles recipe that will keep you full longer without taking away from a side you know and love.
- Grilled Open-Faced Avocado Caprese Sandwiches: This is a great alternative to plain Jane avocado toast! I love the Caprese flavor blend, and breakfast is the perfect time of day to wake up your taste buds with unexpected flavors like balsamic glaze and fresh basil — yum!
- Maple Bacon Donuts: I remember the first maple bacon donut I had — I was prepared to hate it, but instead was surprised to find that it became something I craved! Trust the process with these donuts; it’s worth it!
- Ham, Egg, and Cheese Pretzel Rolls: Say goodbye to boring breakfast sandwiches with these pretzel rolls filled with ham, egg, and cheese. The best part is how easy it is to make plenty for everyone to eat, still hot, at the same time — a true challenge I’ve faced when making breakfast sandwiches for a large family!
- Easy Potato Breakfast Skillet: This skillet recipe is a perfect way to add more veggies to your breakfast table. The chopped bell peppers are cooked to perfection, making it easy to introduce kids to their mild flavor and beautiful rainbow colors!
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread Bars: When preparing foods for a large number of people, such as brunch guests on holidays, I love to prepare dishes that are easy to serve at any time. These banana bread bars are gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy them! Plus, they freeze well for the future, so you may as well make a couple of batches while you’re already in the kitchen.
