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Plan the perfect party with more than 60 brilliant Buffet Ideas! This collection of crowd-feeding buffet food ideas makes it easy to plan a menu for a holiday get-together or special occasion. From breakfast buffet food to buffet desserts, you’ll find what you need on this list!
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Buffet Menu Ideas
I love planning for the holidays, but I know how stressful it can be. Don’t get me wrong, though—holiday planning does not have to be stressful! The trick to the perfect menu is to serve your party food ideas buffet style, as simple self-serve meals that are easy to make ahead of time!
Serving buffet foods is a surefire solution to holiday stress. Plan out your menu beforehand, prep, and serve everything the day of the party. Buffet meals give you more time to spend with your family and friends, and less time spent in the kitchen!
Buffet foods also allow your guests to personalize their plates. Serve a buffet when you know you’ll be hosting picky eaters or guests with food allergies (just make sure to mark allergy-safe foods!).
Plus, it’s just plain fun! Who doesn’t love a buffet?
Breakfast Buffet Foods
Make it an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet with any of my easy and simple breakfast buffet foods!
Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Crescent Rolls
My number one buffet breakfast food. I serve this breakfast every year, and my guests always love it. If you're serving picky eaters, definitely try my sausage breakfast casserole. Even the pickiest eaters love this casserole!
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Sous Vide Egg Bites
Inspired by Starbucks egg bites, these sous vide egg bites are truly delicious. Made easily in your pressure cooker, egg bites are perfect for making ahead or preparing last minute.
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Baked French Toast Casserole
My easy French Toast Casserole recipe is decadence in a dish, and it's make-ahead friendly, too! Start the day right with a plate of joy!
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Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
My easy sausage gravy recipe uses three secret ingredients that make it extra special! Give it a try- it's ready in under 30 minutes!
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Banana Bread Waffles
Banana Bread Waffles are quick, easy, and so delicious! You'll love every bite of this comforting, homemade waffle recipe.
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Air Fryer Bacon
My crispy Air Fryer Bacon recipe will change the way you make bacon! It is so much easier than making bacon on the stove or in the oven and takes just 10 minutes to do.
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Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
So soft, fluffy, and flavorful, you'll be surprised to know these donuts are completely gluten-free!
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Strawberry Crepes
My easy Strawberry Crepes recipe is a beautiful breakfast or dessert you can make using simple ingredients in minutes!
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Roast Breakfast Potatoes in the Air Fryer
My Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes are as crispy and delicious as they come. This easy air fryer recipe is perfect for cooking up a simple, quick breakfast the whole family will love!
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Buffet Appetizers
Simple party food is a must for buffet appetizers! Try my favorites:
Cucumber Canapés with Shrimp
Cucumber canapes with shrimp are easy to prepare fancy appetizers with a refreshing homemade tzatziki filling and vibrant herb topping!
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Delicious Pulled Pork Poutine
Learn how to make poutine with pulled pork for a delicious meal! Pulled pork poutine uses leftovers for a quick and easy poutine recipe you will love.
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Elote Dip
My Mexican Street Corn Dip is cheesy, creamy, and so delicious! With a kick of heat from jalapeno and tajin seasoning, this hot corn dip recipe has it all. Perfect for parties!
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Jalapeno Deviled Eggs
Learn how to make deviled eggs taste like jalapeno poppers following my easy Jalapeno Deviled Eggs recipe!
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Spinach Puffs
My Spinach Puffs are easy to make and taste so good! Using frozen spinach and puff pastry, this is a simple recipe that's packed with flavor!
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Burrata Salad with Arugula
Creamy burrata cheese with salty prosciutto, fresh Parmesan, and crisp arugula, all seasoned with sea salt, pepper, and drizzled olive oil… that's our incredible Arugula Burrata Salad Recipe!
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Shrimp Shumai
Shrimp shumai is a tasty and EASY staple dim sum recipe made with ginger and garlic shrimp, water chestnuts, and a soy sauce mixture, served as dumplings!
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Beer Cheese Dip (Obatzda)
This creamy and flavorful beer cheese dip (also called Obatzda) is an authentic German dip perfect for dipping pretzels, sliced meats, and more.
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Soft Pretzel Recipe
Perfect for dipping and sharing, this fluffy soft pretzel recipe is SO easy to make at home and delicious, too! Try these buttery soft pretzels with your favorite cheese dip.
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Buffet Casseroles
Casseroles make the easiest buffet menu ideas! Our favorites are easy to make, and simple to store and reheat in a pinch.
Mexican Street Corn Casserole
My Mexican Street Corn Casserole recipe uses simple ingredients to turn your favorite elote recipe into the perfect party side dish!
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Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes
My Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes is a classic side dish recipe that's perfect for Sunday supper or the holidays. It's bursting with flavor from creamy garlic potatoes and a cheesy crust!
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Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
Creamy whipped sweet potatoes with cinnamon and nutmeg are topped with a crunchy brown sugar pecan topping in this Southern Sweet Potato Casserole.
