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Easy and impressive brunch recipes

by Lottie Huckle

published on 1 March 2016

Brunch is a meal to luxuriate in, to savour, to take time over. Whether it’s a simple pile of pancakes or an elaborate feast of Middle Eastern-inspired sharing dishes, a lazy brunch is the ideal way to kick of your weekend morning. Looking for inspiration? Scroll on to check out some of our all-time favourite brunch recipes, including sticky cinnamon buns and Yotam Ottolenghi’s famous shakshuka.

Filthy Dirty Ham and Cheese Toastie

Filthy Dirty Ham and Cheese Toastie

by Simon Rimmer, Tim Lovejoy

The name says it all. This indulgent maple syrup-drizzled toastie oozes with melted cheese (three types of cheese, in fact) layered with thick-cut roast ham and a salty kick of Dijon mustard. It’s hard to imagine a better start to the weekend.

From the book

Tim Lovejoy, Simon Rimmer

Jamie Oliver’s Green Shakshuka

from One

Quick and easy, this green shakshuka is a fresh take on the classic brunch dish, packed full of asparagus and broccoli and topped with mint.

Jamie Oliver One Cover
From the book

One

Drop Scones

Drop Scones (Scotch Pancakes)

from Classic

These fluffy little drop scones are a reliable crowd-pleaser if there ever was one, but we wouldn’t expect any less from Mary would we? Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, fresh berries and honey or maple syrup for a classic weekend treat. 

Mary Berry’s Shakshuka

Inspired by the ever-popular North African brunch dish, Mary Berry’s shakshuka is the perfect choice for an egg-based brunch or dinner.

Coconut Pancakes with Bacon and a Poached Egg

by Giggling Squid

Using coconut milk in the batter adds a subtle coconut flavour to these American-style pancakes, topped with crispy bacon, a runny poached egg and plenty of honey.

Melissa Hemsley’s Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

These thick ricotta pancakes from Melissa Hemsley are studded with blueberries for a touch of sweetness. Serve with cool yoghurt and more berries.

Baked Oatmeal with Caramelised Pears and Vanilla Cream

Baked Oatmeal with Caramelised Pears and Vanilla Cream

The Americans certainly know how to do brunch, and Deb Perelman gives us no shortage of proof. The popular New York-based blogger goes the extra mile with her recipe for baked oatmeal and caramelised pears, which hovers somewhere between breakfast and dessert and we don’t mind that one bit.

Turkish Eggs

Turkish Eggs

When in doubt, go for eggs. This Turkish brunch dish from Nigella’s At My Table really delivers on flavour, and it looks pretty too. The perfect pairing of hot chilli with cooling yoghurt makes this a firm favourite in our brunch recipe repertoire. 

Flamenco Eggs with Tomato & Serrano Ham

Flamenco Eggs with Tomato and Serrano Ham

From Turkish eggs to Spanish ones. Rick Stein’s delicious ‘flamenco’ eggs, rich with Spanish flavours of chorizo and sweet peppers, make a brilliant centrepiece brunch dish.

Sticky Honey Cinnamon Buns

Sticky Honey Cinnamon Buns

by Linda Collister

Make brunch a sweet affair with these sticky breakfast buns from the team behind The Great British Bake Off, flavoured with cinnamon, honey and walnuts for a truly aromatic bake.

Super Eggs Benedict

Super Eggs Benedict

Opt for a classic with Jamie’s eggs benedict recipe, a combination of hot English muffins, smoked ham, poached eggs, and rich Hollandaise sauce.

Baked Oats with Ginger Beer Bacon

Baked Oats with Ginger Beer Bacon

by Michael Zee

A substantial recipe that is guaranteed to go down well with a hungry crowd, these baked oats are topped with ginger beer-flavoured candied bacon – an unexpected but truly addictive flavour combination.

Coconut Waffles with Vanilla Mascarpone, Mango and Passion Fruit

Coconut Waffles with Vanilla Mascarpone, Mango and Passion Fruit

by Anna Hansen

A fresh and fruity twist on a classic waffle recipe, this dish is bursting with the vibrant flavours of coconut, mango and vanilla for a welcome taste of the tropics at your brunch table.

Parsnip Chorizo Hash with Lime, Thyme and Fried Eggs

Parsnip Chorizo Hash with Lime, Thyme and Fried Eggs

by Rachel de Thample
from FIVE

A vegetable-packed brunch dish with the fresh, flavourful addition of lime and fragrant thyme, topped off with a dash of smoky chorizo. What’s not to love? 

Soda Bread

Soda Bread

by Justin Gellatly

This dense, flavourful bread is the perfect base for all your favourite brunch toppings, from butter and jam to cured meats and cheeses or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. With expert guidance from the king of bread-making, you can’t go wrong with this recipe. 

Yoghurt Pancakes with Blueberries

Yoghurt Pancakes with Blueberries

Shelina Peramloo introduces us to a lighter pancake dish, made with fat-free yoghurt and wholegrain flour and topped with fresh fruits for a balanced breakfast that still feels luxurious.

Blueberry Porridge

Blueberry Porridge

by Alex Hely-Hutchinson

Anyone who thinks porridge is boring clearly hasn’t cooked from Alex Hely-Hutchinson’s 26 Grains cookbook, aka The Porridge Bible. This beautiful bowl of eye candy is one to serve when you want to impress your brunch guests. The best part? It tastes as good as it looks.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka

by Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi

This classic, Northa African-inspired shakshuka recipe is everything you could want in a brunch dish: satisfying, flavour-packed, and goes perfectly with a couple of slices of sourdough toast. 

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