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    Home » Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner » Breakfast

    Published: Sep 14, 2021 · Modified: Dec 12, 2022 by Anthea

    Vegan French Toast Casserole (2 ways)

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    5 from 8 votes

    Easy and comforting baked vegan French toast casserole which is custard-like, crispy and so delicious! You'll need less than 10 ingredients to make this vegan breakfast or brunch. The casserole can be prepared overnight and topped with an extra special pecan crumble.

    Vegan french toast cubes baked in a casserole dish. The dish is dusted with powdered sugar and is topped with a pecan crumble, berries and cream.

    Why you should make this casserole

    No-fuss and easy to make with only 20 minutes of preparation time. You don't need any special equipment like a blender!

    Uses only common pantry ingredients. The french toast really shines as we are NOT using silken tofu, aquafaba, banana, coconut milk or store-bought egg replacers!

    Egg-free. Traditionally, French toast involves dipping bread in an egg-based custard mixture. This recipe makes an eggless custard from a few simple ingredients!

    Resourceful. Perfect for using up excess day-old bread or older stale bread.

    Fancy breakfast ideal for breakfast on birthdays, Christmas morning or Thanksgiving. Or simply when you have guests over!

    Ideal for meal prep. Can be prepared overnight and even days in advance.

    Close up of vegan french toast casserole cut into cubes.

    Ingredients for this French toast casserole

    Flatlay of ingredients for overnight vegan overnight french toast.

    Notes about the ingredients

    Sturdy sliced bread such as French bread, Italian bread, sourdough or challah bread. I used homemade vegan brioche which was a few days old. However, I made this recipe with sourdough for my cookbook which works really well!

    Dairy-free milk. I prefer unsweetened soy milk as it's thick and rich. However, almond milk, oat milk or your milk of choice will also work!

    Cornstarch (flour) or ground flax/chia seeds to thicken the milk. The cornstarch helps retain the color of the milk whereas the seeds are nutritious but will give the casserole little brown specks.

    Black salt to give the French toast an egg-like taste and smell, reminiscent of traditional French toast. This is completely optional but makes the casserole more special.

    Sugar, cinnamon and vanilla for depth of flavor. Instead of cinnamon, you may use other sweet spices such as nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.

    I've also included an optional pecan crumble made with just pecans, flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon.

    A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    How to make the french toast soaking liquid

    This is super easy! Instead of making a separate flax egg or chia eggs, we're mixing everything in one bowl (hello less washing). You don't even need to blend the ingredients!

    So, simply add ALL ingredients for the liquid to a bowl and mix. Set it aside for 5 minutes to allow the ingredients to slightly thicken up.

    The mixture should still be very liquidy but with slight viscosity (just like lightly whipped eggs). If the flax/chia seeds or corn starch sinks to the bottom or separates from the non-dairy milk, simply whisk the mixture again.

    Light brown french toast soaking liquid in bowl.

    Assembling the French toast casserole

    There are two ways you can assemble the vegan breakfast casserole.

    Option 1: Cubed Bread

    The first method is easy where you cut the bread into cubes, arrange them in a casserole dish and simply pour the custard liquid on top. Each cube of bread easily absorbs the French toast liquid.

    This method is definitely easier but looks more disorganized and messy.

    Two image collage of cubes of stale bread in casserole dish with french toast liquid being poured on top.

    Option 2: Sliced Bread

    The second method for assembling the french toast casserole is where you slice the bread and arrange them in the baking dish.

    This method creates a prettier and more presentable baked vegan french toast bake. However, you may end up with layers of toasted bread, strange pools of custard and some French toast.

    For this method, I'd recommend arranging the bread as flat as possible to allow for enough surface area to soak the French toast liquid. If your bread doesn't fit evenly in your dish (like below), you can arrange it similar to how Well Plated arranged her overnight French toast.

    You may also need to lift each piece of bread and carefully pour the French toast liquid where the bread overlaps so everything is more evenly distributed. Alternatively, you can dip each slice of bread in the liquid, arrange them in the tray, pour over the excess liquid and bake it.

    Two image collage of 10 slices of bread neatly arranged in a casserole dish. One image has a spoon carefully pouring custard liquid on top.

