Are French Toast and Eggy Bread the Same?

Are French toast and eggy bread the same thing? In short: Yes.

They are both made of bread soaked in eggs, then fried – but how they are finished, as such, and presented for eating is what makes them slightly different.

Different places will also know the egg-soaked bread dish by different names. In the UK, eggy bread is usually the name given to savoury fried bread served up with a “full English” at breakfast.

It is also known as fried bread and usually comes alongside sausages, bacon, mushrooms, beans, fried tomatoes, hash browns, and eggs.

Photo by Richard Bell on Unsplash

French toast, on the other hand, is typically known to be a sweet, dessert-like dish. The basic recipe is usually sweetened up with things like vanilla or vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, ice cream, jam, honey, maple syrup, fruit, caramel, chocolate, etc.

French Toast vs Eggy Bread vs Pain Perdu – Around the World

Around the world, French toast is known by a wide variety of names. As well as French toast and eggy bread, this fried bread dish is also known as gypsy toast in the UK – and all three can be both a sweet and savoury treat.

One of the most popular names for French toast is pain perdu, which originated in France. Pain perdu is also the name of a breakfast dish in New Orleans, and there are versions of it going back as far as the 15^th century in England.

Photo by Crystal Jo on Unsplash

Can French Toast Be Savoury?

Yes, French toast can be savoury.

It is, in fact, a savoury dish in many places around the world.

In Georgia, for example, French toast – known as kikliko – usually has cheese incorporated into the recipe, and is served as a savoury breakfast or brunch dish.

Hong Kong French toast, which translates to western toast is usually served as a sweet treat, but does have savoury variations that contain beef satay, ham, and other types of meat.

In Romania, French toast is commonly eaten as a savoury dish.

One of the best things about French toast, or eggy bread, is how versatile it is. You can sweeten things up and enjoy it as a sweet, dessert-like treat, or you can add spices, herbs, meats, cheeses, and other ingredients, turning it into a savoury dish.

Here are a few savoury French toast dishes for you to take a look at:

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