Your brunch dreams are about to come true with THE best Vegan French Toast ever. It's soft, sweet and golden with a texture just like French Toast made with eggs! Made quickly and easily with regular pantry ingredients, in under 15 minutes!
Raise your hands if you love French Toast? *me! me! me!* So why have I not created a vegan French toast recipe until now? I think I've been failing as a vegan food blogger and today I am putting it right and bringing you THE most amazing Vegan French Toast EVER!
We are talking thick, crusty bread, dunked in thick, sweet custard then pan-fried or griddled until it reaches fluffy golden perfection. The texture is perfection. It's like proper eggy French toast only without the eggs!...<Thank you tofu>
Can vegans eat French Toast?
Regular French toast is made with eggs so it is not vegan friendly. However, it is very easy to make a vegan version that is just as good, and some have said better, than the traditional egg version. To do that we make our vegan French Toast with tofu instead of eggs. It sounds strange but it really works!
Ingredients & equipment
Here's a quick rundown on what you need to make to make this amazing vegan French toast and why:
- extra-firm tofu - When you make French Toast with eggs, the eggs cook in the custard and start to set. That's what gives you the soft, melting, custardy centre. My eggless French toast recipe uses tofu instead of eggs and as the French Toast cooks in the pan, the custard starts to set a little and you end up with the same texture as you would if using eggs. I use tofu in the same way with my vegan quiche.
- plant milk - Any type you like. Preferably unsweetened. If it happens to be sweetened omit the sugar from the recipe.
- vanilla, cinnamon, salt - All for flavour!
- vegan butter - I recommend adding some to the custard for richness and to use vegan butter to cook the French toast in the pan. This will give it the very best flavour.
- bread - Crusty, sturdy, good quality bread. More on that below.
The best bread to use
Slightly stale, rustic white bread cut into thick slices makes the best French Toast. That's because it's sturdy with good texture and won't fall apart easily. Because it's stale and not fresh it is able to absorb the tofu custard better. And rustic, crusty bread tastes better too. French Toast is a simple recipe. It's important to use quality ingredients for it to be at its best.
If the bread is thin and too soft, like cheap white sliced grocery store bread, it won't absorb the custard well and will fall apart. It also won't have a nice chewy crust and good flavour.
Most important is that whatever bread you use should be a few days old. Fresh bread does not make the best French Toast. This makes it a great recipe for using up any stale bread you might have.
If you do end up wanting to make Vegan French Toast and you only have fresh bread you can leave some slices out on the counter overnight. This will dry them out a bit. Or you can put the fresh slices on a baking tray and bake in a really low oven until they are a bit dry.
How to make French Toast without eggs
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
Here's how to make vegan French toast:
- Make the custard by adding the tofu, plant-based milk, vanilla, sugar, salt and cinnamon to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Cut some big thick slices of
slightly stale, crusty white bread. Get those bread slices and drench them in the custard. - Place the slices in a hot, greased pan.
- Cook until golden brown and crispy then gently turn over and do the same on the other side.
slightly stale, crusty white bread. Get those bread slices and drench them in the custard.Serve up immediately or keep warm in a very low oven until you have finished cooking the entire batch.
Success Tips
- Use stale bread. Fresh bread doesn't soak up the custard so well. It should be at least 2 days old. If you only have fresh bread, slice it up and leave it out on the counter for a few hours to dry out.
- Use crusty bread and not cheap white sliced bread. Heartier bread holds it's shape better, it looks better, it tastes better and the crust part is lovely once cooked up in the custard.
- Don't change any of the custard ingredients.
- Use extra firm tofu for this vegan French Toast and not silken tofu.
- Blend the custard until absolutely smooth.
- Don't leave the bread to soak for too long in the custard. 20 seconds each side is plenty. Any longer and it will get too soggy and you will risk breakage as you transfer it to the pan.
- Use a really good non-stick pan to avoid sticking.
- Cook until really golden.
Making in advance
You can make the custard in advance and keep it in the fridge ready to dunk bread into at a moment's notice. It's not possible to make this recipe totally in advance though, but if that is something you would like to do, then I recommend you check out my Vegan French Toast Casserole. That can be made the night before, then left to soak up all of the yummy custard in the fridge overnight. Then when you get up the next day you can pop it in the oven. It's ultra-convenient for lazy weekend or holiday brunches.
