Avocados are delicious and nutrient-dense. Mashing them onto a piece of toast may be the simplest yet satisfying breakfast, brunch, or anything in between. The possibilities are endless, but here are some easy and fun variations.
What is an Avocado Toast? It is an open-faced sandwich, sometimes called Avocado Mash or Smash Toast, with a sturdy, toasted bread at its base and a thick layer of creamy mashed avocados on top.
Jump to:
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- What you’ll need
- Ingredient notes and substitutions
- How to make Avocado Toast - 8 ways
- #1 Anchovies + Tomato
- #2 Fried Egg
- #3 Hummus + Olives + Cucumbers
- #4 Boiled Egg
- #5 Bacon
- #6 Caprese (Tomato + Mozzarella + Basil)
- #7 Tomato + Fresh Basil
- #8 Scrambled Eggs + Smoked Salmon
- Frequently asked questions and tips
- The key takeaway
- Watch how I make it here
- More appetizers and sides you may like
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Sliced avocados are good, but mashing makes them way better — creamy and buttery.
- It’s highly customizable to your taste, with a lot of room for creativity.
- It is the easiest, simplest, and maybe the best healthy breakfast or brunch ever.
What you’ll need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Avocados: Choose ripe but not too ripe avocados that are firm with a slight give when gently pressed. I like removing the stem (or what remains of it) to look at the inside — if it's green underneath, it's ready to eat. You can keep ripe avocados in the fridge to keep them that way longer, but leave the unripe ones on the countertop. To ripen them faster, place them in a paper bag with a banana.
- Bread: Rustic loaves that are crusty with soft and chewy center like sourdough bread are good. But you can also use any thick-sliced hearty or fluffy bread that is well toasted making a sturdy base for the toppings.
- The basics: To keep things simple, you can add salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, a squeeze of lemon (or lime juice), and some extra-virgin olive oil.
- The extras: This is the part where you can get creative.
How to make Avocado Toast - 8 ways
TIP: To make your toast taste better, toast the bread with butter on a skillet on the stovetop instead of a toaster.
#1 Anchovies + Tomato
For umami flavor, add a few anchovy fillets to your avocado toast. A slice of tomato and some basil leaves or parsley add freshness and color.
#2 Fried Egg
A beautifully fried egg with runny yolk on top of the avocado toast makes it special.
#3 Hummus + Olives + Cucumbers
Make it creamier with a plant-based protein like hummus topped with cucumbers and olives for flavor and texture.
#4 Boiled Egg
Add creamy slices of eggs boiled for 7-8 minutes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can add a poached egg or two.
#5 Bacon
Add a few slices of crisp bacon on the avocado toast for a protein boost.
#6 Caprese (Tomato + Mozzarella + Basil)
If you like Caprese salad, add tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or extra-virgin olive oil.
#7 Tomato + Fresh Basil
As simple as a slice of tomato is delicious on avocado toast. Season with salt (or flaky sea salt) and pepper, add fresh basil leaves, and extra-virgin olive oil. You can use beefsteak tomatoes or little ones like grape or cherry tomatoes.
#8 Scrambled Eggs + Smoked Salmon
Make creamy, soft scrambled eggs and add the smoked salmon at the very end. Garnish with some chopped chives, scallions, or thin slices of red onion.
Frequently asked questions and tips
It's a healthy choice because avocados are an excellent source of nutrients — especially fiber, potassium, and healthy fats. They are filling and a low-carbohydrate option. But like any other food, moderation is key. It's easy to overeat avocados and end up consuming more calories than your body needs.
There are so many different types of avocados, but in the US, you’ll only see Hass avocados most of the time. It has a vibrant green color that turns dark purplish when ripe and is available year-round. It should be firm that yield slightly when gently pressed. Avoid avocados with blemishes, dents, or soft spots.
The key takeaway
If you like avocados, you should make avocado toasts and add them to your arsenal. After all, it is a black canvas to get creative and a reason to look forward to mornings.
Watch how I make it here
More appetizers and sides you may like
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📖 Recipe
How to Make Avocado Toast (8 Ways)
Equipment
- Toaster oven or skillet
Ingredients
- Thick-sliced bread
- Ripe avocado
- Salt and pepper
- Crushed red pepper optional
- Lemon juice optional
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Toast the bread: Melt some butter in the pan over medium heat. Place the bread in the pan and let it absorb the butter. Brown them on both sides for about 2 minutes each, occasionally pressing the bread on the pan to brown better. Alternatively, you can toast the bread in a toaster.
- Mash the avocados: Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and slice them inside the skin. Scoop out the avocado flesh and place them on top of the toast. Mash or smash avocados using a fork. Alternatively, you can do it separately in a small bowl. You can make it smooth or leave chunks.
- Serve: Season with salt and pepper. Add some red pepper flakes, a squeeze of lemon, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
- How to make Avocado Toast (8 ways ):#1 ANCHOVIES + TOMATO For umami flavor, add a few anchovy fillets to your avocado toast. A slice of tomato and some basil leaves or parsley add freshness and color.#2 FRIED EGGA beautifully fried egg with runny yolk on top of the avocado toast makes it special.#3 HUMMUS + OLIVES + CUCUMBERSMake it creamier with a plant-based protein like hummus topped with cucumbers and olives for flavor and texture.#4 BOILED EGGAdd creamy slices of eggs boiled for 7-8 minutes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can add a poached egg or two.#5 BACONAdd a few slices of crisp bacon on the avocado toast for a protein boost.#6 CAPRESE (TOMATO + MOZZARELLA + BASIL)If you like Caprese salad, add tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or extra-virgin olive oil.#7 TOMATO + FRESH BASILAs simple as a slice of tomato is delicious on avocado toast. Season with salt (or flaky sea salt) and pepper, add fresh basil leaves, and extra-virgin olive oil. You can use beefsteak tomatoes or little ones like grape or cherry tomatoes.#8 SCRAMBLED EGGS + SMOKED SALMONMake creamy, soft scrambled eggs and add the smoked salmon at the very end. Garnish with some chopped chives, scallions, or thin slices of red onion.
Video
Notes
- Avocados: Choose ripe but not too ripe avocados that are firm with a slight give when gently pressed. I like removing the stem (or what remains of it) to look at the inside — if it's green underneath, it's ready to eat. You can keep ripe avocados in the fridge to keep them that way longer, but leave the unripe ones on the countertop. To ripen them faster, place them in a paper bag with a banana.
- Bread: Rustic loaves that are crusty with soft and chewy center like sourdough bread are good. But you can also use any thick-sliced hearty or fluffy bread that is well toasted making a sturdy base for the toppings.
- The basics: To keep things simple, you can add salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, a squeeze of lemon (or lime juice), and some extra-virgin olive oil.
- The extras: This is the part where you can get creative.
Bim
Made this with scrambled eggs, so good! Love this recipe with different variations. Healthy snacks or for breakfast.
Nora
Hello, Bim! Thanks for making it. =)