When the weekends arrive, breakfast takes on a new meaning. One of my family's favorite weekend breakfasts is easy vegan french toast. And when I say easy, it means anyone can make it, even the kids. We all tend to have more time to spend cooking, relaxing, and enjoying family during the weekend. For my family, weekend breakfast involves everyone cooking, sitting around in our pajamas, and trying to catch up on the week's events. My easy vegan french toast recipe takes minutes to prepare and seems to disappear even quicker.
Although many egg replacement products exist, such as Just Egg, or Bob Red's Mill Egg Replacer, I prefer a more simple method of making vegan french toast. So, instead of an egg replacer, I decided to use a flaxseed meal, acting as a flax egg in my french toast batter.
Sometimes, simplicity is the best approach to cooking. Since flaxseed meal is ground and a natural thickener, it is the perfect egg replacement!
What is the best bread to use for vegan french toast?
Whenever I make vegan french toast, I always look for thick and hearty bread. However, I also seek out oil-free bread options. Even though most people don't know this, most of the bread in the bakery section of local grocery stores is plant-based and oil-free. One of the biggest mistakes people make is going into the bread aisle of the grocery store.
Unfortunately, the bread aisle is white or bleached flour bread full of preservatives and added oils. Why, you might ask? Because the bread in the bread aisle lasts for weeks because of those preservatives. So, skip the bread aisle and go into the forbidden bakery.
Once in the bakery, search the labels for the bread baked in the store, not the other bagged and name brand company-owned bread. Instead, read the labels on the sourdough, whole-grain, bread made with bulgar, and other whole grains. Most homemade bakery bread is oil-free, vegan, and contains only whole-grain flour, water and yeast, and possibly some seasonings.
For instance, I chose thick-sliced sourdough bread from my local grocery. Also, I'm lucky to live in Arizona, the home of Nobel Bread, a bakery I often buy from when I visit the farmer's market.
How to make easy vegan french toast
To make the vegan french toast recipe, first assemble the plant-based french toast liquid ingredients.
- Plant-milk of choice (I used oat milk)
- Flaxseed meal
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup or date syrup
- Cinnamon
TIPS
- Because the flaxseed meal needs to soak into the plant milk mixture, I suggest whisking the ingredients together and placing the mixture covered in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes. Then, when it's time to make the french toast, whisk again before dipping the bread.
- Unlike traditional french toast, do not soak the bread for an extended time. Vegan french toast with flaxseed meal cooks quickly, so allowing the bread to soak produces soggy french toast in the center of the bread.
- Instead, dip both sides of each piece of bread quickly before placing them in the pan to cook. Again, do not leave bread soaking in the mixture while the other pieces cook.
Other Ingredients
- Oil-free Vegan bread of choice
- Fresh fruits ( strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or fruits of choice)
- Maple syrup or date syrup, or try Raspberry Chia Jam as a topping
Cooking easy vegan french toast
Stovetop directions
- The trick to cooking in a nonstick pan without sticking is a water spray bottle and a hot pan.
- Another suggestion is to cook low and slow.
- Once the pan heats up, spray lightly with water, and then add the dipped bread. Keep the temperature low, and do not flip the french toast until one side is browned.
- Then, flip the bread over and continue until all the pieces are cooked.
- To keep the french toast warm, place it on a baking sheet and put it in a 275-degree oven until all the pieces are cooking.
- Furthermore, a quality nonstick pan is a key to oil-free cooking.
Air-fryer directions
- Shake off any excess batter from the bread.
- Be sure to cook french toast in a single layer; do not overlap pieces.
- Cook at 320 degrees for 3 minutes; then, flip over and cook another 3 minutes.
- Remember, after the first piece, check the air-fryer for 2 minutes because the air-fryer gets up to temperature quickly after cooking the first few pieces.
- To keep the french toast warm, place it on a baking sheet and put it in a 275-degree oven until all the pieces are cooking.
Next, add fresh fruit, and I always heat the maple syrup and serve it on the side because my family is dippers rather than pourers.
FAQ
What is flaxseed meal?
- Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a food and fiber crop. Flaxseeds are a good source of dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid.
What is a substitute for flax seeds?
- Chia seeds are often used as a replacement for flax seeds, as they contain the same health benefits and act the same way in terms of a thickening agent in plant-based cooking.
What is the difference between flax seeds and flaxseed meal?
- Flaxseed meal is ground flax seeds. So, they are the same thing. Flaxseed meal is milled or ground.
Vegan breakfast lovers, check out these yummy recipes
- Mediterranean Vegan Quiche
- Vegan Quiches
- How to Make Chickpea Flour Omelette + Other Ingredient Combinations!
- Yummy Vegan Banana French Toast
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Southwest Tofu Scramble
- Veggie Tofu Scramble
- Breakfast Burrito
- Vegan Breakfast Casserole
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 6 pieces oil-free vegan bread of choice
- 1 ½ cups plant milk of choice I used oat milk
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup or date syrup
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Garnish (optional)
- Maple or date syrup
- Freish fruit
Instructions
French Toast Dipping Mixture
- In a large shallow bowl, whisk together plant milk, flaxseed meal, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Cover and place the flaxseed meal in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to absorb the plant mil and thicken.
Choose the cooking method preferredStovetop cooking- Lightly dip each side of the bread in the plant milk mixture; do not soak or leave bread sitting in the mixture.
- Only dip one piece at a time.
- Shake off any excess batter from the bread plant milk mixture; do not soak or leave bread sitting in the mixture.
- The trick to cooking in a nonstick pan without sticking is a water spray bottle and a hot pan.
- Another suggestion is to cook low and slow.
- Once the pan heats up, spray lightly with water, and then add the dipped bread.
- Keep the temperature low, and do not flip the french toast until one side is browned.
- Then, flip the bread over and continue until all the pieces are cooked.
- To keep the french toast warm, place it on a baking sheet and put it in a 275-degree oven until all the pieces are cooking.
Air Fryer cooking
- Lightly dip each side of the bread in the plant milk mixture; do not soak or leave bread sitting in the mixture.
- Only dip one piece at a time.
- Shake off any excess batter from the bread plant milk mixture; do not soak or leave bread sitting in the mixture.
- Be sure to cook french toast in a single layer; do not overlap pieces.
- Cook at 320 degrees for 3 minutes; then, flip over and cook another 3 minutes.
- Remember, after the first piece, check the air-fryer for 2 minutes because the air-fryer gets up to temperature quickly after cooking the first few pieces.
- To keep the french toast warm, place it on a baking sheet and put it in a 275-degree oven until all the pieces are cooking.
Serving
- Serve with fresh fruit and warmed syrup, or try some homemade jam instead.
Notes
TIPS
- Because the flaxseed meal needs to soak into the plant milk mixture, I suggest whisking the ingredients together and placing the mixture covered in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes. Then, when it's time to make the french toast, whisk again before dipping the bread.
- Unlike traditional french toast, do not soak the bread for an extended time. Vegan french toast with flaxseed meal cooks quickly, so allowing the bread to soak produces soggy french toast in the center of the bread.
- Instead, dip both sides of each piece of bread quickly before placing them in the pan to cook. Again, do not leave bread soaking in the mixture while the other pieces cook.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Lisa Bernhagen
The vegan french toast was fabulous. My family loved it! Thanks for all the tips about how to cook the vegan version.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Lisa, I'm so glad you liked the french toast. And when the whole family likes it, it's a bonus! Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it. Let me know if you try any other recipes and what you think.
Janet Schroering
Do you know of a brand of Oatmilk that doesn’t have oil as an ingredient?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Janet, Willa's Unsweetened Original Oat Milk does not contain oil.