Easy Avocado Toast Recipe (With Tomato or Feta)

Avocado toast does not need a recipe, people say, and then they make it with underripe avocado on thin sandwich bread with no salt and wonder why it tastes like nothing. It does need a recipe, or at least a method, and this is mine: thick sourdough toasted hard, a garlic rub, avocado mashed with lemon and real salt, and one of two toppings that I go back and forth between depending on the season.

In summer it is sliced ripe tomato with black pepper and a little more salt. The rest of the year it is crumbled feta with chili flakes and a thread of olive oil. Both take an extra thirty seconds. Both turn a snack into breakfast.

It is also the most forgiving thing on this site. Once you have the base right, the toppings below are suggestions, not rules.

Why this recipe works

• Thick, crusty bread toasted until crisp holds up to the soft avocado instead of going soggy.
• Lemon juice keeps the avocado bright green and cuts its richness; salt is what makes it taste like avocado.
• Mashing coarsely, not puréeing, leaves texture and stops it from turning into baby food.
• Rubbing the hot toast with a cut garlic clove adds flavor with no chopping.

How to pick a ripe avocado

A ripe Hass avocado has dark, pebbled skin and yields to gentle pressure in your palm without feeling mushy. Flick off the little stem cap: green underneath means ripe, brown means overripe. If the store only has hard ones, buy them two or three days ahead and leave them on the counter, in a paper bag with a banana if you are in a hurry. Never refrigerate an avocado until it is ripe.

The bread matters most

Sourdough is the classic for a reason: its tang and chew stand up to the avocado, and a thick slice toasts crisp on the outside while staying soft inside. Homemade sourdough from this site is ideal. Good alternatives are a seeded whole-grain loaf, rye, or a rustic country bread. Cut slices about 3/4 inch thick and toast them well, in a toaster or under the broiler, or in a skillet with a little olive oil for the crispest result.

Tomato or feta? And other toppings

Tomato version: lay thin slices of a ripe tomato over the avocado, sprinkle with flaky salt and lots of black pepper, and add a few torn basil leaves if you have them. Feta version: crumble 2 tablespoons of feta over the avocado, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil, and finish with lemon zest.

• Fried or poached egg on top, for a proper breakfast.
• Everything bagel seasoning, the easiest upgrade there is.
• Smoked salmon, capers and thinly sliced red onion.
• Sliced radish, cucumber and dill for crunch.
• Hot honey drizzled over the feta version.

How to keep avocado from browning

Lemon juice slows browning, so mashed avocado with lemon will hold its color for an hour or so. For a leftover half, leave the pit in, press plastic wrap directly onto the cut surface, and refrigerate; scrape off any thin brown layer before using. Mashed avocado can be stored the same way, pressed flat under plastic wrap, for a day.

How to store avocado toast

• Avocado toast does not keep; assemble it just before eating.
• Mashed avocado can be refrigerated for up to 1 day with plastic wrap pressed onto its surface.
• Leftover avocado halves keep for a day in the refrigerator with the pit in and the cut side covered.

Variations to try

• With egg: top either version with a fried egg with a runny yolk, or a 7-minute jammy boiled egg.
• Mediterranean: feta, halved cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and oregano.
• Mexican-style: lime instead of lemon, cilantro, pickled jalapeño and cotija cheese.
• Vegan: skip the feta and top with toasted pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and chili flakes.

Frequently asked questions

What bread is best for avocado toast?

A thick slice of sourdough or another crusty, chewy bread. It toasts crisp enough to support the avocado and has flavor of its own. Thin sandwich bread goes soggy and tastes flat.

How do I keep avocado toast from being bland?

Salt, acid and fat. Most bland avocado toast is simply undersalted. Use flaky salt, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of good olive oil, and taste the mash before it goes on the bread.

Is avocado toast healthy?

It is a reasonable breakfast: avocado supplies fiber, potassium and monounsaturated fat, and whole-grain or sourdough bread adds more fiber. Adding an egg or feta brings protein, which keeps you full longer. One slice with half an avocado is around 250 calories.

Can I make avocado toast ahead of time?

Not assembled, but you can mash the avocado with lemon up to a day ahead and store it pressed under plastic wrap. Toast the bread and assemble when you are ready to eat.

Why does my avocado turn brown?

Exposure to air. Lemon juice slows it, and keeping the surface covered stops it. A thin brown layer on stored avocado is harmless and can be scraped off.