How to serve
A couple of slices stacked up with a knob of Vegan Butter and some maple syrup, or some vegan yogurt and berries of choice is quite literally brunch perfection.
Of all of my vegan tofu recipes, this Vegan French Toast is my favourite. It is absolutely incredible just as it is with a generous glug of real maple syrup. Take it up a notch with a big knob of vegan butter to melt over it too.
It is also amazing with a dollop of vegan yogurt or whipped vegan ricotta, and berries of choice and a glug of maple syrup too if you are feeling generous!
Or try serving it with my Vanilla Roasted Strawberries, Date Caramel, Vegan Lemon Curd or Blueberry Lavender Sauce.
Storage & reheating
This eggless French toast recipe is best when eaten fresh. If you have any leftovers though, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat on a griddle or in a frying pan over low heat.
Leftover custard can be kept in a sealed container or jar in the fridge for up to 4 days. It might thicken a bit but before you use it just add a drop or two of plant milk and give it a quick whisk before dipping your bread and cooking it.
Recipe FAQs
To make vegan French toast, simply cut the slices of bread into chunky sticks and follow the rest of the recipe as it is. It won't really affect the cooking time at all.
Extra-firm tofu works best in this recipe and if you want the very best results then that's what you should use. Any other type will produce a less texturally realistic result. So just bear that in mind. The taste will stay the same but the texture will be much softer because the toast won't set the same in the pan.
Use gluten-free bread. The custard is naturally gluten-free.
📖 Recipe
Vegan French Toast
Author:
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 mls) plant-based milk
- 4½ oz (130 grams) extra firm tofu (equates to about ½ a very packed cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar , cane, turbinado or white (not brown or coconut sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon OPTIONAL vegan butter , plus a little extra for brushing on the griddle/pan
- 6 thick slices crusty, sturdy, white bread , it should be a couple of days old (use gluten-free bread if necessary)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add everything except the bread to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Preheat a griddle or a pan over a medium/low heat.
- Brush the griddle/pan with a little vegan butter (oil can be used instead but butter tastes better).
- Pour the blended 'custard' into a wide bowl and dip the bread in it. Leave it to sit for around 20 seconds then turn over and leave for another 20 seconds. Make sure all areas are covered, then lift it out and quickly dip the crust around the edges.
- Carefully place the custardy bread slices onto the preheated griddle or pan. Cook for around 4-5 minutes or until deeply golden, then flip carefully and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side, or until deeply golden. Try to leave it alone and not peek while it's cooking. If you move it too early the golden surface can get damaged and not look quite so pretty.
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately.
NOTES
- Use stale bread. Fresh bread doesn't soak up the custard so well. It should be at least 2 days old. If you only have fresh bread, slice it up and leave it out on the counter for a few hours to dry out.
- Use crusty bread and not cheap white sliced bread. Heartier bread holds it's shape better, it looks better, it tastes better and the crust part is lovely once cooked up in the custard.
- Don't change any of the custard ingredients.
- Blend the custard until absolutely smooth.
- Don't leave the bread to soak for too long in the custard. 20 seconds each side is plenty. Any longer and it will get too soggy and you will risk breakage as you transfer it to the pan.
- Use a really good non-stick pan to avoid sticking.
- Cook until really golden.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on February 2nd, 2018. The post has been updated with new information and now I am republishing it for you. The recipe itself remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Tracy Tayan says
Thank you! Absolutely delicious and fits in my macros!
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Tracy!
Alice says
Best vegan french toast I've ever had! Even the kids inhale this one. And they are especially picky! Thanks Mel!
Melanie McDonald says
That's awesome. I'm so pleased you all enjoyed it!
Steph says
What do you think about making the dipping mixture the night before and keeping it in the fridge? I want to make a surprise breakfast, and not wake anyone with the blender in the morning. Any input? :D
Melanie McDonald says
You could make the "custard" in the blender and keep it in the fridge. Or just make this. It can be prepared the night before and all you would have to do is get up and put it in the oven! https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-french-toast-casserole/
Kimberly says
I’m vegan, my husband and kids are not. I’m always trying to find new recipes because it’s rare to find something everyone likes. Made these a few days ago and EVERYONE loved them and was asking for more! Great recipe and will definitely make again! Thanks for sharing
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you tried it and that everybody loved it. Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment Kimberly. It's much appreciated!