    Customizing the baked vegan French toast

    How can I make this baked French toast casserole EXTRA delicious and luxurious?

    Substitute the cornstarch (or flax/chia seeds) with custard powder. That'll make your casserole reminiscent of bread and butter pudding! Dessert for breakfast anyone?!

    In the crumble, can I use something instead of chopped pecans?

    Yes, I'd recommend walnuts, flaked almonds or even pumpkin seeds! Alternatively, simply add more flour to the crumble mixture (or omit the crumble altogether).

    How can I make this vegan french toast casserole gluten-free?

    Simply use any sturdy gluten-free French, Italian or sourdough bread. You may be able to use regular sandwich bread, as long as it's stale and sliced thickly. The custard soaking liquid is already gluten-free!

    How can I serve the french toast casserole?

    As the casserole is full of delicious bread, it's best topped with:
    - something creamy such as yogurt, ice cream, whipped cream or pouring cream
    - something fruity such as fresh berries (my favourites are raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) or any seasonal fresh fruit
    - powdered sugar and/or maple syrup

    Baked vegan french toast where vegan brioche is cut into slices. The french toast are dusted with sugar and have cream and berries on top.

    Can I prepare this casserole the night before?

    Yes, I'd definitely recommend making this French toast overnight! The bread will soak up the custard liquid and the flavors will have time to develop.

    To do this, simply assemble the whole casserole the night before (cut up the bread and pour over the liquid). Cover the tray and place it in the fridge overnight.

    The next morning, bake the overnight vegan French toast in a preheated oven. The casserole doesn't really need to come to room temperature before baking. However, it might just take 5 minutes longer to bake in the oven.

    Close up of custardy and soft texture of a slice cut out of french toast casserole.

    Other vegan breakfast recipes

    • Vegan Banana Blueberry bread
    • Easiest Baked Vegan Blueberry Pancake
    • Vegan Sticky Cinnamon Buns (with maple glaze)
    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka

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    Print Recipe
    5 from 8 votes

    Vegan French Toast Casserole (2 ways)

    Easy and comforting baked vegan french toast casserole which is custardy, crispy and so delicious! You'll need less than 10 ingredients to make this vegan breakfast and it can even be prepared overnight.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 8
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    • 450 g (1 lb) stale loaf of bread, such as vegan brioche, French, Italian, sourdough or challah
    • 2 cups (500g) dairy-free milk
    • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar, coconut sugar or cane sugar
    • 3 tablespoons corn starch / corn flour, or 3 tablespoons ground flax / chia seeds
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, (note 1)
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon black salt (kala namak), or ½ teaspoon any good quality salt

    Pecan crumb topping (optional)

    • ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose plain flour, or gluten free flour
    • ¼ cup (25g) chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, seeds or 3 tablespoons more flour
    • 2 tablespoons (30g) vegan butter, margarine or solid coconut oil
    • 2 tablespoons (20g) coconut sugar, brown sugar or cane sugar
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    Prepare the bread and french toast soaking liquid:

    • Chop all the bread into 1 inch (2 cm) cubes. Or slice all the bread into 1 inch (2 cm) slices.
    • Add the milk, corn starch (or ground flax), cinnamon, vanilla and salt to a large bowl. Whisk until combined and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken. If the corn starch or flax seeds sink to the bottom, simply whisk the mixture again.

    Assemble the casserole:

    • Grease a casserole dish about 11 x 6 inches (28 x 15cm) large (note 2). If you cubed your bread, scatter them in your casserole dish
    • If you cubed your bread, scatter them in your casserole dish. Pour the french toast liquid over the bread in the casserole dish making sure each piece is coated.
    • If you sliced your bread, you may need to press each slice into the bottom of the tray to soak the liquid or lift each slice so the liquid can get to the gaps.
    • Allow the bread to soak the custard liquid for at least 30 minutes. Or cover the tray and allow to rest in the fridge overnight.

    Prepare the crumble topping and baking:

    • When you're ready to bake the french toast casserole, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
    • Add all the crumble ingredients to a bowl. Rub the mixture with your fingertips or a spoon until combined or there are no more pockets of butter or flour.
    • Sprinkle the crumble over the casserole.

