Start your morning with a special treat with our heart-healthy French Toast Casserole. Featuring warm spices, gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread, fresh berries and a drizzle of naturally sweet maple syrup, this low sodium casserole recipe is perfect for breakfast or brunch. Delight your family and guests with this delicious, heart-healthy dish that can be made ahead of time. We'll also share simple tips to guarantee your casserole is perfectly fluffy every time.
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This French toast casserole is designed to be heart-healthy by using smart ingredients that don't sacrifice flavor. By opting for unsweetened almond milk and a combination of whole eggs and egg whites, we lower the saturated fat content significantly. Flavor comes from warm spices and orange zest instead of excess sugar and salt, making it a wholesome choice for a special breakfast or brunch.
The key is the bread-to-liquid ratio and allowing enough time for soaking. Use slightly stale, thick-cut gluten-free bread, which absorbs the custard better without falling apart. Ensure you don't use too much milk, and let the casserole rest for at least one hour (or overnight) before baking. This allows the custard to fully penetrate the bread.
For a heart-healthy option, look for whole-grain or sprouted-grain breads that are high in fiber and low in sodium. If you need a gluten-free option like the one in this recipe, choose one that is made with whole-grain GF flours and is not high in added sugar.
You can use a variety of plant-based milks. This recipe calls for unsweetened vanilla almond milk, which is low in calories and saturated fat. Unsweetened soy milk or oat milk would also work well as a substitute.
Recipe yields 10 servings
Grease a 7x11-inch (2-quart) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut each slice of bread in half diagonally to make triangles. Arrange slices, point side up, around the edge of the dish overlapping in a spiral pattern toward the center of the dish; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg whites. Add milk, brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom; whisk until well combined. Pour egg mixture evenly over the bread. Sprinkle mixed berries evenly on top of the bread. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Uncover casserole and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
During the last 5 minutes of baking the casserole, warm up the maple syrup. Add maple syrup to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 to minutes, until warm. Remove from heat.
Drizzle the warmed syrup over the French Toast Casserole and slice into 10 servings. Top each serving with pecans, blueberries and raspberries. Enjoy!
The key to a non-soggy casserole is using day-old, slightly dry bread, as it absorbs the egg mixture without becoming mushy. Allowing the casserole to soak for at least one hour (or overnight) is crucial for the best texture. This recipe is optimized for a conventional oven and is not recommended for a slow cooker or air fryer.
If not gluten-free, a thick-cut, stale whole-wheat or sprouted-grain bread is an excellent, high-fiber alternative.
Any unsweetened plant-based milk like soy or oat milk works well as a direct substitute for almond milk.
You can replace the brown sugar with a suitable substitute and use a sugar-free maple syrup to reduce the overall sugar content.