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- French Toast
Savory French toast made with plenty of garlic and herbs, all encrusted with crisply browned Parmesan cheese.
By
J. Kenji López-Alt
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Updated October 19, 2023
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Why It Works
- Coating each side of the soaked bread with parmesan before griddling results in French toast with a crispy fried-cheese crust.
- By soaking the bread slices for more or less time in the egg-garlic-herb mixture, you can dial in the creamy, custardy texture of the toast to suit your taste.
When we were driving through Austin, we stayed with a friend who said that his go-to weekday breakfast is savory French toast.Wait, what?I asked him.Am I the only person in the world who's never had savory French toast?Apparently so.
That was a situation that would be quickly remedied. I've always loved the process of making French toast, but I'm not much of a sweets-eater, particularly at breakfast time. Thus, I can now say that I've officially got a new easy breakfast for those days when I just don't feel like putting in the effort to make hollandaise (even if itonly takes two minutes).
Part garlic bread, part French toast, I start by whisking together eggs and milk with my basic flavorings: parsley, garlic, and parmesan, along with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-01-db887e5b7d514ebebb7ee96333ba6f7f.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (3)")
The bread we used came from Sour Flour and was leftover after ourSan Francisco sourdough bread taste test. Day old bread is ideal for this.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-03-7f6b03e6b370425d9873ebe81716aae7.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (4)")
I love that feeling of custard slowly soaking into hard dry bread and softening it up.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-04-e326bec253084465acf7ba1c741b89c6.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (5)")
I give mine an extra-savory twist by dredging it in grated Parmesan cheese before frying it, just like we do with ourcrisp grilled cheese sandwiches.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-05-1a856c53752545a3828c5a41cc969196.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (6)")
You can adjust how much custard you soak up by leaving it in the bowl for a longer or shorter time. The longer you go, the creamier and more custardy it'll end up.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-06-5a6881b054044477bbaad4e62074b70a.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (7)")
Butter (and plenty of it) is the only way to go for French toast. I melt mine in a cast iron skillet (nonstick will do just fine).
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-07-ccf00f2baa274d5fb6a6fe881fd9a093.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (8)")
I love that slow sizzle as the eggs gently brown in the butter. The key here is to go low and slow so you get some nice, even, golden-brown coloring.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-10-2d64eaede72a4adba8e898ba19b296d3.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (9)")
And there we go! I served it with sliced scallions and parsley on top, along with some good olive oil at the table, some leftovercorn and radish salad, and some avocado slices. If I may be so bold, it's a lot of fun to let the avocado go sunbathing on top of the French toast before you dig in.
August 2013
Recipe Details
Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe
Prep5 mins
Cook25 mins
Active30 mins
Total30 mins
Serves3to 4 servings
Ingredients
4 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half
3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cupfinely minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more to garnish
4 ouncesfinely grated parmesan cheese, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/4 stick)unsalted butter
8 (1/2-inch) slices hearty country bread, challah, or brioche, preferably one day old
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, 1 ounce cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Place remaining parmesan on a large plate.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat until melted. Working one slice at a time, dip bread in egg mixture, then dredge in grated parmesan to coat well on both sides. Lay in skillet. Repeat until 4 slices of bread are in skillet. Cook, swirling pan and flipping occasionally, until deep golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining butter and second batch of bread.
Sprinkle French toast with scallions and more chopped parsley and serve immediately.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-02-0c15848aebdf4a4ca07f7115fdb0f204.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (10)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2013__08__20130818-savory-french-toast-recipe-08-a7261fe8d38042648631c5c30fdaac39.jpg "Savory Cheese-Crusted French Toast With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe (11)")
Special Equipment
Large cast iron skillet, nonstick skillet, or griddle
Read More
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- French Toast
- Parmesan
- Garlic
- Quick Breakfast
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 625 | Calories |
| 29g | Fat |
| 63g | Carbs |
| 26g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 3to 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 625 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 29g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat 15g | 74% |
| Cholesterol 245mg | 82% |
| Sodium 1235mg | 54% |
| Total Carbohydrate 63g | 23% |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
| Total Sugars 9g | |
| Protein 26g | |
| Vitamin C 9mg | 43% |
| Calcium 502mg | 39% |
| Iron 6mg | 31% |
| Potassium 379mg | 8% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
