How to Make Avocado Toast? (30+ Best Avocado Toast Toppings)

How to make avocado toast as simple or loaded/fancy as you like with a base simple avocado toast recipe and the 30+ best avocado toast toppings (including meat, fish, vegetarian, and vegan options!). Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light meal!

I first started my blogging journey many years ago by posting pictures of my healthy breakfasts to Facebook and then Instagram before finally starting my blog. Along with smoothie bowls, avocado toast is one of my ongoing obsessions throughout that entire time. Honestly, I’ve probably shared approximately 2 billion photos of my best avocado toast ideas (with some of them included in this post!), and I’m well past due sharing this post on how to make an avocado toast!

Within this post, I’ve included my favorite base vegan avocado toast topping (sliced or as avocado mash) and then a comprehensive list of seasonings and additional avocado toast toppings for all dietary requirements, meals, and simple/fancy options! It may be a “food trend,” but this simple breakfast, light meal, or snack is also packed with heart-healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, yet only takes minutes to prepare, so there’s really no downside!

Want to enjoy more simple toasts? You might enjoy this creamy mushroom toast, Christmas toasts (which can be enjoyed any time of the year), Spanish tomato toast, or even quick and easy French toast!

Avocado Toast Ingredients

The ingredients list for a simple, healthy avocado toast is minimal, comprising bread, avocado, and a few seasonings.

What is the Best Bread for Avocado Toast?

I recommend using crusty, thick slices of bread like a crusty homemade no-knead loaf, sourdough (my favorite!), whole grain bread, and other artisan bread – use gluten-free if necessary. However, over the years, I’ve used many bases with brilliant results, including:

• Bagels,
• Rice cakes,
• Crackers,
• French toast – the savory “eggy bread” rather than the sweet cinnamon variety makes for delicious avocado French toast,
• Sweet potato toast,
• Large zucchini or tomato slices (raw or grilled),
• Pizza – particularly with veggie-based crusts like this butternut squash, sweet potato, or cauliflower pizzas.

The “Base” Simple Avocado Toast Topping

• Avocado: you’ll need just half of a medium avocado per portion of sliced/smashed avocado toast.

Make sure it’s ripe by checking under the stem to ensure it’s green (if it’s brown, the fruit is likely overripe) and gently squeezing to ensure it has some give (but not too much). Even then, you can sometimes get a bad avocado, but hopefully not as often!

• Lemon/Lime: lime/lemon juice adds a slight tang and keeps the avocado a vibrant green – win-win!
• Garlic: (optional) this is technically optional, depending on the toppings you use. However, for me, it’s a “must” when making simple avocado toast. Alternatively, you can use roasted garlic (you’ll need more of it).
• Red chili flakes: adjust the amount or omit it to personal taste. However, a tiny pinch makes for the best avocado toast, in my opinion!
• Flaky sea salt: will add just a little crunch and enhance the flavors in the scrambled eggs with butter.
• Extra virgin olive oil: (optional) I often pan-fried my bread. Feel free to use a toaster instead and omit the oil or use it to drizzle over the toast. Avocado oil would also work.

Herbs, Seasonings, and All-purpose Toppings

Even if a simple avocado toast is all you’re looking for, there are still ways to easily boost the flavor with herbs, seasonings, and general all-purpose toppings that will work with multiple toppings, including:

• Seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, nutritional yeast, and za’atar are my favorite seasonings to experiment with.
• Flaky sea salt: adds texture, flavor, and optionally color too!
• Herbs/Micro herbs: experiment with different herbs to find your favorite: chives, scallions, dill, thyme, oregano, parsley, fresh basil, micro herbs/microgreens, etc.
• Hot sauce: like sriracha or your chili sauce of choice.
• Balsamic: just a drizzle of balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar (or these balsamic pearls) will pack in tons of sweet and tangy flavor.
• Nuts/Seeds: while this isn’t technically a seasoning, nuts and seeds (like this omega blend) will pair with most of the topping below and help to add healthy fats, protein, and crunch to the healthy avocado toast.
• Pickled onions: these pink pickled onions work well alone or with tons of other toppings and add crunch and tang!
• Everything but the bagel seasoning.

What to Put on Avocado Toast (30+ Toppings)?

Once you have the “base” simple avocado toast recipe sorted, it’s time to experiment with finding your personal best avocado toast!

