Vegetarian Recipes

Baked French Toast

It’s my professional opinion that whenever you dust a baked good with powdered sugar, it becomes instantly classy. So, while you can find all the ingredients needed for my decadent Baked French Toast at your local grocery store, I promise you someone will say “Oooh! Fancy” when you serve it. And you didn’t even need to stand over a hot stove to make it! Instead, it’s baked effortlessly in the oven until soft, custardy, and delicious. You can even prep it the night before and have it ready to go the next morning! I love serving this breakfast casserole with fresh berries for the ultimate breakfast treat.

What is Baked French Toast?

My family loves French toast, but I don’t always love standing at the stove flipping slices of bread. So, I came up with this baked version that’s just as delicious and even easier to make! My baked French toast casserole is similar to bread pudding, but the slices are kept whole. I make it from brioche bread, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and other simple ingredients, then top it with a super easy homemade caramel sauce. It’s the perfect treat for lazy Sunday mornings with the family, potluck brunches, or special occasions like the holiday season or even baby showers!

Here’s what you’ll need to make the BEST baked French toast recipe:

Brioche Loaf: I love the buttery, sweet richness of brioche bread in this recipe. It adds the most decadent flavor and texture. However, other sturdy bread options like challah, sourdough, or French bread will work too! Just note the flavor and texture may vary slightly.
Eggs: Adds a custard-like texture and richness to this oven baked French toast. I specifically use large eggs.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is my secret ingredient for making the most indulgent and delicious breakfast treat. It’s super creamy, sweet, and makes each bite even more irresistible!
Milk: Add this to the egg mixture to create a silky smooth custard. It thins out the eggs and sweetened condensed milk, making it easier to soak in the bread.
Cinnamon: My favorite spice for adding warmth and cozy flavor to any recipe. Just a sprinkle into the eggy custard mixture will do the trick!
Caramel Sauce: I make an easy caramel sauce by melting salted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Pour it over the unbaked casserole and watch it transform into a gooey caramel topping in the oven. Trust me, this is the cherry on top of an already delicious dish!
For Serving: I like garnishing this dish with powdered sugar and fresh (or frozen!) berries. The powdered sugar makes it look pretty, and the berries add a little tartness to balance out the sweetness!

Topping & Serving Ideas

If it’s just my family enjoying this dish, I usually keep things simple with powdered sugar and berries. However, if I’m hosting guests or feeling fancy, here are some extra special topping and serving ideas I like to use:

A drizzle of maple syrup (for anyone with a MAJOR sweet tooth)
Topped with any fruit preserves, compotes, or sauces instead of fresh berries, like a homemade strawberry jam or pumpkin butter
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top (breakfast for dessert vibes!)
Chocolate chips or chopped nuts layered between the bread slices
Add blueberries and a streusel topping before baking for a blueberry muffin flavor twist!
Sprinkle over toasted shredded coconut before serving
Serve it alongside air fryer bacon, eggs (any type), and/or breakfast potatoes for a complete brunch spread!

Recipe Success Tips!

Dip, don’t pour! I dip each individual bread slice into the egg mix before layering it in my baking dish. Please don’t pour all the egg mixture on top of the slices at once—it won’t soak through evenly, and you’ll end up with some dry spots!
Make sure your egg and milk mixture is thoroughly combined. Like I suggest in my scrambled eggs recipe, we don’t want to see any streaks or globs of egg whites! Otherwise, you could end up with bits of egg white in your final dish.
Gently heat your caramel sauce until creamy. It only takes about 6-8 minutes to do this; anything longer, and there’s a good chance the caramel will harden up, and we don’t want that.
Don’t worry if your baked French toast doesn’t layer exactly like mine! Just try to stagger the pieces so they overlap slightly while filling the dish as evenly as possible. I actually readjusted my slices about halfway through to better fit my dish—no stress here!
Be sure to use LARGE eggs. I discovered while testing this recipe that 4 large eggs created the perfect ratio of eggs to milk. Anything smaller can make your breakfast casserole soggy as it won’t set up as well.

This recipe for baked French toast can easily be made ahead of time! I’d assemble everything as directed but leave off the caramel sauce until just before baking. Cover it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. I’d add a few minutes to the baking time to ensure everything cooks through, as the bread slices and egg mixture will be chilled.

