Start your morning with a warm and comforting sourdough french toast casserole that's crispy on the edges, soft on the inside, and perfect for sharing with family or friends. Top it all off with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup for added sweetness creating the perfect bite!
French toast casserole is popular around the holidays as it's great to serve Christmas morning or for a delicious brunch gathering with the family. Traditionally, French toast is made using French bread or brioche, however this version uses crusty sourdough bread instead.
This tasty vegetarian breakfast recipe is sure to be a hit! I love the warm spices of cinnamon and my special twist, a dash of nutmeg, to add some flavor to the custardy vanilla egg mixture.
The best part about this recipe is that you don't have to let it sit overnight. You really only need 15 minutes to allow it to sit and soak up all of the delicious flavor. That being said, it can definitely be prepped the night before if that is easier for you.
If you're a fan of breakfast casseroles make sure to check out my popular cottage cheese egg bake with veggies or this delicious and wholesome asparagus egg bake casserole.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is dairy-free, made with extra creamy oat milk instead of heavy cream or milk.
- You don't have to let this sit overnight, it only need 15 minutes to sit and soak up the flavor before baking.
- This breakfast casserole can feed a crowd! It makes about 8-10 servings depending on how hungry everyone is.
Ingredient Notes
- Sourdough loaf - I like to use a loaf of Heidelberg bread, but you can certain make your own or use another type of sourdough. You will need about 10 cups of cubed bread for this recipe.
- Large eggs - you'll need 7 large eggs for this recipe. If you end up using smaller eggs you may need to add more to have enough mixtures for the bread to soak up.
- Oat milk - I recommend using extra creamy oat milk instead of regular oat milk.
- Spices - salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract flavor this dish.
Substitutions and Variations
- Bread - swap in your favorite bread if you don't like sourdough.
- Milk - free free to use regular milk or another plant-based milk instead of oat milk.
- Cream cheese - add a few dollops of cream cheese throughout the casserole before you bake it.
- Eggy - add 1-2 more eggs if you want an "eggier" version.
- Vegan - use a liquid egg replacer such as Just Egg.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 - Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the spices and milk and whisk until combined.
Step 2 - Add the bread cubes to the egg mixture. Mix well until the bread is coated. Let is sit for at least 15 minutes (or overnight) to allow the bread to absorb the mixture.
Step 3 - Pour the bread mixture into a baking pan. Top with more cinnamon and brown sugar.
Step 4 - Bake for 20-30 minutes. Top with powdered sugar.
Hint: slice your sourdough into approximately 1-inch cubes so they are easy to eat!
Emily's Top Tip
"If you want a really eggy mixture, add 1-2 more eggs. I like to serve this with fresh berries to add a nice pop of color to the dish."
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
- Make sure to serve this with a maple syrup (I always recommend real maple syrup over the fake stuff, but follow your heart)
- Add colorful fresh fruits on the side such as blueberries, strawberries or kiwi.
- Serve with a dollop of butter for a richer flavor, or add some nuts such as pecans or or walnuts as a crunchy topping!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can be easily reheated in the oven or microwave. You can freeze portions of this as well for up to 3 months.
I usually use fresh bread in this recipe, however you can opt to use stale bread. If you're using stale bread I would recommend allowing the casserole to sit overnight before baking, so the stale bread has enough time to really soak up all of the egg mixture.
No, since this recipe uses fresh bread it does not need to sit overnight. It only needs to sit for about 15 minutes before baking in order to absorb most of the liquid.
Sourdough French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 7 large eggs (add another egg if you want it more eggy)
- 1 ½ cups extra creamy oat milk (or milk of your choice)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 10 cups sourdough bread (sliced into 1" cubes)
- non-stick cooking spray
Toppings:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Serving suggestions:
- maple syrup
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the oat milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk until combined.
- Add the cubed sourdough bread to the egg mixture. Stir well until the bread is coated. Allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes (up to overnight), stirring occasionally.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the bread mixture into the baking dish.
- Top with brown sugar and ½ teaspoon more of cinnamon.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes (until desired firmness is reached).
- Top with a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and fresh berries on the side.
Notes
- I like to use fresh sourdough bread in this recipe, however you can also use stale bread. If you use stale bread, I would recommend allowing the bread mixture to soak overnight in the fridge (or 4-6 hours) before baking.
- Free free to use regular milk, or another type of plant-milk if desired.
- If you like a really eggy French toast, add 1-2 more eggs to this recipe.
- Please note, the nutrition facts below do not include maple syrup.
Leave a Reply