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Prepare this Vegan French Toast Casserole in the evening, then bake it the next day! It’s the fuss-free, convenient version of the breakfast classic, but still soft, creamy, and simply delicious. Vegan; Gluten-Free and Nut-Free Options.
Who says you need eggs and dairy to make French toast? This Overnight Vegan French Toast Casserole is just as satisfying as my classic Vegan French Toast recipe, with sourdough bread and a rich “eggy” custard baked together in a casserole dish. It always makes the holidays and Sunday brunches feel extra special!
Table of Contents
Make French Toast for a Crowd
French toast is easily one of my favorite breakfasts ever, and this Vegan Overnight French Toast Casserole is the most convenient version. I make it every time my friends stay over or the night before a holiday. Those warm, creamy, and maple syrup-soaked bites baked fresh in the morning start everyone’s day on the right foot.
And yes, the french toast in this casserole is just as creamy and custardy as the classic. After testing many vegan french toast recipes, I found that a blend of soaked cashews and chickpea flour perfectly mimics the traditional custard-y coating. The bread cubes absorb it overnight, yet stay rich and tender without getting soggy.
With just 10 minutes of hands-on prep the night before and a quick bake in the morning, you can have this wholesome, cinnamon-spiced casserole on the table in no time. Add your favorite toppings and dig in!
What You Need to Make French Toast Casserole
This warm and cozy breakfast is made with about 10 ingredients, most of which may be in your kitchen already! It comes together easily using these key components:
- Bread: go with a crusty, bakery-style loaf, like sourdough or French bread. Both are sturdy enough to hold their shape even after being soaked in the milk mixture overnight.
- Milk: the creamier your milk, the richer and more custard-like your french toast will be. I recommend using a full-fat oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk. Store-bought almond milk does not work so well.
- Soaked Cashews: they’re crucial in giving the custard that silky, egg-like consistency. If you forgot to soak the cashews overnight, just pour boiling water over the nuts in a heat-proof bowl and set them aside for 20 minutes before blending.
- Chickpea Flour: my favorite soy-free egg replacer! It thickens the custard, adds a mild “eggy” flavor, and boosts the plant protein. I also use it in “eggy” recipes like this Overnight Vegan Breakfast Strata and this Vegan Asparagus Mushroom Quiche.
- Arrowroot Powder: a natural thickener that helps the custard set. Cornstarch will work in a pinch, but arrowroot yields the best tender texture.
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Spread the bread cubes evenly in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.
- Blend the milk, cashews, chickpea flour, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together until smooth.
- Pour the blended mixture over the bread. Cover the dish and chill it in the fridge overnight.
- Remove the dish from the fridge and set it on the counter to come down to room temperature. Sprinkle the pecans and vegan butter over top, then bake the french toast until the liquid is absorbed and the bread is slightly golden brown.
- Add your desired toppings, then serve while the casserole is still warm.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Always use stale, day-old bread. Save the freshly baked loaf of artisan bread for later. French toast needs stale bread because it will soak up the custard without becoming soggy. Sourdough is my favorite, but cubed French bread or vegan-friendly brioche (Trader Joe’s has a good one!) also works. Ezekiel or my No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread may work, though I haven’t tested them.
- If all you have is fresh bread, let it sit out on the counter for 24 hours, or spread the fresh bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake at 215°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until they’re crisp and slightly dry to the touch.
- Press the bread cubes evenly into the vegan egg custard. This way, every piece will absorb the liquid, and you won’t end up with any dry cubes.
Serving Suggestions
I love making this french toast casserole for special weekend breakfasts. It only gets dreamier topped with maple syrup, fresh berries, and a dusting of powdered sugar! During the holidays, I’ll top it with this Pumpkin Spice Maple Syrup for a seasonal twist.
Don’t forget, this is a special breakfast recipe that deserves to be served with the best sides. Add a generous scoop of french toast to your plate, then round out the meal with a side of this Tofu Scramble, these Oil Free Breakfast Potatoes, and a fruit salad.
If you’re looking for more crowd-pleasing vegan breakfast recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Breakfast Casserole, this Easy Vegan Quiche, and this Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal!
