French toast batter traditionally consists of eggs and milk mixed with spices and vanilla essence. In its traditional form, the delicious custard-flavored bread is not vegan. However, vegans don’t need to forego this delicious breakfast or brunch treat. Ingredients like plant-based milk, flaxseed, chia seeds, cornstarch, and nutritional yeast make excellent substitutes for eggs and milk. Here’s how to make vegan French toast.
Vegan French Toast Recipe
Nora Cooks provides a delicious recipe for Vegan French Toast. With this recipe, you learn the art of making vegan French toast and realize the simplicity of this global favorite. Cornstarch is her secret for getting these French toasts creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside, and it’s an ingredient everyone has in their pantry.
Another common ingredient you’ll need to create the batter is baking powder. Ground flax seeds replace the egg, helping to thicken the non-dairy milk for the batter. Fry the battered bread in vegetable oil for a few minutes on each side, and you are ready to enjoy the French toast with maple syrup and berries or any topping you choose.
Use any old bread like a baguette, ciabatta, or sourdough, but rustic bread works best. Slice it on the thicker side for the best results. If you prefer gluten-free, choose one made with spelt, millet, or buckwheat flour.
The Best Vegan French Toast
If you want to learn how to make vegan French toast, this recipe from The Plant Based School is divine and uses everyday ingredients. Never use sandwich bread for French toast if you can avoid it because it’s not dense enough. Use bread that’s at least a day old and cut into 1-inch slices to help keep its shape.
When choosing a non-dairy milk, any plant-based milk you prefer will work. Most recipes call for unsweetened milk, but if you only have sweetened, adjust the sugar in the mixture. Sugar is used in the batter mixture to help caramelize the toast when frying.
Traditionally, the aromas and spices used in French toast are vanilla and cinnamon. However, you can add any spices you prefer, including nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice, and a pumpkin spice mix all work well.
Simple Vegan French Toast
Are you looking for a French toast recipe that’s quick and easy to prepare? Here’s how to make vegan French toast with this simple recipe:
Simple Vegan French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 heaped T. ground chia seeds
- 2 T. maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 4-5 bread slices
Instructions
- Mix all the batter ingredients, except the bread, in a big but shallow bowl. Leave in the fridge for about 15 minutes to activate the mixture.
- Preheat and grease your pan with one tablespoon of vegan butter or coconut oil.
- Dip each bread slice into the batter, soaking for about 15 seconds on each side.
- Fry until golden brown on both sides.
- Top with maple syrup, fruit, or any other toppings you prefer, and serve.
Easy Vegan French Toast Tips
Even though the name leads everyone to believe French toast is French, it’s not. Manuscripts from the early Roman Empire show they had a recipe for soaking stale bread in an egg and milk batter to make a sweet bread called “Pam Dulcis.” During the Middle Ages, food shortages made people need to find creative ways to reuse old food, including bread.
Therefore, the dish known as French toast has been around for a while, just with different names. For instance, the French named the dish “pain perdu.”One explanation for where the name French toast came from is the old Irish word for slice, which was “to French.” Hence, French toast or sliced toast.
Another legend says the name for French toast came from the innkeeper who introduced it to the U.S. His name was Joseph French, and he wanted to put the name French’s Toast on the menu but forgot the apostrophe.
How to make vegan French toast requires that you heed these tips:
- The batter consists of plant-based milk and some sugar or syrup flavoring. To recreate the egg, it will also contain flour, cornstarch, flax seeds, chia seeds, or mashed banana.
- Some recipes include black salt or nutritional yeast to provide an egg flavor, much like custard.
- Make your batter in a shallow dish to allow for easier bread soaking.
- Soak the bread well, a few seconds for softer bread and up to a minute for harder bread, to ensure it absorbs the liquid. However, it mustn’t fall apart.
- Use a hot, non-stick pan with vegetable oil or butter to fry on both sides until golden brown.
- You cannot prepare French toast in advance because you cannot reheat it successfully. However, you can prepare the batter up to 24 hours ahead and store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Vegan French Toast: A Delicious Alternative
French toast is an enjoyable breakfast treat that almost everyone craves. Here’s a delicious alternative using nutritional year and millet flour from the team at Love & Lemons created for everyone who wants to know how to make vegan French toast.
Adding nutmeg and cinnamon to the liquidy batter gives the bread a spicy, delicious richness with whatever topping you prefer. The two servings for this plant-based and gluten-free French toast recipe require 15 minutes.
Vegan French Toast in a Few Steps
Here’s another French Toast recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen, which you can have ready in a few minutes. You will need the following seven ingredients:
- Vegan Milk – They all work well, but try cashew or oat milk if you prefer a creamier version.