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Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Million dollar chicken casserole is a creamy one-pot dinner dream come true! You won't believe how easy it is to make this cozy comfort food.
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Creamed Corn Casserole
With only 5 ingredients and 3 simple steps to follow, this is the easiest Baked Creamed Corn Casserole recipe that takes just 30 minutes to bake!
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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Our recipe for Easy Mashed Potatoes in Instant Pot results in buttery, creamy, and delicious potatoes.
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Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes are ready in under 30 minutes! Deliciously cheesy and creamy, these au gratin potatoes make the perfect holiday side dish!
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Follow my guide on How to Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes for the best creamy mashed potatoes recipe you can make in 5 easy steps!
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Ham and Potato Casserole
My cheesy Ham and Potatoes Casserole is an easy dinner recipe that is perfect for using leftover ham, complete with creamy bechamel sauce and cheddar cheese.
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Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is an extra creamy mac and cheese with incredible flavor that will remind you of the Trader Joe's recipe everyone loves!
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Buffet Vegetables
Vegetable side dishes make such simple buffet ideas! They pair well with everything and are so simple to prepare and serve.
Elegant but Easy Green Beans Almondine
Crisp, buttery green beans almondine is a delicious side dish perfect for the holidays or to pair with your Sunday dinner ideas!
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Air Fryer Mushrooms
Crispy, easy air fryer mushrooms are ready in no time and make a perfect side dish to any main course – or party food for dipping!
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Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots
These Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots are the perfect addition to your Easy Easter Side Dishes! Whole, peeled carrots are seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and oregano, drizzled with a little garlic oil, and roasted until tender. Finish with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan and melted butter for an easy and delicious springtime side.
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Amazing Button Mushrooms Recipe
Mushrooms are caramelized in butter and olive oil and sautéed with garlic and herbs in this BUTTON MUSHROOMS RECIPE for the perfect side for any entrée!
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Small Potatoes Recipe
Garlicky, buttery, and oh-so-crispy, my Garlic Roasted Small Potatoes make a delicious side dish for every meal from beef to chicken.
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Glazed Instant Pot Carrots
Instant Pot Candied Carrots are ready in no time! Made with a maple syrup and brown sugar glaze, these carrots taste delicious. Perfect for a holiday meal!
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Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions
Using only a few SIMPLE ingredients, quick and easy sautéed mushrooms and onions are the PERFECT versatile side dish for steak, burgers, chicken or pork!
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Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes are so deliciously sweet, and perfect for the holidays or as a side dish for Sunday Supper! Ready in under 30 minutes.
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Buffet Salads
Salads are a must for filling out your party food buffet ideas! Here are our best salad recipes for a crowd:
Roasted Artichoke Hearts Salad Recipe
Roasted Artichoke Salad is one of the easiest and prettiest holiday salad recipes you should be serving all season long! The roasted artichokes combined with the tangy burst of fresh basil vinaigrette is the perfect festive salad and a delicious way to start your meal.
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Brussels Sprouts Salad
Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad is a delicious warm salad recipe you will crave more and more of! It's a perfect holiday side dish, with Parmesan, pecans, cranberries, and garlic.
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Zesty & Tangy Orange and Fennel Salad
With its bright, sweet, and zesty flavors, Orange and Fennel Salad is a perfect side salad or citrus salad recipe for lunch!
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Grilled Chicken Salad
Complete with crisp, fresh veggies and deliciously creamy buttermilk ranch dressing, my Grilled Chicken Salad is a must-try for the summer!
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Broccoli Apple Salad
This Broccoli Apple Salad is absolutely delicious! Make it with deli turkey and follow the recipe for a complete meal that’s super quick and easy.
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Main Course Salads + Grilled Chicken Salad
Main Course Salads are easy, tasty, and filling enough for a meal! Make one of my easy salads for dinner, or experiment with my suggestions!
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Kale Caesar Salad
Learn how to make Chick-fil-A Lemon Kale Caesar Salad at home using easy ingredients! Simple to make and so delicious!
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Buffet Entrees
These buffet-style main course ideas are perfect for holiday menu planning!
Slow Roasted Prime Rib
My Slow Roasted Prime Rib Roast recipe is a melt-in-your-mouth holiday classic using only 4 ingredients with hardly any prep work!
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Juicy Grilled Turkey
Your Thanksgiving plans are about to change forever! Our Juicy Grilled Turkey Recipe has the crispiest skin ever and is so juicy.
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Instant Pot Ham
Not only does it taste amazing, but Instant Pot Ham really is the easiest way to make ham. It takes just 15 minutes to cook, and the reverse sear gives it a super flavorful, crispy, and sticky skin.
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Fall Apart Sirloin Tip Roast
The perfect roast for a cold winter night! This Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a family friendly recipe, that is easy to cook and so low effort. Perfect for busy families and novice chefs!
