- Ina Garten recommends a holiday brunch during the busy holiday season.
- Even if nights are booked, a make-ahead continental breakfast may fit in your schedule.
- Dishes like homemade granola, scones, muffins, fruit and a frittata make up Garten’s menu.
The holiday season is full of dinner parties, nights out and cocktail hours, but hosting a holiday brunch is less common. We’re not sure why, because we love the idea. Not only does throwing a holiday breakfast party make it more likely friends can attend (everyone’s evening schedules are so packed during this time of year), but it’s also a great opportunity to serve a delicious meal that, in our opinion, doesn’t get celebrated enough.
Ina Garten agrees. The Barefoot Contessa answered a question in her Substack newsletter from a fan who wrote in with her holiday hosting conundrum: “For several years, I have been hosting a holiday party at our house. We’re all so busy this year, but I would still like to continue the tradition. I need your help in making it easy and great at the same time.”
Garten’s answer? There’s a time period during the holidays when you know your friends are “going to be free,” and that time period is breakfast. “Everyone is overbooked at night,” she says, “so going out in the morning seems special.”
What’s more, Garten’s breakfast or brunch menu is absolutely golden. Her secret: low-effort dishes that can be made ahead of time, with just one main dish cooked in the oven on the day of the event. To make the entertaining process even easier, Garten shares a timeline to get it all done. Ten days before the event, make her Homemade Granola, a mix of yummy ingredients like rolled oats, shredded coconut and high-quality honey. This is also the day to invite your friends to the party.
All that’s left to do for the next several days is plan the fun things, like which holiday serveware you’ll use or which Christmas songs you’ll add to your playlist. The day before the big event, Garten suggests mixing the batter for her Blueberry Bran Muffins, mixing and cutting her Cheddar-Dill Scones and squeezing some oranges for mimosas. (Worry not: the Barefoot Contessa adds that “if you can’t squeeze the orange juice yourself, store-bought is fine.”)
Set your table and arrange your holiday serviceware, then relax and get ready for the next day’s festivities.
On the day of your party, bake the scones and muffins, cut up some fresh fruit and set out your homemade granola and some yogurt. The only dish you’ll need to prepare that day is Garten’s Potato Basil Frittata, a simple mix of potatoes, basil, cheeses and other comforting ingredients. Mix your mimosas, brew some coffee and wait for your guests to arrive.
“Now I know that I like to have one substantial dish in the oven, like a Potato Basil Frittata,” says Garten, “but the rest of the meal is more like a delicious continental breakfast—muffins, scones, granola, yogurt and fresh fruit. I make huge batches of granola at a time and it lasts for weeks in an airtight container. Except for the frittata, the entire meal can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature.”
Garten’s simple, surprisingly easy breakfast menu is the stuff our holiday hosting dreams are made of. And these easy dishes sound so delicious that we’re sure serving the menu to brunch guests will be almost as good as attending brunch at Garten’s own home, which is, after all, something we all wish Santa could make happen.