Diana says
Wow, just made these today! Holy French toast!!! I could not believe how custardy the toasts were. My husband and I thank you sooo much for coming up with this simple, delicious recipe!
All the way from Viet Nam!
A Virtual Vegan says
Aaaww thank you! I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it!
Kevin Wells says
Great recipe! If you use cast iron though (as I did), liberally oil your pan! My first slices stuck to the pan and lost most of their golden brown (just like the good old days...lol). I used more oil (coconut) for the second batch, and they came out much better. Since this recipe has a lot of carbs, I tried lowering that some with 1 tablepoon of sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of stevia. It was good, but still had a small aftertaste from the stevia. Question: I could not find any organic bread that I could slice myself or that was thick enough. Any suggestions? Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
I've never cooked it in cast iron so that's good to know. It's hard for me to suggest bread, as unless you are local to me, my recommendations wouldn't be of any use. I tend to make my own bread but when I don't have time, I buy it from one of my local bakeries. I have a few near me that grow and mill their own flour and their bread is excellent. I don't really care for the bread that is sold at most grocery stores. I guess I've been spoiled by eating homemade for so long! My advice would be to find a really great old fashioned bakery that makes their own bread daily. You can't go wrong then and most good, artisan breads are naturally vegan. Anywhere decent will be happy to share the ingredients with you so you can make sure.
Angela says
This was really, really good! I cut the recipe in half and used sprouted grain bread and it was deeelicious!! Thank you!
Pati says
Any way to utilize silken tofu?
A Virtual Vegan says
You could use silken tofu but the texture of this is better with extra firm. This French Toast Casserole uses silken tofu https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-french-toast-casserole/ though.
Sharon says
I’ve made this twice in the last week. My daughter loves this breakfast! It’s a nice change from our steel cut oats we normally have every day. This is something I use to love, but had resigned myself to a life without French Toast! This recipe has brought Joy to my mornings! Thank you for an AWSOME recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased to hear this Sharon! Give this recipe a try one day too https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-french-toast-casserole/ It's very similar but in casserole form. I think you will enjoy it too!
Nancy says
I haven't tried the French Toast yet, but I am a vegan who is allergic to soy, so I can't use the tofu. That probably ruins it for me. Are there any other vegan substitutes I could use? I know it probably won't be as good. Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
There isn't really anything else you could use instead of the tofu in this recipe. It has a unique job in this recipe because it sets a bit like egg does. You could omit it, add some cornstarch or chickpea flour (about 2 -3 tablespoons) instead to thicken up the milk a bit, and follow the recipe as is, but dip the bread quickly in and out rather than for 20 seconds, so it doesn't get too sodden. It won't have the same texture as with tofu but it will still taste nice. Hope that helps!
Nyima says
This recipe was delicious! We used cinnamon raisin bread and dried it out it the toaster a little beforehand - turned out perfect. Definitely use a nonstick pan as suggested. Thanks for the wonderful cruelty free recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
Cinnamon raisin bread is great for this! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it.
Jas says
This was AMAZING, didn’t use the sugar in it just as we don’t utalize much sugar in any of our cooking. I can’t get over how good it was though, hands down the best French toast we’ve ever had.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm thrilled you enjoyed it so much. Thank you!
Melanie says
Great recipe! I followed it exactly and the french toast came out perfectly!
Crystal says
I am not vegan, but am allergic to eggs. After my first bite I had to convince myself that I wasn't eating eggs! The texture is perfect! Thanks for the recipe! :)
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great Crystal. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!
HeidiSue says
I made it, and it tastes amazing! The texture is great too. This was my first attempt at vegan French toast. I haven’t thought about it much, but this is a winner! My mistake was using regular square sandwich bread so it fell apart and looked very wonky. But I saved the remainder of my batter and will do it again with heartier bread. Well done
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. Heartier, crusty bread makes all the difference. Even better when it's a few days old. You'll love it even more when you try it again!