High Protein Cottage Cheese French Toast Casserole

This high protein cottage cheese French toast casserole swaps the usual cream-and-sugar custard for blended cottage cheese, whole eggs, and egg whites, so each square lands around 20 grams of protein with no protein powder.

The cottage cheese goes through the blender with the eggs and milk until it is completely smooth, which gives you a thick, rich custard with no curds and no cheese taste.

Whole wheat bread cubes get toasted first, which keeps the center from turning wet and gives the casserole some structure.

It takes about an hour and 15 minutes start to finish, or you can assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning.

Why You’ll Love It

• About 20 grams of protein per serving, with the math shown below
• No protein powder and no heavy cream
• Blended custard, so no cottage cheese curds in the finished dish
• One 9×13-inch dish feeds 8
• Assemble the night before or bake it right away
• Reheats in the microwave for weekday breakfasts

Ingredients

For the Bread

1 pound loaf sturdy whole wheat or multigrain sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)

Butter or cooking spray for the 9×13-inch baking dish

For the Custard

2 cups (16 ounces) 2% cottage cheese

6 large eggs

3/4 cup liquid egg whites (about 5 egg whites)

3/4 cup 2% milk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

For Serving

Plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Fresh berries (optional)

Extra maple syrup (optional)

The protein number is rough math from the ingredient amounts (a 1-pound loaf of whole wheat bread runs about 50 grams of protein, 2 cups of 2% cottage cheese about 52, six large eggs 36, 3/4 cup of egg whites about 20, and 3/4 cup of milk 6, which is roughly 164 grams split eight ways, so about 20 grams a square).

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a 18×13-inch half sheet pan, and toast for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the edges feel dry and look lightly golden.

2. Grease a 9×13-inch ceramic baking dish and tip the toasted bread into it.

3. Put the cottage cheese, eggs, egg whites, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a 64-ounce countertop blender.

4. Blend on medium for 20 to 30 seconds, just until no white specks of cottage cheese remain, and stop there because longer blending whips in air and the top bakes up foamy instead of custardy.

5. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, press the cubes down with a spatula so every piece is wet, and let it sit for 10 minutes so the bread soaks it up.

6. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the center does not jiggle when you nudge the dish, and an instant-read thermometer in the middle reads at least 160°F (71°C).

7. If the top browns before the center sets, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the dish for the last 10 minutes.

8. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into 8 squares, since it firms up as it cools and slices cleanly instead of slumping.

Helpful Tips & Substitutions

Toasting the bread is the step people skip, and it is the one that matters most here, because untoasted cubes collapse under nearly 5 cups of custard and the middle turns to pudding.

Use 2% or 4% cottage cheese, since fat-free blends thinner and the casserole bakes up drier and more rubbery.

Whole wheat sandwich bread adds about 50 grams of protein to the whole pan, so brioche or challah will work but drop each square closer to 16 grams and bake up softer.

Day-old bread toasts faster and soaks more evenly, while a fresh loaf needs the full 10 minutes in the oven.

A 10-inch serrated bread knife cuts clean 1-inch cubes without squashing the loaf, and that size gives the right ratio of crisp top to soft interior.

A blender beats a food processor for the custard, because the processor leaves tiny curds behind that show up as white flecks after baking.

To cut the sugar, swap the maple syrup for 1/4 cup of a granulated sweetener and add 2 tablespoons more milk to make up the lost liquid.

Frozen blueberries can go in with the bread cubes, about 1 cup, and they do not need thawing first.

Serving Ideas

A spoonful of plain Greek yogurt on each square adds roughly 5 more grams of protein and cuts the sweetness of the maple.

Fresh berries or sliced banana on top with a thin drizzle of maple syrup is enough, since the custard is already sweet.

For a bigger make-ahead breakfast spread with a savory side, bake a pan of High Protein Cottage Cheese Sheet Pan Scrambled Eggs while this cools.

Cold squares pack well, so one square plus a jar of Greek Yogurt Strawberry Overnight Oats covers two weekday breakfasts from one prep session.

A handful of Homemade Granola scattered over the top adds crunch the soft custard does not have on its own.

Make-Ahead & Storage

To bake it in the morning, assemble through step 5, cover the dish tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Bake it straight from the fridge with the foil off, and expect it to need 55 to 60 minutes instead of 45 to 50 because the dish starts cold.

Leftover squares keep in glass meal prep containers in the fridge for 4 days.

Reheat a square in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, or in a toaster oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes if you want the top crisp again.

To freeze, wrap individual squares in parchment and then foil, bag them, and keep them for up to 2 months.

Thaw frozen squares overnight in the fridge, or microwave from frozen for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once.

The blended custard does not weep the way cream-based casseroles do, so day-three squares taste close to day one.

The custard sets firmer than one made with heavy cream, which is why the squares hold a clean edge in a lunchbox instead of falling apart.

Cottage cheese curds that survive blending will not disappear in the oven, so give the blender the full 20 seconds before you pour.