Know what’s better than French toast? French toast casserole!
Made the night before, all you have to do is wake up, pop it in the oven, and patiently wait until you can dig in! No standing around the griddle flipping individual slices.
Personally, this is one of my go-to casseroles as it’s:
- Packed with juicy strawberries.
- Made the night before, so there’s less work to do in the morning.
- Lightly sweetened with honey and strawberries.
- Tastes even better as leftovers the next day.
I personally love this casserole for when I have a big group over for brunch (which we will be able to do again someday!), but it also reheats well making it a good option for a smaller breakfast gathering as well or as a meal prep for the week.
To make this a complete meal, I recommend serving a slice of this casserole with an egg dish, such as these sweet potato and spinach egg cups.
Or, if you want to keep things on the sweet side, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt can also add a boost of protein without upping the amount of added sugar.
Tips for making this overnight French toast casserole
- For the best texture, I recommend using a bakery-style sourdough that has a crispy crust. It’s also best if the bread is a few days old. My go-to brand is Izzio Sourdough, but I also like Trader Joes’ San Francisco-Style Multigrain Sourdough Bread.
- Feel free to use a mix of berries. Blueberries and blackberries would especially work well.
- Any milk or milk alternative will work. Just go with an unsweetened option to keep the sugar content lower.
- For a little vanilla flavor, you can use unsweetened vanilla almond or oat milk.
- If you like your French toast on the cripsier side, I recommend heating up the leftovers in a toaster oven or regular oven.
Overnight Strawberry French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 8- slices sourdough bread see notes
- 1 pint strawberries rinsed and quartered
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup unsweetened milk/milk alternative of choice
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Plain greek yogurt and/or maple syrup for topping
Instructions
-
Place quartered strawberries in a small mixing bowl. Add cornstarch and honey, and mix well. If honey is too viscous, gently heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before adding to strawberries. Set aside.
-
Slice sourdough into 1”-inch cubes and set aside. If you don’t care how pretty it looks, you can also tear the bread into approximately 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
-
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until eggs are frothy. Set aside.
-
To assemble casserole, place about ⅓ of strawberries on the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan. Place sourdough bread cubes over strawberries and then pour egg mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining strawberries on top of casserole and cover with a lid or plastic wrap.
-
Place casserole in fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
-
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375F and set out casserole while oven preheats.
-
Bake casserole for 40-45 minutes, or until the egg custard has set and the top of the casserole is lightly browned.
-
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with Greek yogurt, maples syrup, and/or additional berries.