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17 Easy Breakfast Sides- Recipes and Ideas!

You’ve got some amazing breakfasts planned. Maybe it’s for a get-together, a party, or just hosting a family.

But you suddenly blank when it comes to breakfast sides! What could possibly go with what you’re serving?

It can be easy to think of sides for dinner. But breakfast? It’s not something you think about often.

Whether you want healthier options or just some easy ideas, I’ve got you covered in this giant list of breakfast sides ideas.

If you want recipes too, keep scrolling! You’ll find quite a few in this list!

A table with a breakfast spread, with the text "Breakfast sides ideas: Recipes and more"

17 of the Best Breakfast Sides- Recipes and Ideas!

Yogurt parfait

1.) Yogurt

I love Greek yogurt because of its high protein content. If you’re trying to watch your sugar intake, try plain Greek yogurt instead.

Create a yogurt parfait by adding things like granola, fresh fruits, and nuts/seeds.

Try my easy recipe for Honey Vanilla Granola! It’s made with simple ingredients and lightly sweetened.

Cottage cheese topped with berries

2.) Cottage cheese

I’ll be honest- I eat cottage cheese just about every day. It’s high in protein and SO good. Here are a few ways you can eat it:

  • With everything bagel seasoning (Seriously, this is one of my new favorites)
  • With fresh fruit (Pineapple, peaches, and mandarin oranges are good options)
  • With quartered cherry tomatoes
An assortment of fruit

3.) Fresh fruit

Fruit is basically the perfect side for breakfast. It provides a nice sweetness and goes with just about every main dish.

Want to make things more interesting? Create a fresh fruit salad using a mixture of fruits!

Cooked cinnamon rolls in a foil pan

4.) Cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, cinnamon buns… whatever you call them, they are seriously one of my favorite morning meal treats. I don’t have them often, but they sure are good!

Canned are easy and just fine. Making homemade is an art and should be tried at least once!

This recipe for Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls is one of my favorites.

Cooked biscuits on a baking sheet

5.) Biscuits

Biscuits can be used in a few ways! With butter and jelly, smothered in gravy… you can’t go wrong. You just need some easy main ingredients you may already have at home!

Of course, there’s also nothing wrong with going to the store and buying some pre-made buttermilk biscuits. Sometimes we just want to save time and energy!

Recipe: Easy Homemade Biscuits

English muffins on a plate

6.) English muffins

Similar to biscuits, you can add butter and jelly to an English muffin. Or add egg and cheese to make a sandwich!

I typically choose whole wheat muffins because they contain extra fiber and protein. But choose your favorite flavor when at the grocery store!

P.S. Did you know you can make your own English muffins in a bread machine?

A bagel sandwich on a tray

7.) Bagels

A bagel with cream cheese is my idea of the perfect breakfast.

A lot of times, though, bagels are HUGE. And if you have a large assortment of foods, you may not want an entire bagel. Here are a couple options:

  • Buy the miniature bagels instead. They’re about a third of the size!
  • Cut the bagels into quarters
Hash brown patties on a plate

8.) Hash browns

I love breakfast potatoes. They’re such a great way to get in some carbs and fiber, and DELICIOUS with hot sauce.

Here are some different variations:

  • Hash brown patties: They come in the freezer section and look just like the ones at McDonalds!
  • Shredded hash browns
  • Cubed hash browns
  • Hash brown casserole
  • Sweet potatoes: You can cube and roast them the same way, or make a sweet potato hash!
Sausage patties on a plate

9.) Sausage

Protein is key for any meal of mine. It keeps me full much longer! And sausage is a great way to get in that protein. Here are different types:

  • Pork sausage (Sausage links or sausage patties)
  • Turkey sausage (Links or patties)
  • Chicken sausage (Links or patties)
Strips of cooked bacon

10.) Bacon

Talk about a kick to the taste buds! Bacon is super popular at our house and goes quickly. You can use pork bacon or turkey bacon, whichever fits your mood.

An easy way to cook bacon is in the oven! Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lay the bacon on top. Put the tray in the COLD oven and turn it to 400 degrees for 20-ish minutes.

The bacon cooks great without the effort or splattering all over you! And you get nice crispy bacon- the only way I’ll eat it.

Slices of boneless ham

11.) Ham

Ham is a great breakfast food for after major holidays. You probably have a ton of leftovers that need used up!

Here are some ways to use ham:

  • Sliced and fried in a pan
  • Chopped and cooked into an omelette
  • Baked in a breakfast casserole
  • Sliced for sandwiches
Apple cinnamon muffins

12.) Muffins

I’m talking sweet muffins here, not English muffins. If you have a miniature muffin tin, bake muffins in there for little bite-sized treats!

Here are some awesome recipes for your sweet side:

Baked banana bread in a bread pan

13.) Sweet Breads

These are basically muffins, but in loaf form! You can slice this bread thinly, or in thick slices and cut each one in half for smaller portions.

Here are some of my favorites:

Pancakes on a plate

14.) Pancakes

Miniature pancakes can be fun for breakfast charcuterie boards! And you can choose so many toppings:

  • Maple syrup
  • Chocolate chips
  • Fresh fruit (Strawberries, blueberries, sliced bananas)
  • Whipped cream
  • Jelly or jam
  • Butter
French toast topped with syrup and berries

15.) French toast

Another sweet breakfast idea, french toast has a bit more protein due to the milk and eggs the bread is cooked in. You can also slice them into French toast sticks for fun!

Here are some variations:

An assortment of eggs on a wooden surface

16.) Eggs

Eggs are super high in protein and healthy fats, and can make for a hearty breakfast. Here are ways to serve eggs:

Baked oatmeal on a plate

17.) Oats

Oatmeal is one of the best breakfast ideas. It’s full of fiber, which makes your breakfast super filling. And you can do so much with it!

A basic bowl of oatmeal can be made with ingredients like milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and peanut butter. But check out these other great ideas:

Homemade chocolate donuts on a plate

18.) Donuts

This is for all of my sweet tooth friends! One of the more popular breakfast foods, donuts are a classic! Buy them from a local bakery or try your own homemade baked donuts.

Hopefully you found some healthy options or new ideas for the most important meal of the day!

What are your favorite breakfast side dish ideas? Leave a comment and give us more ideas!

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