- Flax Meal – Use ground flax seeds to replace the eggs in the French toast recipe. Cornstarch also makes an excellent substitute to thicken the batter if you don’t have flax seeds. You need two tablespoons for every half a cup of liquid.
- Maple Syrup – You can also use another sweetener, but it is optional. However, most people love the extra sweetness, which has a better caramelizing effect.
- Vanilla Extract – It adds flavor and a slight sweetness.
- Spice – Spice adds flavor to French Toast. Use cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or any other spice you prefer.
- Thickly Sliced Bread – Any sturdy, stale bread, including vegan brioche or sourdough, will do.
- Vegan Oil or Butter – For Frying the brad once battered.
- Toppings – Traditional toppings include maple syrup, extra cinnamon, and berries. However, you can add vegan butter, coconut cream, toasted nuts, etc.
Quick and Tasty Vegan French Toast
Vegan French toast is a quick and tasty treat that you can serve any day of the week. It’s especially appreciated for Sunday breakfast or special holidays when the family is together.
If you don’t miss eggs or dairy but still like to make a traditional treat for breakfast, then the time has come to learn how to make vegan French toast. All it takes with this Easy Vegan French Toast recipe from Simple Vegan Blog is seven ingredients and 20 minutes of your time.
Here are some expert tips from Iosune, the creator of the blog:
Use stale bread – It soaks up the batter best, resulting in a more delicious French Toast.
If you don’t have stale bread – Prepare from the evening before by leaving the bread out to dry overnight. Place fresh bread in a warm oven for about 15 minutes at 180ºF to dry.
Be careful with the soaking – Don’t let the bread slices get soggy; they will break as you transfer them to the pan. Soaking time depends on the type of bread and how old it is.
Skillet – A non-stick skillet used on medium heat will prevent sticking, but don’t omit to use vegan butter or oil to prevent the bread from burning.
Mastering Vegan French Toast
Mastering how to make vegan French toast is easy. The recipes above call for everyday ingredients in your pantry; they are easy to find in stores if you need to shop.
The trickiest part is to replace the eggs in the recipe, but you’ll be happy to know that all-purpose flour will do the trick by thickening the batter. Cornstarch works well if you have run out of flour. However, you can also use ground flax or chia seeds.
Avoid oversoaking the bread. Otherwise, you will end up with a soggy French toast. The secret is using dense bread that won’t fall apart while transferring to the pan or flipping. Additionally, it should be stale, and don’t slice it too thinly. Generally, a 1-inch slice of dense bread should soak in the batter for about 15 seconds per side.
Making vegan French toast is a great way to eliminate waste. It allows you to use up your stale bread by frying it with these easy batter ideas from above. Once you have prepared your French toast, use your creativity to serve it up. Most people like French toast served with fruit or sweet toppings, but you can also add savory elements.
Globally, nations enjoy French toast variations that match their cuisine. Some people even spike it with wine or other alcohol. In America, it even has a national day on November 28. Get prepared to celebrate it with a batch!
Expert Tips for the Perfect Vegan French Toast
- Choose the Right Bread: Opt for sturdy, dense bread like sourdough or ciabatta. These types hold up well to the batter without getting too soggy.
- Let the Bread Sit Out: Use day-old bread or let fresh slices air for a few hours if possible. This little trick helps the bread soak up the batter just right.
- Whisk Your Batter Thoroughly: To get a smooth, clump-free batter, whisk your mixture of plant milk, flour (or cornstarch), and spices until perfectly blended.
- Flavor Creatively: Elevate your French toast with vanilla extract, cinnamon, or nutmeg. Don’t be shy about experimenting with other flavors like almond extract or pumpkin spice.
- Use Non-Dairy Milk Wisely: Opt for unsweetened almond, soy, or oat milk. These offer the best consistency and subtle flavors that won’t overpower your dish.
- Preheat and Grease Your Pan: A well-preheated, lightly greased pan (think coconut oil or vegan butter) ensures your French toast won’t stick and gets that golden-brown finish.
- Don’t Rush the Soak: Give each slice of bread enough time in the batter to absorb the goodness, but not so long it starts falling apart. A quick dip on each side should do it.
- Keep It Warm: If you’re making a batch, keep your finished slices in a warm oven (about 200°F) until you’re ready to serve. This keeps everything toasty and delicious.
- Top It Off Right: Fresh fruit, maple syrup, vegan whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar can turn a simple French toast into a decadent treat.
- Experiment with Toppings: Beyond the classic toppings, try nut butter, vegan chocolate chips, or coconut flakes for a twist.
Remember, the beauty of cooking, especially with vegan recipes, lies in experimentation and personalization. Encourage your readers to follow these tips, find the best for their taste preferences, and enjoy creating a plant-based delight.
