8 Healthy, Savory Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love

By Justine Harrington

November 30, 2023

Image credit: Minimalist Baker

Some breakfast foods seem like a great idea in theory…until you experience a mid-morning sugar crash and major hunger pangs a mere hour after you eat. Don’t get us wrong: it’s not that chocolate-glazed doughnuts and super-buttery croissants don’t taste great — and they’re a delicious treat every now and then. But for regular days when you need to feel energized until lunch, your breakfast should include fuel like protein and vitamins. Start your day off right with any of these healthy, savory breakfast recipes.

1. Easy Vegetable Egg Bake

Image credit: The Healthy Maven

Egg bakes are simply the best. They’re incredibly versatile and easy to prepare, and they’re a great way to get your vegetable-and-protein fix. If you want to take this recipe to the next level, cover the dish with aluminum foil for the first part of the bake time (15 minutes or so), and then remove the foil for the rest of the bake. This will help the top develop a golden, slightly crispy texture. Yum.

Try the recipe from The Healthy Maven.

2. Southwest Tofu Scramble

Image credit: Minimalist Baker

There’s no rule that says you have to eat eggs for breakfast, especially when there are tofu recipes this flavorful out there. The seasonings in the sauce (garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric) really elevate this dish — and don’t skimp on the garnishes like salsa, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro. Just remember that tofu contains a lot of water, so you’ll want to really take the time to squeeze it out before cooking. Wrap your tofu in paper towels and use your hands to lightly press it; then let it sit with a heavy object on top for at least 30 minutes while you do your other prep work.

Try the recipe from The Minimalist Baker.

3. Savory Arugula-Topped Steel Cut Oatmeal

Image credit: Cookie + Kate

Jam-packed with all kinds of good-for-you minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins, oats make for the perfect healthy breakfast food — when they’re not loaded with sugar, that is. Think of this savory steel-cut oatmeal as more of an “idea” than a recipe. After following the oat-cooking technique offered here, feel free to improvise. For toppings, we love combos like cheddar and collard greens or kale; sriracha, a poached egg, and avocado; or sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese, and fresh oregano or thyme. Follow your bliss.

Try the recipe from Cookie + Kate.

4. Mediterranean Vegetable Frittata

Image credit: The Mediterranean Dish

Pan-roasting your vegetables bring out their natural sugars, which is why roasted vegetables taste sweeter (and usually better) than steamed or sautéed ones. In this delicious dish, some earthy, slightly sweet bell peppers, zucchini, and broccoli are folded in with eggs, feta, milk, and various seasonings for the perfect make-ahead frittata. When you’re roasting your vegetables, just make sure to cut everything into equal-sized pieces and use enough oil to coat everything. Oh, and don’t crowd the pan (this helps prevent steaming).

Try the recipe from The Mediterranean Dish.

5. Pesto Avocado Toast with Fresh Tomatoes

Image credit: Minimalist Baker

We’ll never get tired of avocado toast, no matter how many millennial memes come and go. As long as you skip the super-processed bread, this is an all-star healthy breakfast. Kick things up a notch with this pesto avocado toast recipe (make your pesto ahead of time to cut down on prep), and don’t be afraid to play around with the toppings. Smoked salmon, sliced red onion, feta, and fresh herbs are all welcome here. Just don’t forget the cardinal rule of avocado toast-making: always, always finish with a sprinkle of Maldon salt.

Try the recipe from Minimalist Baker.

6. Mexican-Inspired Breakfast Salad

Image credit: A Spicy Perspective

Eggs, avocado, chorizo, and tortillas? Um, yes, please. If you haven’t yet made this Mexican-inspired breakfast salad, you’re missing out. This baby’s got enough fiber, protein, and complex carbs to leave you feeling satiated well until lunchtime. We love adding paprika-roasted sweet potatoes and subbing the regular chorizo for vegan chorizo, but one of the best parts of this recipe is how easily customizable it is. Go with your gut.

Try the recipe from A Spicy Perspective.

7. Vegetable and Bean Breakfast Hash

Image credit: Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen

Who says you have to eat “breakfast food” at breakfast? A good vegetable hash — one that’s packed with leafy greens and well-seasoned beans — may not be the first thing that pops into your head when you picture breakfast food, but make this dish once, and you’ll be a vegetable hash fan for life. With the skillet method, you only have to dirty one pan (and who doesn’t love that?). However, we recommend taking the potatoes out and set them aside once they’re done cooking, then adding them back in at the end so you don’t end up with soggy potatoes.

Try the recipe from Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen.

8. Moroccan-Inspired Baked Eggs with Chickpeas

Image credit: Recipe Runner

You’ll be amazed at how tasty these Moroccan-inspired baked eggs are, especially considering how easy they are to prepare. If you don’t have harissa, you can always sub for crushed red pepper (that being said, harissa is one ingredient that’s always great to have on hand). The only slightly tricky part of this shakshuka recipe is knowing when your eggs are done. To ensure perfectly poached eggs, use room-temperature, farm-fresh eggs (they’ll cook more easily and evenly). When you’re baking them, look for whites that are just set but not totally cooked through — they should look almost opaque, with barely visible yolks.

Try the recipe from Recipe Runner.