Vegan French Toast Casserole with Strawberry
Enjoy this Strawberry Vegan French Toast Casserole this spring and summer at brunches, for a nice weekend breakfast, or even for a breakfast dinner!
Just know that if you make this vegan breakfast for your kids, they’ll probably ask you for it at least once a week. I made it so many times while testing the recipe (and after testing was 100% complete) that I personally needed a couple weeks without it (my kids didn’t). So, rest assured, this recipe has been tested probably close to 100 times by now and it works every time.
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It’s super easy to make, but since it takes a half hour in the oven to bake, it’s best for mornings where you’re not rushing around and trying to get out the door with kids (but if you work from home or stay home with kids, it’s a great special breakfast for any day of the week!).
If you love the idea of this, but aren’t big on strawberries, check out this Apple French Toast Casserole, don’t worry, it’s still vegan.
Ingredients For Vegan French Toast Casserole with Strawberries
Bread: Almost any type of bread that comes in a regular sized loaf (18-20 ounces or more) can be used. Although, honestly, if all you have is a couple of baguettes, that works too!
Just sure to cut the bread and not to rip it. I usually use regular sandwich bread or Italian bread (what my kids call ‘fancy bread’) for this recipe, as that’s what we usually have on hand.
Butter: Be sure your butter is plant-based if you’re vegan, otherwise use what you have on hand. It just gets melted and added into a mixture with the milk.
Non-dairy Milk: Again, use the kind you have on hand. This recipe has been tested with many non-dairy milks, such as soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk. They all work well.
The only type of non-dairy milk I would NOT recommend is coconut milk, as that tends to have a strong flavor and I’m not sure if the fat content would work well with mixing it with the butter.
Brown Sugar: Part of what makes this casserole delicious is the sugar. I would not recommend white sugar to replace the brown unless absolutely necessary- but then again, the flavor will differ. Coconut sugar would be a better alternative if you do not use brown sugar or don’t have any on hand.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is part of what gives this dish a warming and comforting flavor. Also feel free to try a sprinkle of nutmeg or cloves for a stronger, warmer flavor.
Vanilla: Vanilla is optional, but it helps bring out the other flavors in the dish.
Strawberries: Strawberries give it a fruity flavor that is absolutely delicious and makes it ‘more’. But, if you don’t like strawberries, feel free to sub in another berry or fruit, or omit the fruit all together to have a plain vegan French Toast Casserole – it’ll taste great either way!
Simple Icing: Either use about 1 cup powdered sugar and some milk, or feel free to use whichever simple vanilla icing you enjoy.
How to Make Strawberry French Toast Casserole
*Note that these instructions can be printed below.
Step one: Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Step two: Add your bread cubes to a greased 9×9 casserole dish.
Step three: In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter and mix in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Step four: Add in the milk and vanilla and stir well.
Step five: Then pour the mixture evenly over the cubed bread in the dish.
Step six: Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar for the topping and sprinkle on top.
Step seven: Bake for 30 minutes.
Step eight: Make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar and tablespoon of milk, while allowing the casserole to cool. You’ll need 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk depending on the consistency of icing you prefer.
Step nine: Once cool, or at least 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven, top the casserole with the diced strawberries and drizzle the icing over top before serving.
How to Serve Vegan French Toast Casserole
Serve this strawberry breakfast casserole warm, with fresh strawberries on top and icing drizzled over it.
Or, top it with a vegan strawberry sauce!
How to Store Strawberry Breakfast Casseroles
Fridge: Once the casserole is completely cool, store in an airtight container (I like to use a glass container) in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
FAQ’s for Vegan French Toast Casserole
- Can this be made gluten-free?
- This recipe has not been tested with gluten-free bread, it has been tested with white bread, French bread, Italian bread, and whole-wheat.
- Does this casserole taste as good as French Toast Casseroles with eggs?
- Yes! It tastes just as good, if not better than French Toast Casseroles with eggs. On the plus side, this casserole recipe doesn’t have nearly as much cholesterol, so not only does it taste just as good, it’s better for you too!
- Would this go well with a vegan cream cheese icing instead of a vanilla icing?
- Absolutely! This recipe would go wonderful with a vegan cream cheese icing.
- I don’t have a bread knife, can I just rip the bread?
- No. Ripping the bread will cause the bread to become dense and not soak in the mixture as well. If you don’t have a bread knife, use a serrated kitchen knife if you have one. Kitchen scissors will also not work because they will pinch the bread.
- Would this recipe work with other fruit?
- This recipe also works well with blueberries, other berries, and some stone fruits, such as apples and peaches.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- Apple French Toast Casserole
- Vegan Danish Pastry Recipe
- Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes
- Vegan French Toast
- Vegan Strawberry Waffles
Vegan French Toast Casserole with Strawberries
Shawna ClapperEquipment
- 9×9 casserole dish
- 2+ cup Measuring cup and Whisk or Spoon
Ingredients
- Half a Loaf of Bread about 10 ounces, cut into cubes
- ½ cup Plant-based Butter
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups Non-dairy Milk
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla
Topping
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ cup Strawberries finely diced
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon Non-dairy Milk
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Add your bread cubes to a greased 9×9 casserole dish.
- In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter and mix in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Add in the milk and vanilla and stir well.
- Then pour the mixture evenly over the cubed bread in the dish.
- Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar for the topping and sprinkle on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Make the icing by mixing together the powdered sugar and tablespoon of milk, while allowing the casserole to cool. You’ll need 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk depending on the consistency of icing you prefer.
- Once cool, or at least 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven, top the casserole with the diced strawberries and drizzle the icing overtop before serving.
Notes
The top should feel a bit hard/crusty when done in the oven, however underneath will be soft and delicious!
DO NOT rip your bread, it is best to cut your bread with a bread knife. Ripping it will reduce the volume of the bread and make it dense.
