How to Make Avocado Toast Better

Sharon Palmer

Published on February 27, 2024

Learn how to make avocado toast better with this step-by-step avocado toast guide, along with avocado toast toppings, avocado toast seasonings, and avocado toast recipe ideas.

Don’t you just love a good avocado toast? A mound of velvety green mashed avocado on a crisp piece of rustic toast, topped with flavorful avocado toast toppings, such as heirloom tomatoes, radishes, herbs, and even edible flowers. Yum! Avocado toast may seem like an extravagant meal when you order it at a fancy café, but did you know that it’s one of the easiest things in the world to make at home? I mean really easy. I’ve been asked this question a time or two during my career as a plant-based dietitian. How do you make avocado toast? Well, I’m about to share my simple easy steps, along with my avocado toast recipes and my avocado toast toppings suggestions. This guide is super easy—it only takes 5 minutes to make this avocado toast. Master the art of a really simple avocado toast, and then build upon those skills by getting creative with your toppings. Just follow my step-by-step guide below and learn how to make it today. Check out my easy recipe for avocado toast here and this collection of avocado toast recipes. And learn about the health benefits of avocados here.

Top avocado toast with colorful toppings. Check out this recipe for Best Avocado Toast recipe here.

Step-by-Step Guide for Making Avocado Toast Better:

Start by picking out a delicious ripe avocado. Here are avocados I picked from my own tree in my orchard in Ojai.

1. Pick Out a Perfect Ripe Avocado

Start with a very ripe avocado. It should feel soft and yield to the touch, without feeling mushy. You can choose among many varieties of avocados that are in season, such as Haas, Fuerte (pictured here), and Pinkerton. I have them all growing in my orchard.

Here’s all you need to make avocado toast: whole grain bread, avocados, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

2. Gather Together Your Ingredients

Gather together what you’ll need: a good whole grain bread, avocados, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. And then your toppings (see ideas below).

Slice ripe avocado in half using a dull knife.

3. Slice the Avocado in Half

With a dull knife (such as a table or butter knife), simply slice the avocado in half lengthwise. It’s really easy to cut your hand when slicing avocados in half (I know, I did this myself). A ripe avocado is very tender, so there’s no need to use a sharp knife.

4. Remove the Pit

Once your avocado is cut in half, remove the pit. You can do this by taking your butter knife and tapping it into the pit and then twisting to pop it out with a tiny bit of pressure. Another way is to use a small spoon and gently pop out the pit. Avoid a sharp knife, as you can easily cut your hands in this process.

Using a spoon, gently scoop out the avocado flesh.

5. Scoop out the Avocado

With a small spoon, gently follow along the counter of the avocado peel and scoop out the flesh of the avocado from the peel—trying to get as much of that good green stuff as possible.

Pick out a small bowl to make your avocado spread.

6. Place Avocado Flesh in a Small Bowl

Add the avocado flesh from both halves into a small bowl—about 3 cups in size for one avocado to provide ample room to maneuver.

A squirt of lemon juice will keep it from turning brown.

7. Squirt with Lemon Juice

Give your avocado just a small squirt (about 1 teaspoon) of fresh lemon to brighten the flavors and keep it from turning brown. Lemon juice helps prevent oxidation of the compounds in avocados.

Add a small clove of minced garlic, if desired.

8. Add Garlic

Place a small clove of peeled garlic in a garlic press and press the garlic; adding it to the bowl. If you don’t like the taste of garlic in your avocado toast, you can skip this step.

9. Season Avocado with Salt

Just a pinch or sprinkle of salt is all you need to season the avocado.

10. Add a Sprinkle of Black Pepper

For just a hint of spiciness add a twist of freshly ground black pepper. You can also try a pinch of red chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

11. Mash the Avocado Mixture

With a fork, mash the avocado flesh with the seasonings until you achieve your desired texture. I prefer my avocado toast spread smooth with just a hint of small pieces.

Create your ideal texture for avocado toast spread.

12. Check Out Your Avocado Toast Spread

While you’re toasting your bread (see below), stand back and marvel out how yummy and delicious your perfect avocado toast spread is.

13. Toast the Bread

Select your favorite whole grain bread (I like rustic, sourdough hand-sliced bread myself) and toast it until it’s crispy and golden brown in the toaster, toaster oven, or oven. Remember that one large avocado generally makes 4 small slices of avocado toast.

14. Spread with Mashed Avocado Mixture

Spread a thick layer of the mashed avocado mixture over the slices of toast and place on serving dish.

Add your own flair with creative toppings.

15. Get Creative with Avocado Toast Toppings

Now, it’s the fun part! Top your avocado toast with toppings that appeal to you. This photo above features edible flowers, radishes, and salad greens from my garden. But the sky is the limit! Pick from some of my favorite avocado toast toppings and seasonings below.

Best Avocado Toast Toppings

Follow this recipe for basic avocado toast, and check out these plant-powered toppings (as many or as few as you like) to add a kick of pizzazz to your creation.

Watermelon radish slices
Shaved cauliflower (raw or roasted)
Lemon-marinated chopped kale
Heirloom tomato slices
Field or wild greens (mache, mesclun, sorrel, dandelion or purslane)
Fresh basil leaves
Kimchee
Kalamata olives
Fresh cilantro
Roasted red peppers
Bruschetta
Lavender
Edible flowers (pansies, nasturtium, rose petals)
Sriracha sauce
Smoked paprika
Baked tofu
Roasted eggplant
Curried chickpeas
Sliced strawberries
Mango slices
Hemp seeds
Pistachios
Cornichons