How to Store Leftover French Toast Casserole
After it’s cool, cover the casserole dish or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. The baked french toast will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Freezing the leftovers is not recommended because the bread tends to dry out over time. However, you can freeze the custard-soaked bread before baking. Follow recipe steps through step 4, then after soaking, tightly cover your freezer-safe casserole dish with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before it’s time to eat, defrost the casserole in the refrigerator, then bake as usual.
Reheat the leftovers in a 350ºF oven or toaster oven until heated through.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Use day-old crusty gluten-free bread. Note that gluten-free bread tends to be more absorbent, so you may need to bake the casserole for an extra 5 to 10 minutes to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- Nut-Free Option: Replace the soaked cashews with 1 cup of nut-free milk (soy or oat). Also, omit the pecans or replace them with pumpkin seeds or my Nut-Free Granola for crunch.
- Chickpea Flour Substitute: Chickpea flour gives the custard its “eggy” structure, but you can use all-purpose flour instead if needed. Some readers have also had success using 1 cup of liquid Just Egg, though I haven’t personally tested it.
- Sweetener Options: Any liquid sweetener can be used as a substitute for maple syrup. Brown sugar or coconut sugar can also be used as long as the sugar granules dissolve completely in the custard.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking the bread cubes in the custard overnight is ideal, but a minimum of 8 hours is fine, too.
No, covering the dish isn’t necessary because the custard will prevent the bread from burning or drying out. If you do notice the bread starting to turn golden too quickly, loosely cover the casserole dish with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Both! The ideal french toast casserole is golden and crispy around the edges and on top while remaining soft and custardy in the center.
This likely means your bread was too soft, the casserole wasn’t baked long enough, or there was too much liquid in the dish.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Overnight Vegan French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounce loaf of sourdough bread, cubed*
- 3 cups non-dairy milk*
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked*
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 1/4 cup grade A maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
- 1 tablespoon cold vegan butter finely chopped (optional)
- Serving suggestions optional: fresh berries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, chocolate chips*, etc.
Instructions
- Prep: Bring out a 9×13” non-stick casserole dish. If your casserole is not nonstick, grease it with vegan butter or cooking spray. Spread the bread cubes evenly along the base of the pan.
- Milk Mixture: add the non-dairy milk, cashews, chickpea flour, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 60 seconds, until a smooth and bubbly mixture forms.
- Soak: Pour the mixture evenly over the bread in the dish, trying to coat every surface to allow for even absorption. Cover the baking dish with foil and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight, 8 to 12 hours.
- Bake: Remove the casserole dish from the refrigerator and uncover. Let the dish come to room temperature for about 30 minutes – in the meantime, pre-heat your oven to 350F. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the pecans and vegan butter (if using), then place the casserole dish in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. The french toast cubes should puff up and be slightly browned on top. If the casserole starts to get too dark before it is done, tent the baking dish with aluminum foil for the remainder of the bake time.
- Serve: Top as desired, then serve warm; leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Bread: I used a sliced sourdough loaf for this recipe, but french bread will work as well. Softer, fluffy breads like white sandwich bread will get too soggy and fall apart. I believe this recipe could work with Ezekiel or whole wheat bread, but haven’t tried it myself. Bread not dry? Place the cubes on a baking sheet and bake at 215F for 10-15 minutes, until dry.
- Milk: I used a creamy oat milk for this recipe, but soy or cashew milk would also work well. Make sure your milk is nice and creamy, so the final recipe is richer! I would not use store-bought almond milk.
- Cashews: If you forget to soak your cashews ahead of time overnight, you can (1) cover them in boiling water and let sit for 20 minutes, or (2) cover them with water and microwave for 3 minutes, then let sit for 3-5 minutes before draining.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free sandwich loaf instead. Gluten-free bread tends to be a little more tender, so you may need to bake your casserole for an extra 5 to 10 minutes so it is not soggy.
