Savory French ToastPut a savory spin on traditionally sweet dishes like tarts, pancakes, and pies. Just swap fruits and chocolate for vegetables and cheese to make recipes that will impress your guests next time you host brunch or dinner.
1. Overnight Savory French Toast
Instead of dousing bread in cinnamon and sugar, use Gruyere to make a crusty, cheese-y take on the breakfast classic. Bonus: Soaking the bread overnight means you can hit the snooze button in the morning.
2. Asparagus Tart
This asparagus tart looks as good as it tastes, with its fresh veggies and creamy quiche-like custard. Season with basil or add your favorite herbs.
Flavored with pepper jack cheese and green chiles, this recipe has a slight kick. Serve the light and fluffy soufflé with a green salad that will impress even your foodie friends. (They’ll never suspect how easy it was to make.)
4. Savory Ricotta Pancakes with Tomato-Chard Sauce
Made with ricotta cheese and topped with a tomato Swiss chard sauce, these pancakes bring a touch of Italy into your kitchen. Pair a short stack with a side of your favorite eggs and enjoy breakfast for dinner.
5. Sweet Onion Tart
Who needs fruit when you can load sweet onions and Parmesan cheese into a flaky crust? Serve the tart straight from the oven, or let cool and pack it for a picnic the next day.
Ditch the fruity strudel and fill phyllo with asparagus, mushrooms, and Gruyere. Buy packaged phyllo to cut down on prep time before popping it in the oven for just 25 minutes.
7. Savory Spring TartletsThere’s a tart for everyone when you can choose among herbed goat cheese, ricotta and roasted pepper, and creamy spinach-leek. Mix and match tartlets to take to the next potluck.
8. Curried Sweet Potato Shepherd’s PieFor a hearty dinner, make a pie filled with curried turkey, vegetables, and mashed sweet potatoes. Prepare the pie ahead of time and freeze until you’re ready to toss it in the oven.
9. Quick Summery Veggie TartFilled with peppers, onions, and zucchini, this tart will be a surefire hit at your next get-together. It’s the perfect dish to tote to a friend’s house since you can serve it warm or at room temp. Cut down on prep time by using a ready-made crust and drizzle with basil cream cheese.
10. Bacon and Corn PancakesIf you have a hard time choosing between sweet and savory for brunch, this could become your go-to recipe. With the saltiness of bacon mixed with the sweetness of corn, this flavor combo will please the most conflicted palette. Drizzle with maple syrup for an extra helping of sugar.
11. Creamy Chicken Mushroom PieTop chicken, mushrooms, carrots, and peas with premade puff pastry for a low-calorie dinner. Enjoy the warm, flaky goodness sans the guilt.
12. Tomato Soup CakeThis moist old-fashioned cake blends cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves with condensed tomato soup. The result is a spicy but not-too-sweet cake.
13. Potato Parmesan PancakesTransform boxed mashed potatoes into elegant pancakes in only 25 minutes. The recipe calls for Parmesan, but try experimenting with other cheeses and herbs to create a new taste each time.
14. Green Onion PancakesWho says pancakes have to be sweet? Take a break from blueberries and let green onions steal the show when mixed into a fluffy batter.
Do you have a favorite savory take on a traditionally sweet recipe? Let me know in the comments!
–by Kelsey Odorczyk
