Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast)

Rabanada is essentially a Brazilian version of french toast. It’s made with thick slices of bread that are soaked in a sweet and creamy custard, then pan-fried and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It’s a popular dessert or breakfast during the holiday season and has quickly become a crowd-favorite at our house. All you need is 6 ingredients for this plant-based version of Rabanada.

After discovering this Brazilian French Toast recipe idea in one of our favorite brunch books, it has become a new favorite that rivals our Vegan French Toast! It’s sweet, ‘buttery’ and so comforting! It’s amazing how changing a couple of ingredients in traditional recipes can revolutionize it and make it suitable for a plant-based, budget-friendly diet. 

What is Rabanada? 

Rabanada is a popular Brazilian breakfast or dessert that is similar to French toast. It’s typically enjoyed during a special occasion, like Christmas morning and New Year’s, but can really be enjoyed any time of year when celebrating or craving something sweet. The name “rabanada” comes from the Portuguese word “rabanar,” which means “to drench” or “to soak,” and refers to the preparation method of the dish.

The authentic dish is deep-fried and made with sweet condensed milk, whole milk, and eggs, which of course is not plant-based. But thankfully, with a few wholesome swaps, we’ve created a vegan-friendly version that is not only equally delicious, but without the excess oil and fat. 

The Ingredients

• Ripe bananas: Use either fresh, ripe banana or frozen, then thawed bananas. This adds a natural sweetness while keeping the refined-sugar low. 
• Plant-based milk: Instead of sweetened condensed milk, use your favorite plant-based milk. I recommend something creamy, like full-fat coconut milk or Homemade Cashew Milk. 
• Flour: All-purpose flour thickens and binds the custard without dairy or eggs. 
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness and adds depth of flavor. 
• Ground cinnamon: Similar to the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon adds flavor and warmth. 
• Stale bread: The best bread to use is day old bread that is dry and crusty. I typically use a stale French baguette. 
• Oil: ​Any neutral tasting cooking oil will work. We used a light tasting olive oil, but grape-seed oil or cooking spray can work, too. 

Add-ins and Variations

• Roll the bread in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Traditional Rabanada is typically coated in cinnamon sugar once fried. If desired, replace the powdered sugar garnish with cinnamon sugar for coating.
• Add citrus. If you love the flavor of orange or lemon in your french toast, try adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest or orange zest to the plant milk-soaked bread slices.
• Use almond extract instead of vanilla. 
• Add coffee. ​Make a coffee-infused Rabanada and replace up to 1/4 cup of the plant-based milk with freshly brewed coffee. 
• Replace the cinnamon with cocoa powder. ​This will make a chocolate Rabanada – perfect for a decadent dessert! 

How to Make Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast)

• 1) Begin by preparing the custard. Add the bananas, flour, and vanilla into a blender of food processor and blend until completely smooth. 

• 2) Place the baguette slices in a single layer in a shallow dish or baking pan. 

• 3) Pour plant milk mixture over the bread and flip the slices to coat. Allow the bread to soak up the custard for 10 minutes, then flip and allow the bread to soak for an additional 10 minutes on the opposite side. 

• 4) Sprinkle with cinnamon and cocoa powder on one or both sides, as desired. 

• 5) Preheat a large, nonstick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with cooking spray or cooking oil of choice. Place the rabanada into the hot oil and cook on the first side for 5 to 7 minutes. 

• 6) Flip and cook for a final 3 minutes, or until the rabanada is golden brown and flecked with darker spots. 
• ​7) Repeat the process until all of the bread is cooked. 
• 8) Enjoy while warm with desired toppings. 

Recipe FAQs

Top Recipe Tips 

• Use the right bread! The most important part of any french toast recipe is using the right bread. If you have access to vegan-friendly Portuguese Bread rolls like Pão Francês please use it! This will give your Rabanada the most authentic touch. Otherwise, a crusty french baguette with a dense crumb is the next best option. 
• Be careful not to over soak. When testing this recipe, we used very stale, hearty bread that allowed for a longer soak time. Keep a close eye on your bread and if it appears to be softening too much in the soaking liquid, remove it! 
• Enjoy immediately while warm. Similar to fried foods, this Brazilian french toast is best when served immediately while it’s still warm and crispy on the outside, and soft and custard-like on the inside.
• Use paper towels to soak up any excess oil. ​Depending on how deeply fried you like your slice of rabanada, you may have excess oil after cooking. Simply place the Rabanada on paper towel-lined plates to help remove any excess oil. 

Serving Suggestions 

In addition to rolling in cinnamon sugar, there are several ways to serve these sweet toasts and make the dish even more decadent and delicious. 

• Serve drizzled with vegan condensed milk. ​Pick up a store-bought sweetened condensed coconut milk, or make Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk from scratch! 
• Pair with fresh fruit. Use berries, diced apples, fresh berries, sliced bananas, or any fruit of choice. This Easy Mango Compote would also be delicious! 
• Add syrup. ​If you prefer not to use vegan condensed milk, drizzle your Rabanda with maple syrup or Blueberry Maple Syrup for a fruity twist. 
• Serve with vegan ice cream. Try dairy-free vanilla ice cream or this homemade banana ice cream would be the perfect compliment. 
• Drizzle with vegan caramel or chocolate sauce. Use this Vegan Date Caramel Sauce or this Healthy Vegan Chocolate Syrup! 

Storage Instructions

Storing leftover Brazilian French Toast is very similar to regular french toast. Simply cool to room temperature, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months (if freezing, a freezer bag is best!). 

Reheat leftovers in the oven, in a hot skillet, or in the microwave until warm. 

More Sweet Dessert Recipes

• Vegan Biscoff Cake
• Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls
• Easy Chocolate Depression Cake (Wacky Cake)
• Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Avocado Pudding
• Summer Fruit Pizza

Photos by Alfonso Revilla