This vegan Yom Kippur break fast is comforting, easy to serve and can be fully prepped before the fast begins.

Plan Ahead

After fasting for Yom Kippur, nobody wants to stand in the kitchen preparing an elaborate meal. The best break fast foods are comforting, easy to serve and – most importantly – ready before the fast begins.

Last year, I shared my suggestions for what to eat before and after Yom Kippur. This year, I’m focusing on one of my favorite make-ahead dishes for a vegan Yom Kippur break fast: baked cinnamon-raisin French toast.

This French Toast Casserole has the special flavors of a holiday meal, with the added bonus of being able to be assembled ahead of time. It is vegan and gluten-free when made with gluten-free bread—but can also be made with eggs, traditional bread, and dairy whipping cream if that is what you enjoy.

Year after year, I serve my vegan, gluten-free dishes alongside the usual options for my omnivorous family. Each year, the vegan dishes disappear first – although I’m the only vegan! Whether your household is vegan, omnivorous, or somewhere in between, baked cinnamon-raisin French toast is an easy dish everyone can share.

My Make-Ahead Vegan Yom Kippur Break Fast

You do not need an enormous menu for the break fast. For my Yom Kippur break fast, I choose one substantial make-ahead dish and add simple foods that require little prep.

My menu might include:

• Vegan baked French toast
• A simple fruit salad/platter
• A colorful vegetable platter, including sliced veggies for bagels
• Bagels and/or gluten-free bagels
• Vegan/other cream cheese, avocado, hummus and other spreads
• Orange juice, coffee, tea and plenty of water

I often include a make-ahead vegan frittata, a recipe that deserves its own post!

Vegan and Gluten-Free Baked French Toast

This baked French toast uses cinnamon-raisin bread, Just Egg and nondairy milk. The orange juice brightens the flavor, while vegan whipping cream makes it feel rich and warming.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf vegan gluten-free cinnamon-raisin bread (I like Great Northern Bakehouse)
• 12 oz Just Egg (or 6 large eggs for non-vegan version)
• 1 cup nondairy milk (Use Soymilk for more protein)
• ⅓ cup vegan whipping cream
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Optional Glaze

• Powdered sugar
• Nondairy milk

Instructions

1. Cut or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and place them in a greased baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the Just Egg, nondairy milk, vegan whipping cream, orange juice, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread. Gently press the bread into the liquid so that all the pieces are coated.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. You can also assemble it before the fast and leave it refrigerated until you are ready to bake it.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Bake the French toast covered for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the cover and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned.
8. If desired, whisk powdered sugar with a small amount of nondairy milk to make a simple glaze. Drizzle it over the baked French toast before serving.

When to Prepare Everything

Before Yom Kippur, assemble the French toast and place it in the refrigerator. Wash and cut the fruit and vegetables, set out your serving dishes and make sure your spreads and drinks are ready.

Depending on your timing, you can bake the French toast before the fast and reheat it afterward, or leave the assembled dish refrigerated and arrange for it to be baked toward the end of the fast. Follow appropriate food-safety and holiday-observance practices for your household.

If you are still planning the meal before the fast, you can also find my pre-Yom Kippur meal recipes and tips here.

The meal after Yom Kippur does not need to be complicated. Prepare something nourishing and comforting ahead of time, add a few fresh foods and allow everyone to sit down and eat when the fast is over.

Wishing an easy and meaningful fast to all who observe.

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