    Serving the casserole:

    • Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and there's no more liquid at the bottom of the tray.
    • Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup, ice cream, cream and/or fresh fruit!
    • Leftovers can be stored in the tray covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, sprinkle with a little dairy-free milk (just a few tablespoons or enough to return moisture to the casserole) and heat in the oven at 210°F (100°C) until warm.

    Notes

    1. Alternatively, you may use 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg or 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
    2. If you opted for the 'sliced' version, make sure your slices are as flat as possible otherwise they may not soak the liquid adequately. If this isn't possible, you may need to dip each individual slice of bread in the french toast liquid then arrange them in the casserole dish.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serve with crumble | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This recipe was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2021 for simplicity.

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Vegan French Toast Casserole (2 ways)
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    1. Julie says

      December 12, 2022 at 2:35 am

      When and where does the crumb toppong come in? I've read the recipe 4 times and I can't find anything past "preparing the crumb topping." Does it bake with it on or do you add it as a topping after it's cooked? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        December 12, 2022 at 8:40 am

        Hi Julie, sorry about the confusion! The crumble goes on before baking and I've just updated the recipe to say this! Thanks for your patience!

        Reply
    2. Sharon says

      July 17, 2022 at 6:35 pm

      5 stars
      I prepared this last night with the crumble and cooked it for brunch today, it was delicious. I kept this vegan using almond milk, coconut oil in the crumble and topped with vegan pouring cream. My family loved it!

      Reply
    3. Erica says

      January 17, 2022 at 12:46 pm

      Could I make this without the sugar, cinnamon, pepper and vanilla extract if I wanted a more plain, traditional French toast taste? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 17, 2022 at 2:32 pm

        When you say pepper, do you mean the black salt? The black salt actually helps mimic the eggs in traditional French toast :). But yes, you can omit sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. The dish will taste like only bread and your choice of milk so I'd recommend choosing ones that you already like the taste of. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    4. Annie says

      December 15, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      Thank you for this recipe. My daughter-in-law is vegan so I'm always on the lookout for new recipes for her. Your recipe is the only one out of hundreds that I've looked at that has ingredients that I have in my pantry! From reading the reviews, it sounds delicious and cannot wait to make it for her.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 14, 2022 at 7:41 pm

        Thanks so much for your comment! I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know how you go 🙂

        Reply
    5. Leticia says

      December 04, 2021 at 4:20 am

      This sounds so good. One question, if I'm refrigerating overnight do I put the crumble on too or wait til I'm ready to bake?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        December 04, 2021 at 8:40 am

        Good question! It would work either way - if there are no big 'pools' of liquid on top of the cubed bread, you can definitely sprinkle on the crumble the night before. If there is a lot of liquid, I'd probably say to sprinkle it on right before baking. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    6. Bo says

      November 26, 2021 at 5:52 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out so delicious! I used the leftover of some raspberry jam babka and topped with some more jam and almond flakes before baking. So so good, thank you!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 26, 2021 at 6:02 pm

        Aw I'm so glad you enjoyed this and love that you used up the leftover babka. Oooh almond flakes sound delicious too, thanks so much for your feedback!

        Reply
    7. Nico @ yumsome says

      June 17, 2017 at 4:01 am

      5 stars
      Eeeee... I love this - so yummy!

      Thanks so much for contributing it to my Father's Day round-up; the link is here if you'd like to share it across your social media... https://www.yumsome.com/15-manly-mouth-watering-vegan-recipes-for-fathers-day/

      Have a fab weekend! xx

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 30, 2017 at 2:28 pm

        Thank you SO much Nico! I really appreciate that you shared it to your Father's Day round up! What a beautiful collection. I hope you have been well xo

        Reply
    8. Bethany @ athletic avocado says

      March 31, 2017 at 8:16 am

      woah… this is genius! Cinnamon rolls are good, french toast is good, but together? Holy YUM!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        April 05, 2017 at 4:00 pm

        Thank you so much Bethany! It was soo delicious and we ended up eating it for dessert AND breakfast haha!

        Reply
    9. Sarah | Well and Full says

      January 17, 2017 at 12:45 am

      This is so insanely creative - combining french toast with cinnamon buns! I love it!! 😀

      Reply

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