Avocado Toast

Avocado Toast
George Etheredge for The New York Times
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(1,654)
Comments
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It may seem silly to give a recipe for avocado toast, but there is an art to it, as with most things that are both simple and perfect. Here, you want to make sure of a few things: that the bread you use is sturdy and has some taste; that there's enough salt and citrus to bring out the avocado's flavor; and that you use a good olive oil to bring it all together. These garnishes, from the Australian café Two Hands in Manhattan, are tasty but unnecessary. —Julia Moskin

Featured in: The Art of the Australian Breakfast

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

    For the Avocado Toast

    • 2large slices crusty, chewy sourdough bread, preferably whole wheat
    • 1ripe avocado, halved, pit removed
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Flaky salt and coarsely ground black pepper
    • Half a lemon or lime

    Optional Garnishes

    • Poached or fried eggs
    • Thinly sliced pickled or fresh red chiles, such as Fresno or cherry
    • Thinly sliced pickled red onions
    • Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sesame seeds, or both
    • Herbs, such as basil, cilantro, mint or baby arugula
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Toast the bread to your liking. Meanwhile, use a wide spoon to remove the avocado halves from the peel, keeping them in large pieces.

  2. Step 2

    Drizzle the hot toast lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Let cool slightly, then place one avocado half on each slice of toast. Use the back of a fork to roughly mash the avocado into the bread, keeping it as chunky as possible.

  3. Step 3

    Sprinkle with a little more salt, and pepper if desired. Squeeze the citrus over the top and add any garnishes. Cut each piece of toast in half if they're large and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,654 user ratings
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Comments

Some others have sort of mentioned it, but I feel like this needs further explanation. If you plan a few days ahead of time, buy the avocados that feel like rocks, you'll get perfect avocados. With some patience, leaving such avocados on the counter will yield perfectly ripe avocados within a few days, without the dreaded thumb prints every doofus in the grocery store seems to leave on them.. Idk why people try and grope the avocados like they're Trump himself, but ugh...

i find it easier to smash it in a bowl first, then spread it on the bread.

Here’s a better method: Take avocados, scoop flesh into bowl, squeeze fresh lemon, season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, & red pepper flake. Add freshly chopped mint. Use fork to smash avocado. Toast bread. Add avocado mixture on top, sprinkle with good sheep’s milk feta, more mint, and olive oil. (1/2 a lemon for every avocado) Ps. Don’t put avocados in the fridge. Let them ripen on the counter- they are fruits!

This has been on my to-do list for a long time, after enjoying it at elegant brunch restaurants. I made the recipe exactly as given, with an egg on one slice and the other plain. Both were excellent, and it'll be so easy to work this into our breakfast rotation.

I make avocado toast regularly. In addition to some of the other good tips, I like to top mine with thinly sliced radishes and pickled asparagus.

Try it topped with Everything Bagel seasoning! Absolutely superb!

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Credits

Adapted from Giles Russell, Two Hands, New York

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