Make vegan French toast casserole with all the sweet, cinnamony goodness of traditional French toast! Great for lazy Sundays, special brunches, make-ahead breakfasts, or when you want to treat yourself.
Some mornings call for something more than tofu scramble or cereal.
If you want to limit the days as a short-order cook with individual French toast slices, this casserole takes the classic French toast ingredients and marries them in a simple casserole that can serve many people simultaneously. It's like French toast, and bread pudding had a baby.
All you need to remember is to buy bread in advance so you can have a loaf of stale bread.
Mix it up the evening before if you want, let it snooze in the fridge alongside banana cream pie overnight oats and easy caramelized apples, then slide it into the oven come morning. Voilà, a laid-back weekend or festive holiday breakfast is served, no sweat required!
And if you love breakfast and love casseroles, check out 13 Delicious Vegan Breakfast Casseroles for some great ideas.
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Why l Love This Recipe
- Simple prep, big flavor
- Great for feeding a crowd
- Crispy top, soft center
- Perfect make-ahead option
- No dairy or eggs needed!
Ingredients
These are simple and easy-to-find ingredients. See important notes on ingredients below. See the recipe card for details on quantities.
Ingredients for the Vegan French Casserole
Ingredients for the Crumble Topping
- Loaf of day-old bread - Using a loaf of day-old bread for vegan French toast casserole helps the bread absorb the liquid mixture better without becoming too soggy, giving the casserole a perfect texture after baking. Choose a day-old French baguette, sourdough, vegan challah, or brioche. You can also mix in some cinnamon raisin bread slices for pockets of sweetness and spice.
- The crumbled topping is a must for me! With five ingredients - vegan butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt - it is super easy to assemble while the casserole absorbs the liquid mixture and sits for a few minutes.
- Toppings: maple syrup, fresh berries, sliced bananas, nuts, a dollop of vegan yogurt, or vegan whipped cream
Variations
- Add ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin spice for a nice fall breakfast.
- Stir a ½ cup of vegan chocolate chips into the casserole before baking for a decadent twist.
- Add mashed bananas into your liquid mixture and layer banana slices between the bread before baking.
- Use different breads like vegan brioche or raisin bread, but only if it's hearty.
How To Make Vegan French Toast Casserole
Here is the process in pictures. The oven does the heavy lifting. I'm in and out, chopping and mixing, in 10 to 15 minutes. Then, the oven takes center stage for 40 minutes. For detailed instructions, see the recipe post.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Toss your bread cubes in there.
Step 2: Whisk together the ingredients for the binding mixture in a large bowl.
Step 3: Pour the liquid mixture over the bread cubes. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes while you make the crumbles.
Step 4: Whisk flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, then cut in cold butter to form coarse crumbs, folding in nuts if desired.
Step 5: Top the casserole evenly with the crumbles. Pop the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden and the center feels set but tender.
Step 6: Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve warm with powdered sugar and a generous drizzle of maple syrup plus your favorite toppings.
Top Tips
- For the perfect balance of textures, I pour the liquid mixture evenly over the bread cubes, soaking the top ones while leaving others unstirred. This ensures the liquid settles nicely at the bottom, creating a nice contrast between the crispier top and the moist, tender bottom—a combo I really enjoy.
- Allow the bread to soak up most of the mixture. A quick dip won't do. Give it at least 15 minutes while you make the crumble topping.
- Before sending your casserole into the oven's spotlight, don't skip the crumble topping - it enhances the dish.
- Bake your casserole in the center of the oven. The top should be slightly crispy, while the inside and bottom remain soft and moist. Cover with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- To make this vegan breakfast casserole ahead of time, assemble the night before as instructed and let it soak overnight in the fridge. The next morning, bake it as directed.
Serving Suggestions
- Warm up maple syrup in the microwave for a delicious topping.
- Top with sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and banana coins.
- A dollop of vegan whipped cream is always welcome in my house.
- A small dusting of powdered sugar makes a nice presentation.
- You can thin the yogurt with a little plant milk to make it drizzleable.
- For a brunch that truly impresses, set it up with a variety of breakfast items, including Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats, Tofu Scramble, Vegan JUST Egg Breakfast Casserole, and Vegan Quiche along with some vegan sausage.
Recipe FAQS
Maple syrup, agave nectar, and coconut sugar are vegan and refined sugar-free options. Adjust quantities to taste.
Leftover vegan French toast casserole can be covered in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat portions in the microwave or oven until warm.
The bottom part of the casserole tends to be a bit moist since it absorbs the mixture, but if it turns out really soggy, it might be because the bread was too fresh or there was too much liquid. Next time, try using bread that's a bit drier (a day or two old) or cut back on the liquid a tad. Plus, a longer bake time could help ensure the middle sets just right.
I have never done it, but it should freeze well after it is baked. Let us know in the comments if you try it.
More Vegan Casseroles To Love
Got a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate this Vegan French Toast Casserole. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegan French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the Casserole
- butter or oil spray for greasing the casserole
- 1 large loaf of day-old French bread or sourdough bread cubed (about 10 cups)
- 1 cup oat milk or any non-dairy milk
- 1 14 ounce can coconut milk
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup applesauce unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- a pinch of salt to bring all the flavors home
For the Crumble Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed - for a deeper molasses flavor, you can use dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted vegan butter cut into small pieces
- optional toppings: ½ cup chopped nuts - pecans or walnuts add a lovely crunch and nutty flavor
Extra Toppings
- maple syrup
- fresh berries
- sliced bananas
- nuts
- vegan whipped cream
- vegan yogurt
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Toss your bread cubes in there.
- Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together almond milk, coconut cream, brown sugar, applesauce, ground flaxseed, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Assemble: Pour the liquid mixture evenly over the bread cubes. No need to stir unless you want to coat every piece in the mixture. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes to absorb all the goodness.
- Crumble: While the bread pieces or soaking, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, whisking until well mixed, then cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers until it looks like coarse crumbs. Fold in the optional nuts if using.
- Top the Casserole: Evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the prepared casserole. This will create a beautiful, crumbly texture as it bakes.
- Bake: Pop the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center feels set but tender.
- Serve: Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve warm with a generous drizzle of maple syrup and your favorite toppings.
Steve says
This was great, and really taste like yummy French toast
Regi Pearce says
Hey Steve! Thanks so much. I'm glad you liked it.
Regi Pearce says
Hey, Rob! Can't wait to hear how it turns out. I've gone over this post more times than I can count, tweaking and tuning to make sure the instructions are clear.