Avocado Toast Recipe

Sure, it's easy to take a jab at an avocado toast recipe. You can call it a bit trendy, but have you ever really tried the stuff?

The possibilities are endless because, beyond the basics of toasted bread and mashed avocado, there's really no limit to what you can do here. And there's also no reason to be intimidated by it, says chef and food writer Maren Epstein of Eating Works, who explained that there are just "no mistakes to make with this recipe. It's fool-proof!"

"Avocado toast is great for brunch and for breakfast," Epstein says. "The avocado toast with lemon and red pepper chili flakes goes well with a sunny side up egg on top. And with the caponata, it's perfect for a light Italian-themed lunch. The goat cheese with chive toast is fresh and creamy, so that would go well with something crunchy like a romaine salad or a protein like a piece of salmon."

So you see, avocado toast can be a meal or a snack. Or an appetizer. Or set out on a party platter. And with so many variations, it just might become an almost everyday eat.

Yes, at its most basic form, all you need to make avocado toast is, well, toasted bread and an avocado. And sure, that in and of itself will taste pretty good. But let's instead plan for three quick, easy, and delicious takes on this toast that only require a few more ingredients.

For the base avocado toast, you'll need three slices of bread, two avocados with their pits removed and the ripe flesh scooped out into a bowl, a lemon (for juice), and sea salt and pepper, used to taste. Now, which bread is best here? That's one of many choices you'll need to make, but it's hard to go wrong. So try wheat, rye, sourdough, or whatever else you like.

Now, for one option, you'll also need a teaspoon of red pepper chili flakes and two tablespoons of chopped cilantro. For option two, you'll need a quarter cup of crumbled goat cheese and two tablespoons of chopped chives. And for the third option, you'll need a half cup of pre-made eggplant caponata.

Toast the three slices of bread for this avocado toast recipe in the toaster or in an oven until they are golden and crispy. You don't want the toast to burn, of course, but this is no time for lightly toasted bread, as it may become soggy and may lack the resilience to support the weight of all the great stuff you'll be piling on.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocado, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and mash with a fork until it's all mixed and smooth. Note that the lemon juice does add some great taste, but is also used to prevent the avocado from browning.

You can probably guess the next step to making avocado toast. Yep, spread the avocado (and lemon juice and salt and pepper mix) on top of the toast. Now is where things get wild. Or not. It's really up to you or whoever will be enjoying this sumptuous stuff how it gets dressed up. 

"Choose from any if the three topping options above to garnish the avocado toast," says Epstein, "as each one is different and delicious." But, of course, you can try whatever sounds great to you, from sliced sausage to diced tomatoes to Parmesan cheese.