Meat & Fish Toppings

• Smoked salmon: there are several ways to enjoy a delicious smoked salmon avocado toast. You can enjoy it alone, with either avocado slices or smashed avocado. You can also pair the salmon up with other toppings like a poached egg/fried egg (perfect for breakfast!), capers, micro herbs/sprouts, red onion or pickled red onions, sesame seeds, and always a crack of black pepper.
• Salmon avocado toast: no, you aren’t getting a déjà vu. For this version, I’m referring to using leftover cooked salmon. Flake it up over the avocado mash with fresh herbs like dill, chives, or micro herbs.
• Shrimp: when using marinated/flavored large shrimp (king prawns here in the UK), then you’ll never run out of flavor combinations for a delicious shrimp avocado toast.
• Tuna: my favorite way to prepare tuna avocado toast is to mash the fish and avocado together for a creamy topping. You can then top that with extra veggies like cherry tomatoes (fresh, roasted, or confit), cucumber, etc. Use plenty of pepper!
• Chicken: like tuna, I like to shred leftover cooked chicken directly into the smashed avocado and add a little mayonnaise for a simple “avocado chicken salad” style topping. Alternatively, you can thinly slice a chicken cutlet on a bias and spread the slices over the toast.
• Turkey: you can use turkey ham or turkey bacon to spread below/over the avocado.
• Bacon: I may not eat bacon, but it hasn’t escaped me that it’s an EXTREMELY popular addition to avocado toast. I recommend frying it until crisp and enjoying it with mashed avocado. Bacon avocado toast pairs well with scrambled or poached eggs, too, for a delicious avocado toast breakfast.

Vegetarian Toppings

• Avocado and egg toast: the options that come under this title are plentiful. You can use a poached egg, fried egg, scrambled egg, or even hard-boiled egg slices. Sprinkle with your herbs/seasonings of choice, add some veggies (tomato, spinach, cucumber, asparagus), sprinkle with pickled red onion, drizzle with hot sauce…The options for avocado egg toast are endless!
• Cream cheese: add a layer of your favorite cream cheese to the toast for extra flavor. Use plain or flavored (like Boursin).
• Ricotta: I like to add a thick layer of ricotta (or whipped ricotta) to the toast first and use plenty of seasoning. This version pairs well with tomatoes, sweet chili sauce, and red pepper flakes.
• Crumbly cheese: adding a crumble of feta or goat cheese is a simple way to boost flavor and can be paired with all sorts of other veggies and toppings.
• Caprese avocado toast: there are two ways to prepare the Caprese topping. You can use layered thin slices of regular mozzarella, large tomatoes, and basil leaves in between. OR you can rely on mini mozzarella pearls (bocconcini), sliced cherry tomatoes, and ribboned basil. Then, top it off with a drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper, and optionally some balsamic glaze.
• Mexican street corn: start with a base of mashed avocado (or guacamole), top with the grilled/roasted corn, a sprinkle of cotija or feta cheese, and, optionally, a pinch of chili powder or red pepper flakes, and sprinkle of cilantro.
• Kimchi: the exact dietary nature (vegan/veggie/not) will depend on your particular kimchi. I like to pile it up high over the sliced/mashed avocado.

Most of the options that include cheese are easily adjustable to vegan using a dairy-free alternative. For example, use this homemade almond ricotta, vegan feta, mozzarella, etc.!

Vegan Avocado Toast

• Sweet potato avocado toast: this can refer to several options. The first uses leftover roasted sweet potato or a sweet potato nest. The second uses thin slices of sweet potato as the toast base instead of bread. Either way, the combination of the naturally sweet and savory flavors is delicious!
• Tomato: use cherry tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, tomato confit, or thin slices of large tomatoes to make a simple tomato avocado toast. Enjoy it with a simple salt and pepper seasoning or dress up with a sprinkle of cheese (vegan or dairy), micro herbs, balsamic, a drizzle of olive oil, etc.
• Pesto: Simply spread a thin layer of your favorite pesto (like this vegan pistachio pesto) beneath the avocado.
• Hummus: would I even be me if I didn’t include hummus on this list. Whether you want to use creamy plain hummus, red pepper hummus, beet hummus, etc. Spread a hearty layer of hummus beneath the avocado slices, season, and enjoy! Radish, cucumber, or pickled red onion would pair well with hummus avocado toast.
• Leafy greens: an easy way to boost flavor and nutrients is with the addition of leafy greens. I.e., avocado toast with arugula, baby spinach (raw or sauteed), microgreens, etc. These pair with lots of other toppings, too.
• Chickpeas: roasted crispy chickpeas will add flavor and crunch to offset the creamy topping. Serve alone or with microgreens/ micro herbs.

• Radish: the combination of thinly sliced pink radish and micro herbs is simple and will add crunch and flavor.
• Mushrooms: make the most delicious mushroom avocado toast by topping smashed avocado with perfectly sautéed mushrooms and the seasoning/herbs of your choice. Add a sprinkle of seeds for extra crunch.
• Roasted/Grilled vegetables: have fun with this one. Broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, artichoke, Mediterranean veggies, corn…. There are tons of veggies to choose from!
• Scrambled tofu: replace the egg with scrambled tofu for this simple, protein-dense breakfast avocado toast option.

