This Savory French Toast Bake is loaded with ham, Swiss cheese and asparagus all baked together in a casserole dish. An excellent option for a holiday brunch but easy enough to make any day of the week!
Friends, get ready for a delicious treat.
If you prefer savory over sweet when it comes to breakfast, this recipe is for you! This breakfast casserole is a real crowd-pleaser that can be made ahead and reheated when needed. Perfect for busy weekdays or a holiday brunch.
I was so excited to receive a copy of Mary Younkin’s newest cookbook, The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook, in the mail several weeks ago. In addition to being a blogger and cookbook author, Mary is also one of the warmest, most supportive people I’ve met since I started in this business 7 years ago. She’s a doll, a gem, a sweetheart of a lady!
Flipping through her book, this Savory French Toast Bake caught my eye right off the bat and I can tell you now, it is just as delicious as it looks. It was also super easy to put together.
The book is full of the kind of recipes I need the most. Practical, approachable, family-friendly meals.
Mary has included sections devoted to Make-Ahead Lunches, Quick and Easy Breakfasts, Make-Ahead Breakfasts, and Sweet and Savory Snacks. So many of these categories are overlooked in other cookbooks so this is truly an awesome resource. The recipes are easy to follow and include gorgeous color photos that will make you want to try every… single… one.
Mary’s first book, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook, focuses on simple dinner ideas for busy days and this book follows suit with some equally delicious inspiration for lunches and breakfasts.
I’m diving into the Make-Ahead Lunch section next and already have several recipes on my list to try.
What a gorgeous choice for a Mother’s Day brunch!
Or, make it on a Sunday and package up portions for a quick reheat on busy mornings. See the printable recipe below for all the details.
To perfectly round out an all-in-one breakfast casserole like this one, just add some fresh fruit or berries.
You can find Mary’s cookbook here → The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook.
If you don’t know Mary yet, you need to! You’ll find her over at Barefeet in the Kitchen where she shares simple, from-scratch recipes perfect for feeding a family.
Savory French Toast Bake
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ½ pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ pound thinly sliced deli ham, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Use a sharp knife to slice the bread into 1-inch slices and then cut the slices into 1-inch cubes. Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and add the milk, cream, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic or garlic powder. Whisk to combine, and pour the liquid over the bread cubes. Use a large spoon to gently stir and coat all the bread cubes. Add the asparagus, ham, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Toss once more to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and make sure the ham and asparagus are distributed throughout. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, uncovered. The bread should be toasted golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
- Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
I made this for my recent book club get together and with two additions it was delicious. The recipe calls for a loaf of French bread which is a bit confusing, since they come in a variety of sizes. I took my cue from what I could see in the video. Ended using almost an entire 17 Oz loaf of what the Jewel labels as their French bread. After cutting it up into one inch squares, I knew there was no way the eggs and liquid amounts in the recipe would end with a decently moist casserole. I added two additional eggs and another half cup of cream and while the finished dish was yummy, I’d still prefer a bit more moisture. Next time, I’m going to use a typical baguette shape, where each one inch slice would give four one inch cubes. I’m just wondering what actual amount of bread you’d recommend. The baking covered for 30 minutes and then another 22 min. uncovered worked wonderfully!
This recipe is super easy and quick to put together. I used a whole grain loaf that had a hard crust from being in freezer for a few weeks. Tore it into bite-size pieces … added texture and taste. Also, grated a 6 oz block of swiss cheese that measured just over 1.5 cups and used thin asparagus stalks to make sure all would bake consistently.
Sounds delish, Trish! 🙂