Brunch Ideas that are simple to prepare, with a big impact. Did you know that breakfast is the most cost inflated meal of the day if you are eating out? Brunch is much cheaper to make at home, with savings often exceeding 50–75% per meal. If budget is a concern, preparing brunch yourself is one of the easiest ways to cut dining expenses. When you stay at a MINNeSTAY, your vacation rental comes equipped with everything you need to cook an amazing brunch. We have so many great tips for easy prep meals you can pick up from a grocery delivery or stop in a store before you stay.
Why We Recommend Serving Brunch
Brunch is the perfect way to start a day of vacation fun — relaxed, indulgent, and delicious. Brunch tends to be more of a grazing occasion with several options to appeal to more people. Brunch tends to have several different protein options to suit your taste. Whether you're feeding a crowd or treating yourself, these detailed recipes will ensure your brunch is as enjoyable to make as it is to eat.
When you have recipe options that work for several different elements it is great. Making a shopping list for brunch that has some premade items will help limit the dishes, and the needed ingredients for several meals. Vacation rentals come with equipped kitchens, but it doesn't mean you want to spend your entire day cooking.
1. Sheet Pan Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups pancake mix
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup toppings: blueberries, chocolate chips, or sliced bananas, or strawberries (why not all of them honestly, yummy!)
- Maple syrup or whipped cream for serving
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the pancake batter according to the mix instructions or from scratch. Pour the batter evenly into the sheet pan.
Sprinkle your chosen toppings across the batter.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the pancake is set and golden brown.
PRO TIP: For larger groups double the recipe and make two pans. Slice it into squares and serve with syrup or whipped cream (or both because why not?!?)
2. Brunch Burritos
Ingredients:
- large tortillas
- Eggs, scrambled (or buy liquid eggs and skip the shells!)
- shredded cheddar cheese
- cooked bacon bits (or diced sausage)
- diced bell peppers and onions (optional)
- Salsa or hot sauce for serving
Instructions:
Warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave to make them pliable (remove the tortillas from the bag and place them on a plate with a wet paper towel, put them in the microwave on low power for 30 seconds.)
Lay each tortilla flat and fill with scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon, and optional peppers.
Serve with salsa or hot sauce on the side.
PRO TIP: Buy premade bacon or sausage so you can throw it in the microwave and have great fillings with less pre-time and no greasy dishes!
3. Yogurt Parfait Station
Ingredients:
- Greek yogurt (or any preferred yogurt)
- Granola
- Fresh fruit: strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or diced mango, pomegranate
- Honey or maple syrup
Instructions:
Set out yogurt, granola, and fruit in bowls for a self-serve station. Let everyone layer yogurt, granola, and fruit in small glasses or bowls. Drizzle honey or syrup on top for added sweetness.
PRO TIP: This is a quick add on to brunch that can be eaten at any time during the day.
4. Spinach and Cheese Popover Egg Bites
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs (abt 1.5 cup of liquid eggs)
- 1/2 cup milk
- ½ cup flour
- 4 Tbls melted butter
- 1 cup spinach, chopped use fresh if possible
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or Swiss)
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add 1 cup a protein like sausage, ham or bacon
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Brush melted butter liberally on all muffin cups. This recipe makes about a dozen popover cheese egg bites.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, salt, and pepper. Stir in spinach, cheese, and onion.
Pour the mixture into muffin tins a little over halfway (mixture will rise above the surface when cooking and will deflate when removed from the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the popovers have risen above the muffin tin.
PRO TIP: Silicone baking cups or silicone muffin pans work best for this recipe. Do not use paper baking cups as the egg mixture will adhere to the paper and make these difficult to eat.
5. Brunch Toasts
Ingredients:
- 1 large loaf of artisan bread of choice
- Flavored cream cheese or mascarpone
- Bacon, prosciutto, sausage, smoke salmon
- Hard boiled eggs (buy pre-boiled and shelled)
- Arugula (chop slightly and toss in a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper)
- Bagel Seasoning
- Fresh Avocado (sliced)
- Olive oil
Instructions:
Slice the artisan bread into ½ inch slices, heat oven to 400°F and toast on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with olive oil remove from heat.
Assemble a spread of toppings and allow everyone to assemble their toasts as desired.
PRO TIP: Elevate this with a Sauvignon Blanc or Buttery Chardonnay for a decadent brunch option.
Adding Local Minnesota Flair to Your Brunch is a Great Idea
When you are in an area known for unique produce or baked goods like Minnesota, we recommend you incorporate them into your brunch. Fresh local jams, artisanal bread, or seasonal fruits can take these recipes to the next level. We highly recommend you check out the local farmers' markets to find wonderful local produce, along with tons of local flair.
MINNeSTAY just published a list of summer cocktail recipes to complete your brunch too. Cheers to good food and great memories!
Make it A MINNeSTAY!
We hope you can enjoy your brunch in the comfort of your MINNeSTAY vacation rental! That is one of the great things about having all the amenities of home. You can serve fabulous brunches in your MINNeSTAY while spending time with the people you came to enjoy your visit with. We hope these tips will make your brunch memorable (and delicious.) Check out all our fabulous vacation homes HERE.