Storing Leftovers

Lucky enough to have some leftovers? Well, I’ve got good news for you! The leftovers are absolutely delicious when warmed up or eaten cold. I’d keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days until you’re ready to enjoy them again. To reheat this breakfast casserole, pop it in the oven at 350F or microwave individual servings until heated through.

Side view of a slice of baked french toast on a white plate.

Baked French Toast Recipe

This easy Baked French Toast recipe is perfectly sweet, with a custardy middle and a gooey caramel sauce topping. So simple, but so delicious!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($11.95 recipe / $1.49 serving)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 38

Cool Time 10

Total Time 1 3

Servings slices

Calories 689kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Equipment

8×10 Baking Dish

Ingredients

French Toast Ingredients

4 large eggs $1.24
1 can sweetened condensed milk $2.23
½ cup milk $0.09
½ tsp cinnamon $0.04
1 brioche loaf, sliced $3.42

Sauce Ingredients

¾ cup salted butter $1.59
1 ¼ cup brown sugar $1.02
1 tsp vanilla extract $0.47

To Garnish

2 Tbsp powdered sugar $0.06
1 cup mixed berries (frozen or fresh!) $1.79

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and butter an 8×10 casserole or baking dish. Whisk together eggs, sweetened condensed milk, milk, and cinnamon.
Gently dip a slice of brioche bread in the egg mixture. I find that brioche absorbs the egg mixture very fast compared to sourdough, so you don’t want it to sit in the mixture; just a quick dip to make sure it’s covered, and then transfer it to a greased 8×10 baking dish.* (Important: See note.)
In a small saucepan, add sauce ingredients: butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and melt over medium heat until creamy and just a little bubbly, about 6-8 minutes. Don’t cook for too long, or it will turn into a tacky caramel instead of a sauce.
Pour warm sauce over the top of dipped and arranged brioche.
Bake uncovered** for 30 min with the 8×10 baking dish on top of a cookie sheet! You may experience some bubbles that run off the side, and you don’t want this delicious breakfast to make a mess in your oven.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, top with powdered sugar and mixed berries.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

* As you’re staggering the slices of bread, you may find it’s easiest to start at the back of the dish and move towards you. Don’t fret too much if you have to readjust the slices. Even if they fall apart, this will all turn into one delicious custard-like loaf once it goes in the oven! (You’ll see from the step photos I readjusted my bread slices about halfway through.)

** If you notice an edge starting to burn or get too dark for your liking, snip off a little piece of tinfoil to cover it while it finishes baking so it doesn’t burn.

Nutrition

Side view of baked french toast, topped with powdered sugar and fresh berries in a casserole dish.

how to make Baked French Toast – step by step photos

Cinnamon, eggs, milk, and condensed milk in a mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 350F and butter an 8×10 casserole or baking dish. Whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup milk, and ½ tsp cinnamon.

A hand dipping a slice of brioche into a bowl of egg mixture, next to a casserole dish with slices of dipped bread layered in.

Gently dip a slice of brioche bread in the egg mixture. I find that brioche absorbs the egg mixture very fast compared to sourdough, so you don’t want it to sit in the mixture; just a quick dip to make sure it’s covered, and then transfer it to a greased 8×10 baking dish (Important: See note.)

In a small saucepan, add sauce ingredients: ¾ cup salted butter, 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and melt over medium heat until creamy and just a little bubbly, about 6-8 minutes. Don’t cook for too long, or it will turn into a tacky caramel instead of a sauce.

A hand spooning caramel sauce over the arrange slices of bread in a casserole dish for baked french toast.

Pour warm sauce over the top of dipped and arranged brioche.

Bake uncovered** for 30 min with the 8×10 baking dish on top of a cookie sheet! You may experience some bubbles that run off the side, and you don’t want this delicious breakfast to make a mess in your oven.

A hand sprinkling powdered sugar over baked fresh toast and berries in a casserole dish.

Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, top with 2 Tbsp powdered sugar and 1 cup mixed berries.

Overhead view of a slice of baked french toast on a white plate, drizzled with maple syrup.

This indulgent baked brioche French toast recipe means you can feed a crowd without spending all morning in the kitchen. It’s seriously easy to make, and you can even prepare it ahead of time!

