Masala French toast - easy vegan savory French toast

This eggless masala french toast (Bombay toast) is a vegan version of a popular Indian savory breakfast recipe. If you haven't tried savory French toast yet, you are missing out! It is such a great quick and easy breakfast meal and at the same time it's very indulgent and satisfying. I love having it for a late lazy breakfast with a cup of masala chai. It's also perfect vegan Saturday brunch idea. It takes minimal effort to prepare. This vegan masala French toast comes together in just 10 minutes and requires only a few simple ingredients. Slices of fluffy white bread are fried in gram flour and silken tofu batter, which is seasoned to perfection with Indian spices. This vegan Bombay toast is usually served for quick breakfast or lunch but you can also enjoy it as snack with a cup of masala chai, any time of the day.

Team sweet or savory?

I feel like sweet breakfast options will be always more popular in the world of Instagram and food blogging but we all crave something different and savory for lazy breakfast or brunch every now and then. I do enjoy my smoothies and comforting porridge bowls, don't get me wrong. But I must have been Indian in my past life because nothing beats a paratha with curry leftovers for breakfast for me.

If you've been looking for some vegan savory breakfast inspiration, something that is not tofu scramble, I may have something for you! Have you ever had savory French toast before? Maybe not very popular where I'm from but it's definitely a thing in the Indian subcontinent. Ok, I may be a bit biased but why south Asian people always have the best food and the best ideas? Because to make spiced savory French toast is absolutely brilliant! Why no one in my country have thought of that? Just add all your favourite curry spices, chopped coriander, red onions and tomatoes to your egg mix and you'll have the most satisfying, crispy and flavourful ready in just ten minutes! Oh, no, did you say eggs? But can you make it vegan?

Let's veganize masala French toast (Bombay toast):

All we have to do is make vegan egg and it's so easy. You'll just need a block of silken tofu and a bit of gram flour. This combination works really well in vegan omelette recipes and it's perfect for making eggy batter for this masala French toast, too. Just blend silken tofu with a bit of plant milk and then whisk with some gram flour. You'll be amazed to see how crispy and satisfying your savoury French toast gets. Just scroll down to the step by step instructions to see how easy it is.

Why you will love this vegan masala French toast:

• Because it's a great recipe to use up that few-days-old loaf of bread that's been crying forgotten in your bread bin. It's perfect for utilizing those bread slices that don't taste fresh-from-the-bakery anymore. In fact, a loaf of bread that is a few days old is ideal for this recipe. It's a bit firmer than a freshly baked loaf of bread that is so soft and fluffy it's difficult to handle (slices tend to fall apart easily).
• If you're fed up with quesadillas and tofu scramble, this is a great way to try something a bit different for savory breakfast.
• Because it's crispy, delicious, and satisfying!
• If, like me, you're obsessed with Indian flavours and you can't wait for your next curry this vegan masala French toast will definitely help you survive until dinner!

Ingredients you will need to make this savory French toast:

• medium-thick white toast bread (use gluten-free bread for a gluten-free option)
• a block of silken tofu
• gram flour (besan / chickpea flour)
• plain flour (use gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option)
• plant milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• red onion
• tomato
• fresh coriander
• garlic
• green chilli (I used green bird’s eye chilli – they’re very hot. Use green finger chilli if you want it less spicy)
• smoked paprika powder
• cumin seeds
• cumin powder
• coriander powder
• turmeric powder
• Himalayan salt
• ground black pepper

To garnish:

• fresh coriander
• red chilli flakes

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What is gram flour and why vegans are so crazy about it?

Gram flour (also called besan) is a pulse flour made from finely ground dry chickpeas. It is a staple ingredient in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. If you’ve been into plant-based cooking and recipes for a while now, then I’m sure you are aware of how popular besan is in vegan cuisine. Vegans love it because it’s naturally gluten-free and it contains a higher proportion of protein than other flours. It’s perfect for making satisfying crispy snacks as foods coated in besan when fried, get extra crispy.

How to make vegan masala French toast, step by step. It's so easy!

• To make a vegan “egg” mixture: remove silken tofu from the packaging and transfer it to a blender. Blend with almond milk at low speed. Transfer your “egg” mixture into a flat soup bowl (where you’ll be soaking the bread slices).
• Finely chop tomato, red onion, green chilli and fresh coriander. 
• Add plain flour and gram flour to the “egg” mixture, add all spices. 

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• Whisk everything until smooth and well combined. The mixture should have thin pancake batter consistency.
• Add chopped red onion, tomato, green chilli and fresh coriander to the french toast batter. Mix well.

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• Take one slice of bread and dip in the batter. Make sure it’s well coated from both sides. 

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• Fry on a non-stick pan for 2-3 minutes. Add a bit of il if you’d like. Flip the slice of bread and fry on the other side for 2-3 more minutes, until gold and crispy. It’s ready. Transfer it to a plate.
• Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and red chilli flakes.
• Serve with ketchup, green chutney and a cup of masala chai. 

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For the full ingredient list, exact measurements, complete recipe method, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.

Variations and substitutions:

For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free bread and replace plain flour with gluten-free plain flour or simply leave it out (and add more gram flour instead).

I like this vegan masala French toast best when it's made with fluffy white toast bread but feel free to use other white bread of choice (like white sourdough). I do not recommend using brown wholemeal bread in this recipe as that would taste much different.

How to serve vegan Bombay toast:

I love having this savory masala toast for a lazy weekend breakfast with a compulsory glass of sweet masala chai. Serve your French toast sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander and red chilli flakes with some ketchup and green mint coriander chutney. Best savory breakfast ever!

This masala French toast is:

• 100% vegan (it's eggless and dairy-free)
• gluten-free if you use gluten-free plain flour
• quick and easy to make - it comes together in just 10 minutes
• a great fuss-free savory breakfast recipe
• great for Indian food lovers
• simple to make yet very satisfying
• crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside
• a perfect recipe for a lazy weekend brunch meal
• a basic recipe that doesn't require any cooking skills
• perfect for using up any bread leftovers that are not perfectly fresh anymore (say no to food waste!)
• can be also enjoyed as a snack any time of the day

Other vegan breakfast recipes you might like:

Vegan vermicelli kheer (sheer khurma) - a healthy, vegan and refined sugar-free version of this popular vermicelli pudding.

Bubur injin - Indonesian black sticky rice porridge - this healthy breakfast pudding can be enjoyed any time of the day.

Vegan sweet potato waffles - a great savoury breakfast idea.

Purple sweet potato smoothie - all those antioxidants and that insane purple colour will definitely wake you up.

Best vegan tofu scramble - my tofu scramble is better than yours #sorrynotsorry.

If you give this vegan recipe a go, tag me on Instagram with your recreations and comment with your feedback below! Can’t wait to see how your vegan masala toast turned out! I’ll share my favourite recreations in my Insta stories!

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