Dairy-free French Toast Casserole with Blueberries

Name: Dairy-free French Toast Casserole
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 1 loaf sourdough bread, cut into cubes ((6-7 cups, packed)); 6 medium eggs; 1 ½ cup plant milk ((we like soy milk)); 1 ½ cup blueberries; ½ cup honey or maple syrup; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ((optional)); ¼ tsp salt; Zest of 1 medium lemon ((optional, but recommended)); 1 tsp vanilla extract ((optional)); 1 tsp butter or oil, for greasing

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This Dairy-free French Toast Casserole is a healthy and delicious breakfast the whole family will enjoy! It's naturally sweetened with honey and packed with juicy blueberries.

Pouring honey over a piece of dairy-free French toast casserole served in a white plate.

Dairy-free French toast casserole is perfect to make for a Saturday brunch. It's such a crowd-pleaser and comes together with just 8 ingredients! It's an easy make-ahead breakfast that requires just 10 minutes to prep but can serve up to 8 people!

This recipe is healthier than traditional french toast casserole, as it uses whole-grain bread and dairy-free milk!

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Ingredients You Need
How to Make Dairy-free French Toast Casserole
My Best Tips
FAQ
Storage
How to Reheat
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
📖 Recipe

Ingredients You Need

Gathered ingredients for making dairy-free French toast casserole.

Whole-wheat sourdough bread. You can use any bread you like, but we prefer to use sourdough bread because it has more protein and fiber.
Eggs. Use free-range eggs if possible.
Milk of choice. We like to use soy milk, but you can also use almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk.
Blueberries. Both fresh and frozen blueberries work well here.
Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Sweetener of choice. We like honey, but you can also use maple syrup.
Lemon zest. For brightness and tang.
Vanilla extract. Optional, we add it for flavor.

How to Make Dairy-free French Toast Casserole

First, start by making the egg mixture. Whisk the eggs, milk, spices, honey, and lemon zest in a medium bowl.

Pouring milk into a large mixing bowl with cracked eggs.

Then, grease a large baking dish with some butter or oil to prevent sticking. Cut your bread into cubes and add it to the baking dish.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread and use a spoon to mix everything up. Ensure each piece of bread is well coated so it's not dry. Add the blueberries on top.

A ceramic baking dish filled with cubed sourdough bread.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 1 hour or overnight if possible. This will allow the bread to soak, which results in a better texture.

Then, bake your for 40 minutes in a preheated oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Remove the foil halfway through so it can bake on the top and get golden.

This dairy-free French toast casserole is perfect topped with some powdered sugar. Just make sure to let it cool a bit before dusting.

A white ceramic dish filled with baked French toast casserole.

My Best Tips

Use stale bread. Fresh bread has a lot of moisture and won't soak the egg mixture. You can leave your bread uncovered on your kitchen counter for at least 1 night.
Don't skip the soaking! This is essential to make sure your casserole doesn't end up being soggy. If you don't have time to wait in the morning, prepare it the night before and let it soak overnight in the fridge.
Use any other fruit you like. Any fruit can work with this dairy-free French toast casserole- strawberries, pears, apples, etc.

FAQ

Why is my casserole soggy?

The first reason may be that you have used fresh bread. Make sure your bread is at least a day old. Fresh bread contains too much moisture, which won't work well in this recipe.

The second reason may be that you didn't let the casserole soak. This is an important step, so make sure not to skip it. Soak for 2 hours or overnight if possible.

Lastly, you had too much of the egg mixture. Make sure to follow the recipe as written and not add extra eggs or milk. Otherwise, the bread won't be able to soak it all.

Can I use frozen blueberries?

If you can't get your hands on fresh seasonal blueberries, you can make this recipe with frozen blueberries instead. No need to thaw, just throw them right in!

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes! The longer you let the bread soak in the mixture, the better the casserole! You can make this recipe 2 days in advance. Just remember to keep it in the fridge, covered with foil, so it says fresh.

What goes well with dairy-free French toast casserole?

This recipe is perfect to serve with some yogurt, a dash of maple syrup, and fresh fruit on the side!

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, just make sure to use good-quality gluten-free bread that can soak the egg mixture well.

A ceramic dish filled with dairy-free French toast with blueberries. Topped with powdered sugar

Storage

Fridge: Let it cool to room temperature. Cut into slices. Transfer them to a container and cover them with a lid. Save in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Let it cool to room temperature. Cut into slices. Transfer them to a container, and layer parchment paper between each slice to prevent sticking. Cover with a lid. Freeze for 1 month. No need to thaw before reheating.

How to Reheat

Oven: Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Layer a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray. Add your slices and bake for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through.
Microwave: Place a slice on a microwave-safe plate. Heat for 1 minute or until warmed through.

If your slices were frozen, you'll need to reheat them for longer, preferably in the oven.