Recipe of the day: 3 budget-friendly savoury French toast recipes for dinner

As the end of the month draws closer, and the bank accounts and cupboards get emptier, we find ourselves looking for clever ideas to make cheap, but delicious meals.

Who would have thought that French toast recipes are not only delicious at breakfast when served with maple syrup and crispy bacon, but that it can be equally as appetising when served for dinner with baked beans and chakalaka, garlic and parmesan cheese or cherry tomatoes and Dijon mustard.

As long as you have bread and eggs in the house, you can basically add any combination of savoury ingredients to your French toast to give it that extra special flavour kick.

ALSO SEE: Recipe of the day: Two egg-based recipes that can double up as brekkie and dinner

Here are 3 of our favourite savoury French toast recipes

Savoury French toast with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and mustard

If you’ve reached the salticrax portion of your month, don’t stress. We’ve got you covered with cheap meal ideas, bursting with flavour. 

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• Author: greedygourmet
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Lunch, breakfast
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: French

Ingredients

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• 90ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 90ml (3 tbsp) butter
• 8 onions, peeled and sliced
• 600g (20 oz) mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 300ml (5fl oz) white wine
• 300ml (5fl oz) crème fraîche
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 eggs
• 250ml (½ cup) milk
• 30ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
• 8 slices of thick white bread
• 10ml (1 tsp) icing sugar
• 8 spring onions, washed and chopped
• 24 cherry tomatoes, washed

Instructions

1. Heat 15ml (1 tbsp) oil and 15ml (1 tbsp) butter in a frying pan.
2. Fry the onions gently for 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked.
4. Add the wine, turn up the heat and let the liquid sizzle down to half its quantity.
5. Stir in the crème fraîche and season to taste.
6. Lower the heat to minimum in order to keep it warm while you fry the bread.
7. Whisk the eggs with the milk and mustard in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Soaking the bread slices in the milk mixture.
9. Heat the remaining butter and oil [30ml (2 tbsp), respectively] in a large frying pan.
10. When the butter-oil mixture starts to sizzle, arrange the soaked bread slices in the pan and fry them on both sides for about 3 minutes each, or until golden brown.
11. Remove the French toast from the heat and sprinkle with a light dusting of icing sugar on both sides.
12. Place each piece of French toast on a plate and divide the mushroom sauce evenly.
13. Sprinkle spring onions on top and serve with cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

*This recipe was found on www.greedygourmet.com.

French toast with chakalaka and baked beans

Cooking on a budget? This savoury French toast with chakalaka and baked beans make a wholesome local brekkie, minus the costs!

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• Author: John Brown
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Lunch, snack
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: South African,French

Ingredients

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• 4 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 2 thyme sprigs, chopped
• 1 loaf sliced wholewheat bread
• 1 tin chakalaka
• 1 tin baked beans
• Handful parsley

Instructions

1. Whisk together the eggs, milk and thyme, and season well with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat, and dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture.
3. Fry the bread slices for 5 minutes on each side, and set aside on paper towel.
4. Mix together the chakalaka and baked beans, and serve with the French toast. Garnish with fresh parsley.

*This recipe was found on www.mykitchen.co.za.

Savoury cheese-crusted French toast with garlic and parmesan

• Author: seriouseats
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfast,Brunch
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup finely minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more to garnish
• 110g finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 slices bread
• ¼ cup cup finely sliced scallions

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 100°C. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, 30g cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Place remaining Parmesan on a large plate.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick 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 four 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.
3. Sprinkle French toast with scallions and more chopped parsley and serve immediately.

*This recipe was found on www.seriouseats.com.

NOW SEE: Recipe of the day: Hearty lamb stew and no-knead vetkoek in under 2 hours