Sweet Avocado Toast

• Honey: honey (or maple syrup) pairs wonderfully with the creamy, neutral flavor of avocado. You can make a simple version of avocado toast with honey and just a sprinkling of chopped nuts. Red pepper flakes would also work well. Or even some banana slices/berries.
• Berries: use whole or sliced berries. You can enjoy this sweet (with honey) or savory (with a sprinkle of crumbly cheese or ricotta). Strawberry avocado toast is one of my favorite options, alone or with a sprinkle of nuts/seeds.
• Pomegranate: a sprinkle of this jeweled fruit makes for a wonderful sweet and tangy addition to any non-vegan or vegan avocado toast.
• Peanut butter: this might sound disgusting but, it works. Combine peanut butter (or almond butter) with avo slices and some banana slices for a simple, nutritional sweet and savory breakfast.
• Apple/Pear: combine the mashed avocado toast with thinly sliced pear or apple, a drizzle of honey or maple, and a topping of crunchy walnuts of pecans. Delicious!

How to Make Avocado Toast?

Step 1: Prepare the Avocado

The way you slice the avocado will depend on whether you want to use slices of mashed.

For slices: slice the avocado in two, lengthwise, and gently twist and pull apart. Use the bottom of your knife (not tip) to firmly lodge in the pit, twist, and remove.

Please don’t try to pry the pit/stone out from odd angles or use the tip of your knife, as that can lead to disaster (and blood loss!).

While it’s possible to slice the fruit directly within the skin, it can be harder to remove that way. I recommend first peeling away the skin (this should be very easy to do!). You can then slice the avocado on a chopping board into lengthwise or widthwise slices as thin/thick as you please.

For smashed avocado: I slice and remove the pit in the same way. However, after that, you can simply use a spoon or fork to scoop the flesh out and into a small bowl to mash.

For the most texture, use a fork. But, if you want it super smooth, you could use a blender. I recommend adding some lemon/lime juice directly into the mashed mixture to help keep it green; I also season the mixture in the bowl before adding it to the toast.

Step 2: Prepare and Assemble the Toast

After choosing the bread, you can either toast it in a toaster oven OR pan-fry it as I did. To do the latter, brush the bread lightly with some olive oil and then pan-fry over medium-high heat in a skillet until crispy on both sides.

Then, use the garlic clove to gently rub over each piece of toast.

Finally, assemble the toast. If you’re using sliced pieces, gently fan them over the toast, squeeze with lemon/lime, and sprinkle with some flaky salt and chili flakes (to taste). For smashed avocado toast, spread it across the toast and top with the chili flakes. Enjoy!

You can also make highly decorative avocado toast by simply adjusting the way you slice/shape the avocado. This includes making ribbons, an avocado rose, using food/cookie cutters, etc.

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Make ahead: I usually recommend eating the avocado toast immediately because it browns quickly. However, if you’ve mashed the fruit, then you can store it for a day or two. I recommend doing so in an airtight container topped with a bit of water. When you’re ready to use it, discard the water, mix well, and voila!

Store: once assembled, it’s best to eat your healthy avocado toast immediately. The avocado will brown, and the toast will go soggy over time.

How to store half an avocado? Since you only need half of the fruit per portion, you may find yourself often left with half an avocado needing to be stored (and kept fresh) for at least a day, if not longer. To store it for a day, you can simply rub the top with lemon/lime and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. I recommend storing it flesh-side down in an airtight container with water for longer.

If the very top of the avocado has browned, no problem. Use a knife to scrape that thin layer away, and then use it as normal! If you end up forgetting it and it accidentally slightly over-ripens (without spoiling), you can still use over-ripened avocado to make an avocado chocolate mousse or to add to smoothies.

Recipe Notes, Tips, and FAQs

• What does avocado toast taste like? Of course, this will depend on the toast you’ve used and seasonings/extra toppings. However, for me, this dish is a pleasing combination of flavors and textures with crisp toast and creamy, rich avocado. Avocado itself has a fairly neutral flavor, which is why it’s great to mix with citrus juice, seasoning, and a pop of heat with chili flakes.
• When making large batches: use the oven to toast the bread. I recommend around 10-12 minutes at 350ºF/175ºC. Likewise, you can use a potato masher or blender to mash large portions of avocado mash.
• Use plenty of lemon/lime juice: if you want to keep the green color vibrant for longer, lemon/lime juice is your friend.
• Experiment! This entire post is basically one big recommendation to get your experimenting hat on. There are so many toppings to choose from, so do it!
• To ripen avocado: there are several ways to ripen the fruit at different speeds. Pop it in a bag with ethylene-producing fruits like apples and bananas to encourage ripening over a day or two. Alternatively, you can bake the avocado for 15-25 minutes at 200ºF/95ºC until soft (though it will be warm after).
• Eat in moderation: avocado toast is delicious and highly nutritious, but it also contains high fat levels. Albeit mostly heart-healthy fat, it’s fat nonetheless and should be eaten in moderation. I recommend eating a maximum of 1 medium avocado in a single day.

More Interesting Avocado Recipes

• Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce (Green Pasta)
• How To Make Avocado Oil (Extra Virgin – Cold Process)
• Simple 4-Ingredient Avocado Ice Cream
• Avocado Butter
• Vietnamese Avocado Shake (Sinh To Bo)
• Simple Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse

If you try any of these delicious avocado toast toppings and recipes, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!