Father's Day can feel like a hard one to get right. Do you plan a full schedule of activities? Do you let Dad relax? Do you take him out for dinner? Or do you cook him a nice meal? And what about a gift? Does he really need another grilling set? How about a salami bouquet? The options are at once completely overwhelming and totally limiting. Lucky for you, we've got some good news. As it turns out, all dads really wants is a great breakfast.
Here are 28 never-fail morning meals to whip up for the father figure in your life this Father's Day — from apple and pork sausage (with a side of eggs, of course) to the perfect waffles and pancakes. Serving a homemade card alongside never hurts, either.
Dads with a sweet tooth will absolutely love these ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls slathered in frosting, especially with a cup of fresh-brewed coffee on the side.
2. Waffles
These waffles — with a moist, tender inside and golden-crisp exterior — are the kind you (and your dad) dream about, and they're an excellent alternative to the overnight yeasted kind (meaning you can make 'em morning-of).
3. Pancakes
If your dad's more of a pancake person, make him a super-fluffy stack with this whole-wheat recipe (and don't forget to warm up the maple syrup).
It's hard to go wrong with these riff-able breakfast tacos — they call for just a few ingredients, but you can add as many toppings as you like. Or better yet, set out a lineup of all sorts of extras and let your dad mix and match.
This contest-winning breakfast fried rice couldn't be simpler to make, but there is one suggestion we'll make: double up the bacon (you can't go wrong).
For more of a dessert-for-breakfast vibe, bake this easy speculoos cake (if you've ever tasted Trader Joe's Cookie Butter, that's the flavor of speculoos cookies). This moist sheet cake, which tastes like rich, warm spices, thanks to the Cookie Butter in the batter, pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or an ice cold brew.
7. Apple and Pork Breakfast Sausage
Your dad will be oh-so-impressed that you made this sweet-yet-savory sausage all by yourself (you know, instead of just picking up a package from the store). Made with tart apples, plenty of herbs, Dijon mustard, and ground pork, this sausage can be made days ahead of the holiday and heated up the morning of. Our favorite way to serve it: alongside creamy scrambled eggs — with a bit of ketchup or hot sauce.
8. Shakshuka with Grains and Feta
This spicy, hearty shakshuka is the best way to kick off any Father's Day festivities. As a bonus, it's extra easy to make. The grains, tomato-y stew, and perfectly poached eggs all come together in one skillet, which means you'll spend less time doing the dishes and more time hanging out with dad.
9. Sharp Cheddar and Mustardy Greens Breakfast Sandwich
This isn't your average breakfast sandwich of dry scrambled eggs and floppy bread. This flavor-packed number gets its star power from Swiss chard — cooked until soft and tangy in mustard and heavy cream — along with sharp cheddar, perfect fried eggs, and fluffy biscuits.
This tasty tofu breakfast scramble is for all of you out there with vegan dads. It's packed with flavor thanks to garlic, nutritional yeast, and lots of spices, and still maintains that egg-y texture using a combination of extra-firm tofu and chopped vegetables. If you're feeling really ambitious, turn it into a breakfast burrito with tempeh bacon and fresh avocado.
11. Carla Hall's Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
These are fluffy, flaky biscuits anyone (even first-timers!) can pull off, thanks to endlessly helpful tricks and tips from chef, and cookbook author, Carla Hall.
12. Spinach Quiche
This spinach quiche is definitely a project — everything is carefully made from scratch, including the crust — but we can't think of a better (edible) gift to wake up to on Father's Day.
13. Egg Sandwich with Mayo and Chile Paste
This five-ingredient egg sandwich might seem simple, but it's packed with flavor, thanks to a Calabrian chile-infused mayo, toasty bread, and runny fried eggs. We pretty much guarantee you'll be asked to serve up seconds.
14. Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata
Pasta for breakfast? We can't think of anything better. "Have it hot, warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge the next day," says Big Little Recipes columnist Emma Laperruque, "(if a leftover pasta frittata sandwich with chile mayo is wrong, I don't want to be right)."
