The Best Avocado Toast

When hubby saw me writing a blog post on avocado toast, he was a little bemused. I will admit it does seem a little silly to post a recipe for something as basic as avocado toast. You mash up avocado, season it with salt and slather it on toast. See – there’s nothing to it! It’s something we whip up at least 3 or 4 times a week in our household. 

Who invented avocado toast and which cuisine does it belong to? Believe it or not, avocado toast was apparently invented in Australia in the 1970s (at least, according to Google) and chef Chloe Osborne brought it from there to Cafe Gitane in Manhattan, making it a staple for hipsters across the country! The general consensus seems to be that avocado toast is a breakfast dish, but in our household, any meal can be an avocado toast meal. It’s one of the few things my kids can make and feed themselves in a pinch.

Now there are a few prerequisites to making the perfect avocado toast.

1. Start by picking the right kind of avocado. Hass avocados are ideal, and luckily they are the most widely available variety. Buy avocados when they are still unripe and hard, thereby lessening the possibility of bruising. The best time to use the avocado is when it’s slightly black, and a little soft to the touch. 
2. Toast the bread well. Any thick-sliced hearty bread will work, but sourdough is my preferred bread of choice for avocado toast.
3. Avocados and salt are BFFs, so don’t be afraid to use a generous pinch of salt when you mash the avocado.

There are many variations to making avocado toast, but I’m sharing my favorite way of making it in the recipe. If you don’t like it, a few other variations are below:

Cafe Gitane Style: Spread a mound of mashed avocado over the toast and smooth it out. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and add a generous pinch of red pepper flakes and flaky sea salt.

Tomato Balsamic Avocado Toast: Add chopped firm cherry tomatoes on top of your avocado layer, then drizzle with good quality balsamic vinegar and sea salt.

Green onions and toasted sesame avocado toast: Add a generous sprinkle of Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning (white and black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic, and sea salt) and top with finely chopped green onions.

If you make a variation other than any of these, I’d love to know your recipe. Do share in the comments section.

The Best Avocado Toast

Recipe by theplantpaletteblogCourse: BreakfastDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

2

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread (sourdough or whole grain)

• 1 avocado

• 1 teaspoon lime juice

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 2 teaspoons vegan butter

• 2 radishes, thinly sliced

• 2 teaspoons pepitas or raw pumpkin seeds

• A pinch of red pepper flakes

• 2 teaspoons vegan parmesan cheese

• Microgreens for garnish (optional)

Directions

• Scoop the avocado into a bowl, add salt and lime juice and lightly mash it.
• Toast the bread slices and apply butter on it.
• Arrange the sliced radishes as the bottom layer.
• Divide the mashed avocado equally among both slices and spread a mound on top of the radishes covering the toast completely. I like to place radishes below the avocado layer so they don’t slide off when I bite into the toast, plus it leaves room for other toppings.
• Top with red pepper flakes, pepitas and vegan parmesan cheese.
• Garnish with microgreens, if using, and enjoy!