28 Recipes for a New Year's Day Brunch

A New Year’s Day brunch spread should be celebratory, whether you’re serving nutritious options or comforting standbys, sparkling drinks or smoothies. Set the tone for a lucky new year with these ideas for a memorable first meal, with recipes for a crowd, our favorite hangover-combating dishes, and a few sweet treats to keep things festive.

French Press Brewed Coffee

Matt Taylor-Gross / French Press from HAY

“Not only is it an easy way to prepare coffee (leaving more time for conversation and laughter), a French press produces a cup of coffee with rich flavors that complement just about any brunch dish,” says Alyza Bohbot James, founder of City Girl Coffee Company.

Hash Brown Crust Quiche with Smoked Salmon

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Use store-bought hash browns to fashion a satisfyingly crisp, golden brown crust for this tasty quiche with bagel and lox vibes. It’s loaded with smoked salmon, capers, and dill, then topped with more capers and dill plus red onion, everything bagel seasoning, and dollops of crème fraîche.

Purple Daikon Coconut Yogurt Toast with Peanut Salsa

Sarah Crowder / Food Styling by Chandra Ram

Chef Woldy Reyes upgrades plain toast with a thick coconut yogurt, peppery daikon radishes, and a lime-and-chile peanut salsa inspired by Mexican salsa macha.

Denver Omelet

Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

With its classic mix of ham, bell pepper, onion, and cheese, this diner favorite is the ideal New Year’s Day brunch dish for combating a hangover.

Bellini

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

For a balanced, sweet, and floral brunch cocktail that pairs well with pancakes and omelets, look no further than the peachy, prosecco-based Bellini.

Buckwheat Crêpes

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Top nutty, savory crêpes with ham, Gruyére, and a sunny-side-up egg in this dish from France’s Brittany region. The batter can be prepared the night before, and unadorned crêpes can be cooked and frozen ahead.

Hong Kong–Style Stuffed French Toast

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Crisp on the outside and custardy on the inside, this peanut butter–stuffed French toast from Melissa King is finished with a sweetened condensed milk drizzle and optional crumbles of the Chinese sausage lap cheong.

Scrambled Tofu with Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Peppers

Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Firm tofu is a surprisingly effective substitute for eggs in this fully vegan scramble from chef Neal Fraser, which also includes sliced potatoes, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and soy cheese.

Bloody Mary

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

With classic tomato flavor, a splash of tart lemon, salty Worcestershire, and spicy hot sauce, this brunch staple is easy to riff on — embellish it with over-the-top edible garnishes like shrimp or bacon, savory miso, sweet Aperol, fiery chiles, or whatever else fits your fancy.

Quinoa Pancakes with Ricotta and Lemon

Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

Fluffy ricotta and egg whites lighten up these wholesome pancakes, while whole wheat flour and cooked quinoa add plenty of flavor and texture. They’re sweetened just enough with maple syrup, lemon zest, and vanilla.

Iron Skillet Cornbread with Grapefruit

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Crispy fried beluga lentils are sprinkled atop blue cornbread slathered in a jalapeño-onion spread and lined with ruby red grapefruit segments for this holiday-worthy brunch dish.

Oversized, Pillowy English Muffins

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Impress your guests with homemade English muffins. This recipe from Rick Rodgers’ The Model Bakery Cookbook is well worth it for the light, fluffy, buttery results full of nooks and crannies.

Orange Liqueur Mimosa

Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford / Food Styling by Ali Ramee

Swap orange juice with splashes of homemade orange syrup and orange liqueur for a unique mimosa to toast the holiday.

Chorizo Breakfast Tacos

Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper

With a crisp, golden skirt made from pepper Jack cheese, cilantro, and sliced jalapeño, these tacos are stuffed with a chorizo scramble for a festive breakfast that’ll become an instant favorite.

Cinnamon Roll Focaccia

Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Phoebe Weeks

Airy focaccia dough is filled with cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter, then topped with a tangy cream cheese icing for this two-in-one treat from Julia Levy.

Shakshuka with Swiss Chard

John Kernick

Chef Michael Anthony introduces Italian flavors, like basil and Parmesan cheese, to the classic Middle Eastern dish that will steal the show at any brunch.

Red Snapper

Courtesy St. Regis Hotels & Resorts

Garnished with a celery stalk, cucumber spiral, and a cherry tomato, this gin-based Bloody Mary is an equally good hangover cure-all.

Carrot Cake Marmalade with Yogurt and Fresh Fruit

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee

Savor the flavors of carrot cake (it is New Year’s, after all) with this inventive morning dish featuring warmly spiced carrot marmalade served over silky, tangy yogurt to mirror the flavor of cream cheese frosting.

Egg in a Bagel Hole

The Ingalls

Using bagels to make traditional eggs in a basket is a no-brainer. Add water to the skillet to cook the eggs evenly without burning the bagel halves, yielding a lightly toasted bagel wrapped around a perfectly runny yolk. Savory smoked salmon and creamy avocado or a dollop of caviar complete the dish.

Sicilian Orange Bundt Cake

Aubrie Pick

This tender, citrusy cake beloved by Sicilian grandmothers is terrific alongside a cup of tea any time of day, and especially at brunch.

Coco Café

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon

Made with a splash each of cold brew and sweetened condensed coconut milk, the creamy, sweet, and soothing Coco Café combines Cognac, sweet vermouth, and pineapple liqueur — preferably all in a glass teacup for the perfect sip.

Bacon-Cheddar Biscuits

Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

For these simple big-batch biscuits, press the dough directly into a pan, then slice it into neat squares after baking. Smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and fresh chives fill each bite.

Breakfast Egg Cups with Parsley Gremolata and Mushrooms

Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners

These elegant, savory herb-topped eggs bake up in a muffin pan, so it’s easy to make brunch for a group. Use a semisoft cheese like Brie or Taleggio, which stays creamy when baked.

Green Smoothie Bowl

Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer

Go green with vibrant and fresh spinach, avocado, pineapple, and ginger in this 10-minute breakfast bowl.

Bloody Majestic

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

This light, bright brunch cocktail variation is a vibrant way to toast the new year, containing ultra-premium sake with pineapple notes and fragrant citrus basil bitters.

Persimmon, Whipped Goat Cheese, and Hazelnut Parfaits

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

These eye-catching parfaits make the most of wintry persimmons. The chopped fruit is tossed with lime juice and sugar, layered with whipped goat cheese and crunchy cardamom-glazed hazelnuts, and topped with fresh mint and dried rose petals.

Banana Almond Butter Smoothie

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Ali Domrongchai

Bananas are a hangover go-to, thanks to their abundance of electrolytes and fiber. This easy banana smoothie is made extra creamy with almond butter and sweetened by dates for a filling, nutritious glass that somehow almost tastes like having ice cream for breakfast.