15. Banana Bread Scones from Samantha Seneviratne
This Genius recipe from cookbook author and food stylist Samantha Seneviratne is the best of both worlds. "Think: all the comforts of banana bread, with more crunchy-sweet edges and fluffy, chocolate-spiked middles — and ready in, oh, about half the time."
16. Smashed Potatoes with Bacon and Eggs
Nickel & Dine columnist Rebecca Firkser takes a bacon and eggs breakfast to a whole new level with this recipe, featuring crispy smashed baked potatoes, a spicy-creamy sauce, and greens for good luck. Plus, it'll feed a family of four for less than $10.
"You've heard of breakfast for dinner, but have you met dinner for breakfast?" asks recipe developer Ella Quittner. "If not, allow me to formally introduce you to a morning-friendly dish that's got the structure and heartiness of a proper casserole, with your favorite parts of breakfast." This breakfast casserole is built like a lasagna, but has all the fillings of a breakfast plate (sausage, eggs, cheese, hash browns). Need we go on? Didn't think so.
18. Latke, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich
This latke, egg, and cheese sandwich — which feels like it was practically made to please hungry dads — was actually born from a collaboration between the Manhattan restaurant B&H Dairy and Lawrence Weibman, also known as @nycfoodguy on Instagram. Whatever you do, don't skip a generous drizzle of hot sauce and ketchup before eating.
19. Ham and Cheese Quiche with a Cheese Cracker Crust
This ham and cheese quiche (with a Cheez-It crust!) is an ideal morning meal — because you can make the whole dang thing the day before. In fact, it's actually better after it has time to rest. Get creative with the ham and cheese options if you're feeling it: swap the Taylor Ham for crispy-salty bacon or even chopped prosciutto; and if Gruyere isn't your thing, try cheddar, Gouda, or Monterey Jack instead.
20. Toast Frittata
Another Nickel & Dine recipe, assigning editor Rebecca Firkser's toast frittata is perfect for those lazy Sunday morning brunches: It takes just 15 minutes to put together and bakes while you're brewing coffee. Bonus points: it's just as good warm as it is cold, so there's no pressure to serve it immediately after it comes out of the oven. As is always the case with this column, it'll serve four, for just $10.
21. Cream Cheese Omelet with Everything Seasoning
Give Dad the best of both worlds — the flavor of an everything bagel with the luxury of a tender omelet — with this cheesy recipe.
22. Deviled Eggs with Crackly Bacon
Even if Dad isn't much of a brunch guy, this mid-morning holiday staple has his name written all over it. Classic deviled eggs are each topped with a crispy strip of bacon, making us wonder why we haven't been serving them this way all along.
23. Double-Streusel Coffee Cake
Father's Day calls for a better-than-average coffee cake. This one has an extra layer of streusel in the middle. It'll convert every dad who insists that he doesn't have a sweet tooth.
24. Baked Challah French Toast
If Father's Day is a full-blown affair in your house, a crowd-friendly breakfast recipe is in order. That's where this French toast casserole comes in. "Topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup, the sweet strata makes a gorgeous centerpiece for any brunch gathering," writes recipe developer Leah Koenig.
Dad deserves more than an ordinary serving of fried eggs for Father's Day breakfast. Enter: these silky skillet eggs. Instead of frying eggs in oil or butter, they sizzle a puddle of heavy cream until the cream caramelizes and the whites are set.
26. Avocado Toast
If Dad intends to spend Father's Day going for a long hike or 30-mile bike ride, he might be thankful when you serve him something on the lighter side for breakfast, like this absolutely perfect slice of avocado toast. Use really good crusty seeded bread for the best bite.
27. Sweet and Spicy Sausage, Egg, and Cheese
Want to make the father figure in your life feel really special? Make him a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich. But here's the real kicker: The sausage is entirely made from scratch using ground pork, fresh rosemary, ground allspice, garlic, and red chile flakes.
28. Crispy Potato, Egg, and Cheese Tacos
Complete an early morning feast with hash browns, which instantly make any recipe here — from a sausage and egg sandwich to French toast — feel like a total holiday win. Here, eggs are cracked directly into the cheesy hash browns.
What are you making Dad (or the father figure in your life!) for breakfast this Father's Day? Tell us in the comments below!
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