- Nut-Free: use a nut-free milk (soy or oat) and skip the pecans, or replace them with pumpkin seeds
- Other Substitutions: Maple syrup can be replaced with another liquid or granulated sweetener. If your sweetener is dry (ex: brown sugar), make sure it dissolves completely during blending in step 2. Arrowroot powder can be replaced with cornstarch. I have not tested this recipe with a substitute for the chickpea flour, but I imagine 1 cup of Just Egg would work as well – try at your own risk though 😉
Okay, so this recipe is GOOD. Made as written but I made my own gluten free focaccia (see bakerita’s recipe, it’s phenomenal) and staled it in the oven as recommended. First time making it and it was a hit among my extended, non-vegan family. My only note is that the chickpea flour’s flavor is rather overpowering. In future I will probably half this and double th starch for a similar effect. Don’t sleep on this recipe, though!
I’m happy you enjoyed, Anthony!
So convenient and so tasty!!! Served it with blueberries, powdered sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup.
Sounds delicious!
Definitely make again. I also added pumpkin spice it’s the season. Raspberry on top. I used egg replacer powder and cornstarch.
Sounds delicious!
Anyone tried it with whole slices of bread on a sheet pan? Thoughts on whether that would work as well? Thanks!
Hi Amanda! I don’t think a sheet pan would work, as the liquid in the recipe would spill over. You can layer whole slices of bread in a casserole dish though!
This is a delicious dish! I added a 1/4 teaspoon of kala namak instead of regular salt to give the dish a slightly eggier flavor. I made a mixed berry compote to top with the crushed pecans. Everyone loved the dish, and most were not vegan! I am experimenting with freezing the liquid separately so I can make this on vacation and not have to bring my blender. I will update if that works out. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing it with everyone, Cassie!
Delicious and so easy! I used a whole grain sourdough. I sprinkled on cinnamon at serving because I like more. We added butter and maple syrup when serving and it was perfect!
Thanks for the review Abby! I’m always adding extra cinnamon too 🙂
I was so excited to make this because it’s such an easy recipe! It turned out way better than I expected. It’s such a cozy and filling breakfast/snack. Didn’t use chickpea flour because I don’t ever buy it, so I used regular all purpose flour. Still turned out amazing and non-vegan friends loved it! It was even sweet enough that we ate it without any additional toppings – the pecans tasted so good with it and added great contrast of texture. This is going to be a staple for sure!
So glad it turned out amazing for you, Diaunna! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and leaving a feedback.
We’ve made this three times since Thanksgiving! It’s so good. I use regular flour instead of chickpea – mainly because I always forget to purchase it. This morning, I put apples in it. Cooking as I type – I’m sure it’ll be delicious!
Glad you love it, Karen!
This was delicious! A perfect Christmas morning breakfast. I didn’t pick up on the chickpea flour taste at all. I also did not see the note about not using almond milk and used it because that’s what I had on hand. Still came out great although next time I’ll be sure to try with the oat or cashew milk to compare!
Thank you, Jenny!
Hey! Just making this now and I realized the recipe doesn’t specify when to add the arrowroot powder. I’ve included in the milk mixture and I hope this turns out! So excited
Thank you, Alli 🙂
What can we use as a substitute for the cashews?
A good substitute would be raw sunflower seeds if you have a nut allergy.
Does the arrowroot powder get added to the cashew/oat milk/flour mixture? I plan on making this for holiday breakfast for the fam😄
Yes! Arrowroot powder or starch is the key to the perfect texture! 🙂
Yes, it gets added in to the milk mixture.
This recipe yielded a lot of French toast but that’s okay because leftovers were also delicious. I agree there is a chickpea flour taste if eaten plain, but you don’t notice that when adding toppings. Besides the extra protein is good for you and filling. I’m definitely going to make this (again) for Christmas morning!
That’s awesome! Thanks for leaving a review, Kathleen 🙂
This was the perfect dish to use up the other half of the Ezekial loaf leftover from making your stuffing last week! I just made a half recipe and used an 8 x 8 pan instead. There is a slight chickpea flour taste when this is eaten plain, but the minute you add toppings (I used frozen blueberries warmed in the microwave) you couldn’t notice the aftertaste anymore. Thanks, Caitlin!
Great! Thank you, Cara 🙂