Simple Brunch Menu for Hosting at Home

Brunch is easily my favorite meal. But while we often have people over for dinner (and go out for brunch), hosting brunch at home feels a lot less common.

Maybe that’s because hosting in the morning isn’t always the most convenient, and brunch food can feel a little intimidating to serve. But hosting brunch is one of my favorite pastimes, and the food doesn’t have to be complicated!

So if you’re trying to figure out what to serve at your next at-home brunch, I’ve put together my go-to simple brunch menu that feels special but is really easy to pull together.

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My Go-To Simple Brunch Menu

My go-to easy brunch menu is elevated yet simple. A lot of it can be made ahead of time, while a few components can easily be thrown together the day of.

My favorite part: it involves minimal cooking right before serving, which means you can be fully present and hang out with your guests.

Main Dish

I’m a firm believer that brunch should center around plenty of carbs. That’s why I love serving this fruity French toast casserole as the main dish. 

Blueberry French Toast Casserole 

This casserole is ridiculously easy, but always a hit. The best part is that you can prep almost everything ahead of time and just pop it in the oven in the morning. I usually make the sauce the day of, but you can absolutely make it the night before and reheat it.

I use this Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole recipe, with a couple of simple (but very important) modifications:

• The recipe calls for chunks of cream cheese throughout, but that leaves you with random bites that aren’t really incorporated. Instead, I use an immersion blender to mix the cream cheese directly into the egg mixture before pouring it over the bread.
• The blueberry sauce uses so much cornstarch that it honestly tasted like glue. I make mine by simmering 16 oz frozen blueberries, ⅓ cup sugar, a splash of water, and a teaspoon of lemon juice until it thickens. If needed, I add 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with a tiny splash of water to help it thicken further.

Other than that, I follow the recipe as written. It’s seriously so easy and always a crowd-pleaser.

I prefer to use 1–2-day-old Dutch Crunch bread, but any sturdy bread works. If it’s fresh, toast it slightly so the casserole doesn’t turn out soggy.

Sides

Even though the casserole carries this brunch menu, I like adding a few sides for protein and balance.

Creamy Boursin Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs are a classic, but they don’t always feel special. These Creamy Boursin Scrambled Eggs use my favorite cheese ever for a fun upgrade that’s still really easy to pull together.

The recipe suggests letting the eggs sit for a few minutes after whisking, and I usually scramble them just before (or right as) guests arrive.

The key to good scrambled eggs is not overcooking them, but with the half and half and a generous amount of cheese, these are pretty hard to mess up.

I like to finish them with fresh chives for a simple (but very pretty) garnish.

Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausage

For another savory option, I also like serving breakfast sausage. 

My go-to is Trader Joe’s maple chicken breakfast sausage, but you can use whatever you prefer. Bacon also works, but it takes a bit more attention. Sausage is usually precooked and very forgiving.

I sauté it in a little olive oil until browned and heated through, then keep it on low until we’re ready to serve.

Fruit Salad with Honeydew, Blackberries, & Blueberries

Fruit salad adds freshness and a little color to the table, and it’s one of the easiest things to prep ahead.

For this menu, I use a mix of cubed honeydew, blackberries, and blueberries. It pairs really well with the casserole and helps balance everything out.

Drinks

It’s easy to forget about drinks, but I think a signature beverage is a huge part of what makes brunch feel like a celebration.

For this menu, I like to serve my lavender cocktail and/or mocktail.

Lavender Lemon Drop Martini

Ok, my lavender lemon drop martini might be a tiny bit strong for day-drinking, but it’s brunch, okay? This fun martini is a floral twist on the classic lemon drop and is always popular. Plus, it ties into the blueberry/lavender color palette.  

Sparkling Lavender Mocktail with Lemon & Elderflower

If you want to skip the alcohol or offer both options, this citrusy sparkling lavender mocktail is also festive and fun. The elderflower tonic gives it a little something extra beyond a basic lavender lemonade.

You can mix the drinks ahead of time and chill until guests arrive. Just wait to add any sparkling components until right before serving.

Brunch Menu Prep Timeline 

Now that we’ve walked through the menu, here’s the prep timeline I use to plan everything out. Some of the morning tasks can easily be done the night before if you prefer.

Night Before

• Assemble and refrigerate the French toast casserole

Morning Of (90 Minutes Before Serving)

• Bake casserole
• Prep & refrigerate fruit 
• Make blueberry sauce 
• Mix drinks (chill, and add any sparkling components just before serving)

Right Before Serving

• Prepare and scramble eggs
• Heat sausage

How to Serve Your Brunch

If you’re looking for tips to make your brunch feel special, add a few of these simple touches. 

• Use linens to tie in your color palette
  • A table runner or tablecloth instantly elevates your setup. For this brunch, I used a lavender runner to match the drinks and fruit, which made everything feel cohesive without much effort. 

• Try a fancy napkin fold
  • I love cloth napkins, but paper works too. Whatever you use, a fancy napkin fold makes all the difference. I think this rose napkin fold is particularly fun for brunch.

• Add a few fresh flowers
  • Florals make a big impact with very little effort. You don’t need a big centerpiece — just a couple of bud vases with some baby’s breath and one or two accent flowers will bring a lot of life to your brunch spread.
• Serve food family style
  • If you have the space, serving everything in pretty dishes at the table makes brunch feel more relaxed and intimate. Plus, it’s way easier to grab seconds (and thirds!).

More Hosting Ideas

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