Who doesn't love a good weekend brunch? Well, this quick and easy Vegan Berry French Toast Casserole recipe will make you love it even more! You can make this casserole the night before so it's perfect for entertaining. It's made with a seven grain bread, a delicious blend of mixed berries and topped with just a touch of powdered sugar. The smell of the berries, vanilla and bread getting toasty and warm in the oven will have your mouth watering even before it gets to the table!
Vegan Substitutes
The word "vegan" sometimes gets people in a tizzy. But, when you see it in the title of a recipe, don't let it throw you. Many everyday foods are vegan (i.e., bananas, rice, potatoes, lettuce...you get the picture). The term vegan just implies that the food or product is not derived from animals.
In order to make this recipe vegan, I needed to find a substitute for the eggs, butter and milk. Plant-based milks and butters are easy substitutes and are excellent for use in baking. But replacing eggs on the other hand, can sometimes be a little trickier. There are a few ways to substitute eggs in a recipe. For this vegan berry french toast casserole, I'm using a store-bought egg replacer that's plant-derived and from a company called Just Egg. I've only heard amazing things about this product, and how shockingly close to real eggs it tastes. I was really pleased with how well it worked in this recipe.
Making The Casserole
- Defrost the berries. I use frozen berries for this recipe. So you'll need to defrost and drain them ahead of time.
- Melt the butter and sugar. Helps to add a bit of sweet creaminess to the bread. You can use brown sugar or maple syrup as your sweetener.
- Whisk the "eggs", orange zest, milk, and vanilla. This mixture will help bind the bread and give it an extra burst of both warm and bright flavors.
- Cube bread and toss with egg and butter mixtures. I use a day old seven grain bread for this casserole. It's healthier plus it has more texture and flavor in my opinion.
- Let it rest at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. This helps the bread to absorb all the flavors in the dish and soften into a pudding-like consistency.
- Bake until golden. All the ingredients get combined in a baking dish until golden brown and delicious!
Recipe Notes
If you prefer not to make this recipe vegan, you can use regular large eggs instead (see recipe below). In addition just about any type of milk or butter, even coconut oil will work in this recipe.
It's easy to change up the filling by using different fruits. You can even use this recipe as the base for more savory fillings. Experiment and have fun with it!
If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like Fluffy Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes.
This post was not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
Let me know if you give this recipe a try. Don't forget to give it a "star rating" if you do or tag me on Instagram using the link below!
Vegan Berry French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups day old multi-grain bread cut into one inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup
- 6 tablespoon Just Egg (vegan egg substitute) or 2 regular large eggs
- 1 cup plant-based milk of choice
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 10 oz bag mixed frozen berries defrosted and drained
- powdered sugar or maple syrup for topping
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar and stir to combine. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg, vanilla, orange zest and milk.
- Add the butter and sugar mixture to the egg mixture along with the bread and berries. Combine until the bread is completely coated and berries are mixed in well.
- Transfer casserole to a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Bake about 20-30 minutes until bread is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
- Top with powdered sugar or maple syrup.
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