This Mixed Berry Vegan French Toast Casserole is the ultimate brunch recipe. All the amazing flavor of regular french toast in a delicious breakfast casserole. It’s also a great overnight option too!
What if I told you there’s a way to make the whole family happy and Sunday mornings super restful? No, not money. But, the best vegan french toast casserole recipe you’ve ever tried.
I’m wondering why we save recipes like this primarily for the holiday season. It just doesn’t seem right. Yes, it’s great for Mother’s Day and Christmas morning. But, we shouldn’t reserve peace on earth for one day a year. And, surely, we can show mom much gratitude beyond the month of May.
The best part about this vegan french toast casserole recipe, apart from the fact it’s delicious, is the fact it’s dairy-free, eggless, and so freaking easy to throw together.
You are going to love this amazing recipe. It’s the perfect way to start any morning not just holidays. So, if you’re ready let’s make it!
Ingredients
A super simple recipe made with common ingredients that come together in a matter of minutes. Just be sure and use the right bread…that’s the most important part of this recipe.
Exact measurements and instructions found in the recipe card below.
- Bread: You want to use a hearty and crusty loaf of bread. A day-old whole-grain, sourdough, or a french loaf works best.
- Non-Dairy Milk: My favorites are homemade almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk. But, your favorite storebought brand will work as well.
- Maple Syrup: adds a sweetness to the custard that will cover the bread.
- Vanilla: combined with the maple syrup and cinnamon it adds a depth of flavor that’s very nice and necessary…IMO.
- Flax Egg: ground flaxseed is added to the wet ingredients and replaces the need for eggs.
- Arrowroot Powder: this helps to thicken the custard. You can also use cornstarch or tapioca flour.
- Cinnamon: such a warming spice and essential for the classic french toast flavor.
- Baking Powder
- Frozen Mixed Berries: feel free to use fresh berries if you like. I like frozen because they are cost-efficient and can be kept for a long time.
How To Make Vegan French Toast Casserole
This vegan french toast recipe will more than satisfy your desire for vegan french toast. It’s soft, crunchy, and just sweet enough.
- Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and place the cubed bread into the baking dish. (You may also use a nonstick baking dish or silicone baking dish as well)
- To a large bowl add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, ground flaxseed, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, and baking powder. Whisk until everything is well combined then set it aside to rest for 10 minutes. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread. Gently toss the bread with a wooden spoon or your hands until all the pieces are covered. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, place it in the fridge, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375˚F while the bread is soaking.
- Take the bread out of the fridge and discard the plastic wrap. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, place in the oven, and bake covered for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover, add the berries, and bake for 20 more minutes.
That’s it! The best vegan french toast bake and the ultimate brunch recipe.
How To Serve Vegan French Toast Casserole
My favorite side dishes to enjoy with this dish are Spicy Vegan Sausage, Tofu Bacon, or Tofu Scramble.
But, it does just fine all on its own if you prefer. Serve it with warm maple syrup, vegan coconut whipped cream, chopped walnuts, and fresh fruit.
Recipe Notes And Tips
- Day-old stale bread is a MUST for this recipe. If you only have fresh bread simply cut it up, lay the pieces on a baking sheet, and let the bread sit uncovered for a day or so. You want crusty bread similar to croutons but not quite as hard.
- Cover leftovers with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy.
- If you want a thicker consistency for the custard use 2 cups of full-fat coconut milk in place of regular non-dairy milk.
Vegan French Toast Casserole FAQ
Let me start by saying what “NOT” to use. Do not use any type of soft sandwich bread. The casserole will be all soggy and wet. The best bread for this vegan french toast bake is a day old loaf of rustic whole grain bread, french bread, or sourdough bread.
It’s actually very simple. The ground flaxseed, arrowroot powder, and baking powder replace the need for eggs and create that thick custard that’s poured over the bread. Another good option for replacing eggs in french toast is chickpea flour or silken tofu.
YES! Once you prepare it you can let it sit in the fridge overnight and pop it in the oven the next morning.
You are going to love this easy vegan french toast casserole recipe. It’s…
- Easy to make
- Soft, crunchy, and sweet
- Perfect for holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day
- Healthy
- SO Delicious!
If you make this Mixed Berry Vegan French Toast Casserole I want to know. So, please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
Mixed Berry Vegan French Toast Casserole
This Mixed Berry Vegan French Toast Casserole is the ultimate brunch recipe. All the amazing flavor of regular french toast in a delicious breakfast casserole.