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Honey Glazed Ham
My Honey Glazed Ham recipe will be your new favorite holiday ham! The ham glaze is so easy to prepare and so moist and flavorful!
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Grilled Crab Legs with Garlic Butter Sauce
Tender, luscious Grilled Crab Legs cook up in just 10 minutes on the grill and pair deliciously with flavorful garlic butter sauce. You will love every bite of this easy grilling recipe!
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Lemon Butter Chicken
Lemon Butter Chicken is a flavorful dinner made with the most delicious lemon garlic butter sauce ever! An instant family favorite. You will love this easy chicken dinner!
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Beef Chuck Roast Recipe
My Beef Chuck Roast is braised slowly to create a wonderfully tender and flavorful beef dinner your family will devour!
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Pork Loin Pulled Pork
The easiest guide for how to make pork loin pulled pork in crock pot! Follow our guide on how to make pulled pork, and you'll have the best pulled pork recipe on the block. Slow cooker pulled pork is so mouth-wateringly good, you'll be shooing away neighbors.
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Buffet Desserts
These are the easiest desserts to make ahead of time for a buffet party!
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
There is no treat as deliciously sweet as Ooey Gooey Butter Cake! Also known as chess cake, chess pie, or chess squares, this simple dessert recipe is a classic Southern food everyone who tries it loves.
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Amazing Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe
Instant Pot Cheesecake Recipe is SUPER easy and guarantees you a perfect result every time! Easily make perfect homemade cheesecake in your Instant Pot.
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Key Lime Bars
Tart and sweet with a buttery cookie crust, this Key Lime Pie Bars recipe is perfect for spring and summer. Serve it for a backyard BBQ or potluck, and everyone will be asking for the recipe!
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Fresas con Crema
My Fresas con Crema recipe shows you how easy it is to make a special and memorable dessert for your family without spending hours in the kitchen! In fact, it only takes 10 minutes!
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Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
Beautiful STRAWBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE is an easy dessert recipe made with simple homemade strawberry sauce and smooth, creamy baked cheesecake.
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Zucchini Brownies with Coconut Oil
My Zucchini Brownies with Coconut Oil are so moist, decadently fudgy, and rich. They're ready in just 40 minutes and are so easy to make.
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Carlota de Limón
Sweet and tangy Carlota de Limón is a classic Mexican NO BAKE dessert recipe with layers of Maria biscuits, condensed milk, dulce de leche, and lime juice!
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Strawberry Dump Cake
My Strawberry Dump Cake recipe is a miracle dessert with just 5 minutes of prep and 50 minutes to bake! Everyone will ask you for the recipe!
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Ina Garten Apple Crisp Recipe
The most amazing cinnamon baked apples and mouthwatering, delicious, buttery streusel topping make up this Ina Garten Apple Crisp. Every bite is heavenly!
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Crumbl Cookie Recipe – Chocolate Oreo
Learn how to make Chocolate Oreo Crumbl Cookies with a rich, chocolatey cookie base and decadent cream cheese icing using simple ingredients!
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Amazing Rhubarb Dump Cake
Rhubarb dump cake is one of the easiest springtime desserts you can make, using cake mix and a handful of other SIMPLE ingredients in a few EASY steps!
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Holiday Menu Ideas
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Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!What’s your favorite dish to serve for a buffet? Did you try any of these party food buffet ideas? Let us know in the comments below! We love to hear from you!
Recipe
Buffet Breakfast Casserole
Look no further for simple buffet ideas! Sausage Breakfast Casserole with Crescent Rolls is an easy breakfast that's great for feeding a hungry crowd!
Equipment
- 9" by 13" baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (not sausage links)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup colby jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 16 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls 2 tubes
- 1 to 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned all the way through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Be sure to break up the sausage as it cooks. Remove from heat and strain off grease. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika until fully incorporated. Add cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Open crescent rolls and roll according to package directions. Arrange 15 rolls in prepared baking dish in three rows with 5 rolls in each row.
- Add sausage to the baking dish, spreading it evenly over the rolls.
- Pour the egg mixture over the rolls and sausage.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.Sprinkle top with green onions, if desired. Serve warm.
Final StepPlease leave a rating and comment below to tell me what you think of the recipe! This helps me know which recipes you’re looking for, so I can continue to provide you with high-quality recipes at no cost.
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Notes
- Make sure to use ground sausage or breakfast patties, not the links. Regular, hot, or sage sausage is perfect for this dish.
- This crescent roll breakfast Casserole is great with a little hot sauce on it.
- You can substitute bacon or ham for the sausage in this casserole.
Nutrition
Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 23gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 1204mgPotassium: 275mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 685IUVitamin C: 1.5mgCalcium: 245mgIron: 2.3mg
Debra Steinbacher says
Cauliflower augratin and angel food cake with strawberries seem to be two things I make for Easter dinner..
Em Beitel says
That sounds amazing, Debra. We’d love to know how you make your cauliflower au gratin!