Make Ahead Easter Brunch Menu with Recipes

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Are you looking for an Easter brunch menu to make ahead for a holiday or special event?

These brunch recipes were specifically chosen because you can make most of them ahead of time! ‘When we entertain, I like to have things that I can make ahead of time so the actual day of the event is less stressful.

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Celebrate a spring brunch with our festive Easter menu: Start with Deviled Eggs and Shrimp Cocktail. Enjoy Beef Tenderloin, Egg & New Potato Casserole, and Mixed Berry Fruit Salad. Savor Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and top it off with Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Shortcake. Elegant table setting included!.
Easter Brunch Menu

Brunch Menu to Make Ahead for Spring

I’ve created a menu that you can made much of it ahead or time. The day of your event you will just have to put the roast on the grill, the egg bake and bacon in the oven and take the rest out of the refrigerator.

I’m not a baker and we really aren’t dessert people but if we did want a dessert I would order it from our grocery store or bakery and pick it up the day before.

Schedule of Prep for your Easter Brunch

Entertaining is so much easier when you are organized and plan ahead.

We are actually having our Easter brunch on Saturday. Our kids have to fly back home on Sunday and we want to really enjoy the day. This outline can be revised based on your schedule and menu. If your event is on Sunday, move your timeline accordingly.

  • Monday
    • Create Grocery List & Grocery Shop (except fresh berries)
  • Tuesday
    • Deep Clean House
    • Make Muffins and Freeze
  • Wednesda
    • Boil Eggs – refrigerate
    • Set Table
  • Thursday
    • Take roast out of freezer (24 hours for each 5 lbs to thaw in the refrigerator) Adjust your timing accordingly
    • Cook bacon (lightly done), drain on paper towel, let cook a then put the bacon in an air-tight container and refrigerate
  • Friday
    • Prepare deviled eggs, put in an air tight container and refrigerate
    • Make marinade, put roast into the marinade and put in the refrigerator
    • Take shrimp & muffins out of freezer, put in the refrigerator to thaw
    • Put together the egg bake, cover and refrigerate
    • Purchase fresh flowers, fresh berries, and dessert
    • Spot clean bathrooms and the kitchen
  • Saturday
    • Rinse the fresh berries
    • Take shrimp, muffins, roast and bacon out of the refrigerator
    • Arrange shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, berries, and muffins on serving dishes
    • Set-up mimosa & coffee bar
  • 1 Hour before serving
    • Put the roast on the grill, cook until internal temp of 145 degrees (will take longer if you like your roast more done than rare)
  • 45 Minutes before serving
    • Put roast on the grill
    • Take egg bake out of the refrigerator and put into the oven
  • 15 minutes before serving
    • Take the roast off the grill, let sit at least 10 minutes and then carve
    • Put the bacon in the oven to warm up and cook just a bit more
  • Serve
    • Enjoy!
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picture of a cooked beef tenderloin that is cut and ready to serve
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Spicy Beef Tenderloin

The Very Best Beef Tenderloin Roast Recipe – It's not really very spicy, it's just crazy tasty
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Marinade8 hours
Total Time9 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 servings
Calories:
Author: The Southern Living Cookbook

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup port wine, (see note)
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried whole thyme
  • 1/2 tsp hot sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 5-6 pound whole beef tenderloin, trimmed

Instructions

  • We order our beef tenderloin from a butcher but you can also get it from your local grocery store. If you order ahead of time, ask the butcher to trim the fat and membrane off of the tenderloin.
    Typically there is a tail on the tenderloin, you should wrap that under and tie it with kitchen twine so that the roast has a more consistent size throughout.
  • Combine the first 8 ingredients; mix well. Place tenderloin in a large shallow dish; or 2-gallon ziplock bag. Pour the wine mixture over top, and cover tightly. Refrigerate for 8 hours, turning occasionally.
    Take out of refrigerator a few hours before your going to cook to bring up to room temperature.
  • Uncover tenderloin; drain off and reserve marinade. Place tenderloin on a rack in a pan; insert a meat thermometer, making sure it does not touch fat. Pour reserved marinade into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 425° for 45 to 60 minutes or until the thermometer registers 140° (rare). Bake until the internal temperature is 150° for medium-rare or 160° for medium. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. SEE Notes