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The post Baked French Toast appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Cheesy Vegetarian

Easy Mediterranean Lentil Meatballs

Don’t you just love it when a recipe is as simple as ‘mix + bake’? No pre-cooking, no unnecessary extra steps – just mix together all of the ingredients, and pop it in the oven. And that’s just the case for these vegetarian lentil meatballs (lentil balls? vegeballs? meatlessballs?). They couldn’t be easier.

Other easy ‘mix and bake’ recipes → easy nut roast; baked fajita rice; Boursin pasta.

Vegetarian Mediterranean lentil meatballs served with spaghetti and tomato sauce.

I served my lentil balls with spaghetti and tomato sauce – spaghetti and meatballs is such a classic that’s hard to improve on. If you prefer, you could equally serve these vegetarian meatballs with couscous and tzatziki, stuffed into pitta bread, or even just eaten straight from the oven (no judgment here). They’re packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavours, and they’re super versatile.

Mediterranean lentil meatballs on a baking tray.

What’s in these Lentil Meatballs?

The basic recipe for these lentil meatballs is canned lentils + flour + egg (the same base I used for my cheesy lentil burgers). Once you’ve got that far, you can jazz things up however you like. I added:

black olives
sun-dried tomatoes
parmesan-style cheese
fresh basil
garlic

If you like, you could easily switch things up to bring a different flavour profile to your meatballs – maybe you could make a Tex-Mex version, or use some Indian spices, for example.

Cheesy Vegetarian Bakes ebook on an ipad screen.

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these vegetarian meatballs. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

cooked lentils. I used lentils from a can, because they’re so convenient – just drain them well, and they’re ready to use. If you can’t get canned lentils, you can boil dried brown or green lentils until they’re soft, then continue with the recipe as written. I would not recommend using red lentils for this recipe, as they will not give quite the same end result.
eggs
plain flour (I used wholemeal for extra fibre)
sun-dried tomatoes
black olives
parmesan-style cheese. ‘Real’ parmesan isn’t vegetarian, but there are plenty of vegetarian alternatives, which are very similar. Often, supermarkets sell a generic ‘Italian hard cheese’, which is usually vegetarian.
fresh basil
garlic granules

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and Mediterranean lentil meatballs.

Printable Instructions

Mediterranean Lentil Meatballs

Easy vegetarian lentil meatballs, made extra tasty with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients. These are so simple – just mix and bake!

Course Main meal

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings meatballs

Calories 216kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

2 x 390g tins green lentils, thoroughly drained (470g, or ~ 2 2/3 cups, in total when drained)
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons sliced black olives, roughly chopped
5 pieces sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
50 g (~ 1/2 cup) finely grated vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
1 teaspoon garlic granules
Few sprigs fresh basil, roughly chopped
85 g (~ 2/3 cup) plain flour (I used wholemeal)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Add all of the ingredients, except for the flour, to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix the ingredients thoroughly. It’s fine if the lentils get a little mashed up.
Add the flour, and mix well to combine.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. Use clean hands to form the mixture into ball shapes, and place them on the tray. The mixture will be quite sticky – they don’t have to be perfect balls. I managed to get 25 balls from the mixture.
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, until the lentil balls are slightly crispy and just firm.
Serve with spaghetti and tomato sauce, if desired.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare these lentil balls in advance?

You could certainly mix together the ingredients in advance, and then store the mixture in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or so, until you’re ready to shape and bake the balls. The meatballs are tastiest when freshly baked, but if needed, you could even bake them in advance, and then reheat when you’re ready to eat them.

Can I freeze these lentil meatballs?

I didn’t experiment with freezing these balls, but it’s the sort of recipe I have had luck with freezing in the past, so I definitely think it’s worth a try.

How should I reheat leftover vegetarian meatballs?

The easiest way to reheat these lentil meatballs is in the microwave. They do dry out a little and lose their crispiness when reheated, but they’re still tasty. Alternatively, you could re-crisp them in the oven or air fryer.

How should I serve vegetarian lentil balls?

I served my meatballs with spaghetti and tomato sauce, which worked beautifully. You could alternatively serve them stuffed into pitta bread with some tzatziki, or alongside some mashed potato.