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This easy avocado toast recipe layers creamy mashed avocado over crisp toasted bread, then a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt. A fresh breakfast for one, ready in 5 minutes.
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Equipment: Toaster, small bowl, fork
- Cook Method: Toasting
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Rich and buttery from the ripe avocado, with the toasted bread adding a crisp, nutty crunch.
This recipe uses half a ripe avocado and one slice of bread, so you can use the other half in a breakfast sandwich or on a cobb salad.
The Best Avocado Toast Recipe
Avocado toast is what I make when I want something fast that still holds me till lunch. Half a ripe avocado, mashed with a fork and left a little chunky, spread thick over a slice of crisp toast.
Some mornings I add a fried egg and let the soft yolk run down into the avocado. Other days I keep it plain with a few slices of ripe tomato and a pinch of flaky salt. It’s ready in about five minutes and uses half an avocado, which is why it’s my go-to breakfast for one.
Looking for more easy breakfast recipes for one? Try my breakfast bagel, egg wrap, breakfast bowl, and blueberry dutch baby.
Ingredient Notes
This simple avocado toast comes down to a few good ingredients. Here’s what each one does and how to pick it. If you have anything left over, check our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder for other ways to use it up.
Bread: Use one slice of thick-cut, sturdy bread like sourdough or whole grain. A hearty slice holds the mashed avocado and stays crisp underneath, where thin sandwich bread goes limp.
Avocado: Use half of a ripe avocado. It should give slightly when you press it but not feel mushy. If it’s still firm, leave it on the counter for a day or two to ripen. Save the other half for a small batch of guacamole or an avocado salad.
Olive oil: A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil adds richness and enhances the avocado’s natural flavor.
Salt: Kosher or sea salt seasons the avocado and brings out its flavor. A pinch of flaky salt on top adds a bit of crunch.
Black pepper: Coarsely ground black pepper gives it a sharp finish. Grind it fresh if you can.
Recipe Variations
This avocado toast recipe is an easy base for other flavors, and these are the add-ins and toppings I go back to.
Add Garlic: Rub a cut clove of raw garlic across the warm toast before you spread on the avocado. It leaves a faint savory flavor without overpowering the avocado.
Add Lemon or Lime: Mash a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice into the avocado. It brightens the flavor and helps keep the avocado green a little longer.
Fried or Poached Egg: Add a fried or poached egg on top for extra protein. It makes the toast filling enough for lunch or a light dinner too.
Everything Bagel Seasoning: Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the finished toast for a little crunch and extra salt.
Fresh Tomato: Add thin slices of ripe tomato, or go caprese with fresh mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic.
Smoked Salmon: Lay a slice or two of smoked salmon over the avocado, with a few capers or thin slices of red onion.
Bacon: Scatter chopped cooked bacon over the avocado for a salty crunch.
How To Make Avocado Toast
This recipe for avocado toast comes together in about five minutes. Here are the steps, with exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Toast the bread until it’s deeply golden and firm, about 2 to 3 minutes. It should be crisp enough to hold the avocado without going soft.
- While the bread toasts, mash half a ripe avocado in a small bowl with a fork. Mash it just enough to spread, keeping some small chunks for texture.
- Season the avocado with a pinch of salt and black pepper, then stir to combine.
- Spread the avocado evenly over the warm toast, all the way to the edges.
- Drizzle with olive oil and add a pinch of flaky salt, then serve right away while the toast is still crisp.
Expert Tips
Toast in a Skillet or Broiler: A toaster is all you need, but a skillet or the broiler also works and gives the crust a little more char. Whichever you use, toast until the bread is deeply golden and firm so it holds the avocado.
Skip Overripe Avocados: Once an avocado is past ripe, the flesh turns watery and loses its flavor. Press gently and choose one that gives just slightly, with no sunken or mushy spots.
Add Flaky Salt Last: A pinch of flaky sea salt adds a little crunch on top. Because it dissolves as it sits, add it right before you take the first bite.
Use Good Bread and a Ripe Avocado: With this few ingredients, each one shows. Sturdy, fresh bread and a properly ripe avocado make more difference here than any topping.
What To Serve With Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is perfect on its own, but here’s what I serve alongside it to make a fuller meal.
- Pair it with a green smoothie for a light, fresh breakfast.
- Add a single serving of hash browns when you want something heartier in the morning.
- Serve a small frittata on the side for extra protein.
- Turn it into lunch with a bowl of tomato soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost anything that adds salt, acid, crunch, or protein. A squeeze of citrus, a pinch of flaky salt, red pepper flakes, a soft egg, or thin-sliced radish all work. Start with one or two additions so the avocado still comes through.
Scoop the flesh into a bowl and press it with a fork until it’s spreadable but still has a few small lumps. A riper avocado mashes smoother with less effort. Mash it in the bowl rather than on the bread so you don’t tear the toast.
Yes. Avocado brings monounsaturated fat and fiber, and on whole grain bread it makes a filling breakfast. Add an egg or a spoonful of seeds if you want more protein.
Yes, as long as it’s fully thawed and drained first. The texture comes out a little softer than fresh, so it spreads looser. Pat it dry so the extra moisture doesn’t make the toast wet.
No, avocado toast is best made fresh. The avocado browns and the toast softens within a couple of hours. If you’re short on time, toast the bread and slice any toppings ahead, then mash and assemble right before eating.
Sturdy, thick-cut bread that stays crisp under the topping. Sourdough is the most popular choice, though multigrain, rye, and thick artisan slices all hold up well.
No. Avocado toast is mashed or sliced avocado on toasted bread, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and oil. Guacamole is a dip made from mashed avocado mixed with lime, onion, and usually tomato and cilantro. You can spread guacamole on toast, but it tastes brighter and more seasoned than classic avocado toast.
Put it in a paper bag with a banana or apple and leave it on the counter. The fruit releases ethylene gas, which ripens the avocado in a day or two instead of several. Keep it out of the fridge until it’s ripe.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you try this easy avocado toast, let me know how it turned out. Leave a rating and a comment below, and tag your photos on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Easy Avocado Toast Recipe
Equipment
- bowl
- fork
Ingredients
- 1 slice bread – thick-cut and sturdy like sourdough or whole grain
- ½ ripe avocado
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt – plus a pinch more of kosher or flaky salt for topping
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper – plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil – for drizzling
- Optional: sliced tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon or lime, a fried egg, cooked bacon, or smoked salmon
Instructions
- Toast 1 slice of bread until deeply golden and firm, about 2 to 3 minutes. It should be crisp enough to hold the avocado without going soft.
- While the bread toasts, mash ½ of a ripe avocado in a small bowl with a fork until spreadable, leaving a few small chunks for texture.
- Stir ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt and ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper into the mashed avocado.
- Spread the avocado evenly over the warm toast, all the way to the edges.
- Drizzle with ½ teaspoon olive oil, finish with a pinch of salt, and serve immediately while the toast is crisp.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I make this often and love it. Sometimes I add a slice of bacon.
So glad this is one you come back to. Bacon is a great addition.
Creole shrimp recipe is superb. Can you use calamari instead?
Thank you. I haven’t used calamari in this recipe, but if you try it please let me know how it works out for you.