- Prep Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 50 mins.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Vegan Breakfast Recipes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce day-old whole-grain, sourdough, or a french loaf of bread sliced and cut into 1-inch squares. DO NOT use regular loaf bread. It needs to be a hearty, crusty loaf.
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond or non-dairy milk of choice
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder (you can also use cornstarch or tapioca flour)
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 12–ounce bag of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries)
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and place the cubed bread into the baking dish. (You may also use a nonstick baking dish or silicone baking dish as well)
- To a large bowl add the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, ground flaxseed, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, and baking powder. Whisk until everything is well combined then set it aside and let it rest for 10 minutes. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!
- Pour the custard mixture over the bread. Gently toss the bread with a wooden spoon or your hands until all the pieces are covered. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, place it in the fridge, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375˚F while the bread is soaking.
- Take the bread out of the fridge and discard the plastic wrap. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, place in the oven, and bake covered for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover, add the berries, and bake for 20 more minutes.
- Serve with vegan whipped cream, warm maple syrup, chopped nuts, and fresh fruit.
Notes
Day-old stale bread is a MUST for this recipe. If you only have fresh bread simply cut it up, lay the pieces on a baking sheet, and let the bread sit uncovered for a day or so. You want crusty bread similar to croutons but not quite as hard.
Cover leftovers with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave when you're ready to enjoy.
If you want a thicker consistency for the custard use 2 cups of full-fat coconut milk in place of regular non-dairy milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¾ cup
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 294.5 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.7 g
- Fiber: 5.2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sounds delicious. I’m going to do this for my coworkers at our next potluck. It’s always breakfast.
Do you think Food for Life’s Ezekiel bread would work well in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but it should work. I would let the bread sit out overnight in order to get stale.
I love your recipes very much, do you think you could add the potassium level to the recipes, I am stage 4 CKD, plant-based, and need to follow a low sodium and potassium diet.
Shane,
You have a serving at 207 calories. It would be more helpful if you put down calories for the whole recipe as we then could understand what we are actually consuming.
Thanks,
Dan
You are consuming 207 calories per serving. Do you plan on eating the whole thing?
The recipe says it makes 10 servings, so the entire batch should contain 2070 calories.
Actually, it has been updated to just 9 serving and it contains 230 calories per serving.
Great recipe for entertaining – just be sure to make enough. I always keep a bag of cubed bread as well as a bag of mixed fruit in the freezer, so when my daughter comes to visit I can take out the bread the day before and be ready to make this! Saves a last minute trip to bakery for the best bread. I am in search of an eggnog french toast or french toast casserole recipe for xmas ( daughter’s request). I have found a couple, but was wondering if you have one up your sleeve? 😉
This was wonderful. I halved the bread to make a smaller batch, but made the full custard mixture because I love the texture of bread pudding. I used frozen berries and put them in frozen and it turned out perfect. This is definitely a recipe I will make again and again and may experiment with other fruit. I’m thinking peaches would be great too. Thanks for a great recipe!
Ellie, thanks so much. I’m so glad you enjoyed it – it’s one of our faves.
Does the bread your using have egg in it? My grandson is allergic to eggs. I do want to try looks great and easy to make
No. All of my recipes are completely plant-based and vegan.
If you make it the night before, does the bread get really soggy by morning. I’m considering this for non-vegan company on Sunday but afraid to make something I haven’t made before.
Hi, Judy! You can assemble it, but not bake it, the night before and let it sit in the fridge. Then, remove and bake the next morning. It’s actually best if done this way.
My husband said that is a keeper! Five stars, or maybe SIX!
Thanks so much!!!
Good stuff! Was a big hit with my family who are not plant-based. Thanks Shane!
Awesome!!!
This Mixed Berry Vegan French Toast Casserole is the ultimate brunch recipe. All the amazing flavor of regular french toast in a delicious breakfast casserole. It’s also a great overnight option too!
Hi Shane,
Can this be left in the fridge overnight and then baked in the morning, or will the bread be too soggy?
Hi, Susan! This is a great recipe for letting sit overnight. So, store away:)
This looks delicious and a perfect use for my homemade sourdough bread. Question: Do the berries go in frozen or do you defrost them first?
You can do either. I usually throw them in frozen, but fresh or defrosted work just as well.