Sourdough French Toast Casserole With Fresh Strawberries

Make the most of the strawberry season with this oven baked sourdough strawberry French toast casserole which can be quickly assembled and baked in about 30 minutes for an easy and delicious breakfast for the whole family.

Ingredients

For the sourdough strawberry French toast

• 10-12 slices sourdough bread (I used whole wheat sourdough)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam
• 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

For the custard sauce

• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup thick cream
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk (you may need only 3 cups)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

To serve

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved

Tips for making this sourdough French toast casserole

• use toasted walnuts for extra special flavor
• you can use 1/2 cup cream cheese or creme fraiche instead of the cream
• you can assemble this dish in the evening and keep it in the fridge, then bake it in the morning for an easy breakfast

Directions

Step 1

The first thing you need to do is to preheat your oven to 180C (350F). Butter your casserole dish well. (I used a 14 by 9 inch dish.) You could also use coconut oil or tallow to oil your dish (such a small amount of fat won’t affect the flavor of the dish).

I used some old whole wheat sourdough bread that I needed to use up but any other sourdough bread would work fine.

Step 2

Butter all the bread slices and spread a thin layer of jam on top of each slice (the thicker the layer of jam you use, the sweeter your final dish will be – so adjust according to your preference. My version is just slightly sweet. Of course if it turns out not as sweet as you like, you can easily sprinkle with some unrefined sugar or drizzle with honey.

Arrange the slices of bread in a single layer in your dish. I was a ble to fit six slices on the bottom of my dish. You could always halve your slices to make them fit better. Sprinkle with some walnuts.

Step 3

After that add the second layer of bread slices on top of the first and also sprinkle with walnuts. You could also add some fresh strawberry halves at this point but I prefer to add mine once the dish is out of the oven.

Step 4

Now you need to mix the sauce that is going to be poured over your sourdough casserole. In a large bowl combine the eggs, cream, jam, salt and the optional vanilla. Mix well. I find that if I don’t do a good mixing job, I end up with bits of egg white in the finished dish.

Then add the milk to the egg mixture – only add 3 cups at this point, you may not need the rest.

Whisk it well so the eggs are well combined with the rest.

Step 5

Pour the mixture slowly over the bread layers.

You want the egg and milk mixture to just barely cover the bread layer. After that add the rest of the milk if needed. A splash here or there to bring up the level of liquid. Your sourdough French toast casserole is now ready to be baked!

Baking your sourdough French toast casserole

Place your dish onto the middle shelf of your preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check after 20 minutes or so to see if it’s not getting too dark on top. It may even be ready at this point.

I like my sourdough French toast casserole golden brown and slightly crunchy on top. Yum!

Remove from the oven and sprinkle fresh strawberry halves on top.

Serve hot or warm. Any leftovers can be reheated in a covered dish in the oven. You can add a little milk before reheating so it won’t get too dry.

Does sourdough taste good as French toast?

Definitely! Many people assume that because it is called ‘sourdough’, then it means it tastes sour. But that is definitely not true. Properly made sourdough bread is both healthy and delicious. It does not taste like regular yeast bread, but it is not meant to. It has its own unique and complex flavor. All my family (including the kids) love sourdough.

What is the best type of sourdough bread for this recipe?

I have used my homemade sourdough bread in this recipe which is 50 percent whole wheat, but any other type of sourdough will work fine – all whole wheat, all white flour, sourdough brioche or even sourdough buns or rolls sliced thin. Experiment and see which is your favorite!

Have you made this recipe? Let me know how you liked it in the comments below.