Notes

“Handy” always cooks large pieces of meat on the grill with indirect heat.  If you would like more information about how he does this, please comment and we will be happy to help you.
We also buy a really good port wine.  We think it makes a very big difference.  If you’re going to spend a good amount of money on a whole tenderloin, it’s worth it to splurge on the port.  Our favorite is Frontenac Port from Galena Cellars.
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egg casserole sliced on a plate
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Egg & New Potato Bake

egg and potato casserole
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brunch, easter brunch, egg and potato casserole, egg casserole, sunday brunch
Calories:

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound new potatoes, diced into small cubes
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Spray a 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray
  • Spread potatoes evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish and then cover evenly with the cheeses
  • Whisk the eggs together in a large mixing bowl, and to that add the cream, sour cream, mustard, and spices. Mix together well.
  • Pour egg mixture over the potatoes and cheese
  • Bake for 45 minutes until nicely browned and set in the middle

Notes

You can also add bacon, sausage, or ham to this recipe. You can also add onions, and/or peppers. It’s the perfect base for any type of egg casserole you want to build.
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A breakfast scene with quinoa patty topped with sauce and chives on a plate, next to a split vegetable frittata. A glass tray holds lemon poppy seed muffins above, and a bowl of fresh berries and grapes is nearby. A floral napkin adds a decorative touch.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

The lemon adds such a refreshing taste to these muffins.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, muffins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories:
Author: A Kitchen Addiction

Equipment

Ingredients

For Muffins

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1-1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
  • 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1-1/2 tbsp grated lemon zest
  • 2 large eggs
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the Glaze

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • course sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 375°
  • Place muffin cups into the muffin pan
  • Whisk all dry ingredients together and set aside
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest and eggs until smooth
  • Gently fold the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the melted butter. Do not overmix as that can make the muffins dense.
  • Using an ice cream scoop, divide the mixture evenly into the muffin cups.
  • Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Rotate the muffins pan 1/2 way through the baking process.

Glaze

  • While the muffins are baking, stir the lemon juice and sugar together in a small saucepan. Stirring until it makes a light syrup. About 3-5 minutes.
  • Remove baked muffins from the oven and brush the top with lemon syrup and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before you serve.
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sink filled iwth flowers for easter brunch
A dark blue background with a subtle, wavy abstract line pattern running across the center, reminiscent of the flowing creativity often found when living large in a small house.

“The Day that the Lord created Hope was probably the same day that he created Spring”

– Bernard Williams

More Brunch Recipes

My friend Michele from Vintage Design Homes has three different deviled egg recipes and they all sound amazing. She also shares how to make the perfect hard-boiled egg and also the cutest way to serve deviled eggs. You can find her post HERE

Photo Vintage Home Designs

Rosemary at My Home and Travels shares her crockpot ham recipe. You can find it HERE

Photo My Home and Travels
A dark blue background with a subtle, wavy abstract line pattern running across the center, reminiscent of the flowing creativity often found when living large in a small house.
Easter Flowers for brunch

Entertaining is supposed to be a joyful experience for both you and your guests. The more you can do ahead of time, the easier your day will be.

We have a series called Entertaining with Ease on the blog. You can start with Part 1 HERE

Find another Easter Brunch Menu HERE

Peace and Love,

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About the elderly woman: With long gray hair and glasses, she wears a white knit sweater and hoop earrings, her gentle smile radiates warmth against the plain light gray background.

Meet Me

My name is Lynn. I live in the suburbs of Chicago in a 1,300 sq. ft. home with my Handy husband, Keith.

I’m an open book about my life on my blog. You can find out more about me by visiting my About page.

about Me
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4 Comments

  1. Wow! Your brunch sounds amazing. I love how to scheduled your week so that you were well organized. Happy Spring. My friend.

    Reply

    1. I actually have it all mapped out on a paper calendar. It’s the only way that I can stay organized and not forget something.

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Lynn,

    I love your Easter table, and the flowers and of course the brunch menu too! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Elizabeth! You are so sweet! I’m excited to be hosting Easter this year.

      Reply