This vegan strawberry French toast casserole is the most delicious make-ahead breakfast! It’s packed with fresh strawberries and made with a creamy, dairy-free base. The casserole is perfect for spring brunches and special occasions—it’s a total crowd pleaser!

This vegan strawberry French toast casserole really proves that, when it comes to cooking, simpler is (almost always) better.

For some reason, this is a truth that I need to relearn again and again. But the longer I cook, the more I value and listen to it.

I tried for a long time to come up with the perfect baked French toast casserole. The challenge of making a vegan version was, of course, replacing the eggs that are a traditional part of any French toast recipe.

I tried so many different egg replacers: chickpea flour, cornstarch, silken tofu, arrowroot, nutritional yeast. Each one of these options, which I’ve seen used in a lot of egg-free French toast recipes, had issues. My casserole kept turning out gummy and gelatinous, rather than creamy and light the way I wanted.

Finally, I decided to use a mixture that seemed almost too simple: non-dairy milk, flax egg for binding, cashew butter for richness. Lo and behold, it worked beautifully.

Sometimes, the less we overthink cooking, the better our recipes turn out. This French toast casserole is pretty unfussy, and it’s all the better for it.

What is French toast casserole?

French toast casserole might also be called baked French toast. Either way, the idea is to make the process of cooking French toast a little easier. This strawberry French toast casserole requires some preparation, but you’ll save time by not having to pan fry each slice or couple slices of toast.

For me, the hardest part of making French toast is browning up the slices little by little. Piling them into a baking dish with a custard base—in this case, the non-dairy milk and nut butter mixture—saves cooking effort.

French toast casserole has tons of make-ahead potential. I actually think it turns out best when the uncooked casserole sits in the fridge overnight before baking. So, it’s easy to prep in stages. The leftovers are also great, and they can keep well in the fridge or freezer (more on that below) once they’re made.

The best non-dairy “custard” for French toast

I was really surprised at how well the liquid ingredients in this recipe, which mimic a custard base for baked French toast, worked out! Here’s what you’ll need:

Non-dairy milk

For this recipe, you can use any of the following non-dairy milk options:

• Oat
• Soy
• Almond
• Cashew
• Light coconut (from a can or carton)
• Macadamia
• Pea (such as the Ripple brand)

The only non-dairy milk that I don’t recommend is hemp, as it can taste quite bitter.

Ground flax meal

The ground flax in the baked French toast casserole will help to bind the ingredients together. In this sense, it’s a helpful replacement for the traditional egg.

Cashew or almond butter

The cashew or almond butter in the recipe add richness. This will help to mimic full-fat dairy and egg in traditional French toast.

You can use any creamy almond or cashew butter. My favorite cashew butter for this recipe is Artisana’s raw cashew butter. It’s wonderful in baking, as well as vegan dressings and sauces.

Seasonal variations

The French toast casserole can be modified to showcase different seasonal fresh fruits. Try it with chopped apples or pears in the fall and winter, or stone fruits at the height of summer.

You can also mix up the type of berries that you use. Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries will work in place of strawberries.

What’s the best type of bread for French toast casserole?

I recommend white sandwich bread, a French country-style loaf, a peasant bread (like my friend Ali’s bread), or a round sourdough boule. Cubed, stale baguette will also work really well.

A white whole wheat or wheat boule will work, too. But I personally think that white bread—or at least wheat bread that’s not overly wheat-y—works best here. Save your super seedy, dense, and sprouted loaves for toast.

Can I use gluten-free bread?

Yes, definitely! As with using regular bread, I’d recommend a variety that’s soft, tender, and similar to white sandwich or French bread. If you’ve got a gluten free sourdough that you love, by all means, use it.

Can I make the French toast casserole ahead of time?

Absolutely. In fact, I always prepare the casserole a day ahead of time, storing it in the fridge overnight before baking. I think this results in the best texture.

You can also prepare the liquid mixture up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge. Simply pour it over the cubed bread once you’re ready to proceed with the recipe.

Freezing and storage

Casserole leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 6 weeks.

More make-ahead vegan breakfasts

I really, really love breakfast. Not just quick, easy, standard issue breakfast (like oatmeal or toast), but also fun, special occasion breakfast.

However, I’m not always able to prep more elaborate breakfasts in the morning as I start a work day. If you love fun breakfasts as much as I do, but you don’t always have time to prepare them, then make-ahead breakfast recipes may be a life-saver. Here are some of my vegan favorites.

Savory

• Chick’n enchilada casserole
• Split pea coconut breakfast porridge
• Butternut tofu apple breakfast hash
• Tofu scramble black bean enchiladas
• Quick and easy chickpea scramble

Sweet

• Chocolate chip baked oatmeal
• Apple ginger oat cakes
• Skillet baked oatmeal with stone fruit
• Slow cooker apple pie steel cut oatmeal
• Ginger pear muesli

A little drizzle of maple syrup over the plated French toast casserole is a really nice way to serve it. I also love to serve this breakfast with the sweet version of my cashew cream.

Hope you enjoy it!

xo