This Avocado Toast is such an easy, delicious snack or meal that comes together before you know it! The mashed avocado has a texture and protein upgrade with the addition of tender shelled edamame and English peas. Then crunchy, chopped pistachios and nutrient-rich microgreens sprinkled over top bring the total protein for this recipe up to 56 g. Thick slices of tangy sourdough bread are pan-fried until crispy, mounded high with the avocado mixture, and garnished with pistachios, microgreens, fresh lemon zest and juice, and flaky salt. After a few simple steps, you’re left with the tastiest avocado toast you’ve ever had!
CHOOSING THE BREAD
The first step of making avocado toast is choosing the bread. I like to use sourdough for this recipe, but you can use almost any type of bread. Other delicious options include rye, pumpernickel, or even whole wheat bread. Personally, I prefer my bread homemade, but this is a great opportunity to support a local bakery as well. No matter what you choose, I recommend buying a whole loaf and slicing it thickly yourself (think at least 1/2″ thick). If your only option is pre-sliced, store-bought bread, try selecting a variety with thicker slices.
UPGRADING YOUR AVOCADO TOAST
Next up, let’s discuss how to take this avocado toast to the next level. I highly recommend pan-frying the bread with a drizzle of olive oil. The flavor is unmatched, and it helps the bread maintain its beautiful, crisp texture. To keep the fat content down, you can simply use a toaster, but I strongly encourage pan-frying if you’re trying to impress! Then there’s the rubbed garlic technique, found in old-school mediterranean dishes like bruschetta which means you don’t even have to chop the garlic! Simply peel one clove, and use your fingers to rub it all over a freshly toasted piece of bread. It’s almost like you’re grating the garlic into the bread’s rough surface. The result is a thin layer of aromatic garlic flavor in every bite. Plus, this way, there’s no risk of biting down on a chunk of garlic first thing in the morning. I’m looking out for you, ok?
PICKING THE PERFECT AVOCADO
I highly recommend Hass avocados for this avocado toast. The key is using one that’s perfectly ripe, which can take a bit of planning. An underripe avocado is medium green with a smoother peel, and is completely firm. This is your safest bet when looking to purchase, as you can wait at home for the avocado to ripen. Then, once it’s perfect, you can use it immediately or store in the fridge for 2 days. The next option is an almost-ripe avocado, which will look darker green with some black, have bumpier skin, and will feel slightly softer, but still doesn’t indent when pressed. This is perfect for planning to use an avocado in the next 1-3 days.
TIPS FOR RIPENING AND STORING AVOCADOS
If you’ve purchased an unripe avocado, but then decide you can’t wait up to 5 days for this delicious avocado toast, never fear! I have an easy tip to speed up the ripening process that should have your avocado ready to use in a day or two. Simply place the avocado in a brown paper bag, and add other fruits that produce ethylene gas. This includes bananas, apples, kiwis, peaches, tomatoes- the list goes on! Then fold the bag well to keep it sealed, and check on the contents every so often until the avocado is barely soft and ready to go.
ADDING EDAMAME AND PEAS TO THE AVOCADO TOAST
Once you’ve selected the perfect avocado, the next ingredients that make up the bulk of this avocado toast are frozen shelled edamame and English peas. I love the unexpected texture they add; as the avocado gets mashed and smooth, most of the edamame and peas remain whole, adding succulent little pops of vegetal sweetness.
To thaw them, place the frozen edamame and peas into a heat-proof dish (I love a large glass measuring cup for this) and add boiling water to cover. Defrosting them in water prevents them from shriveling up at all; instead they become full and plump and ready to use in just 5 minutes. Simply drain the water out, and mash them in this same dish later for easy cleanup. I prefer a potato masher for this, as it’s quicker and easier than using a fork, but that does work in a pinch.
FLAVORFUL ADD-INS AND GARNISHES FOR THE AVOCADO TOAST
Now it’s time to add the lemon and spices. This is one of the many reasons I like to keep a sharp microplane on hand. It makes grating lemon zest so simple, allowing you to easily add a pop of lemony brightness to any dish. And lemon and avocado are just a match made in heaven. Then nutritional yeast, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes provide a balanced seasoning that lets the fresh flavors of the avocado, edamame, and peas shine through.
Next, let’s talk about the garnishes! The pistachios are amazing on this avocado toast, as they add protein and heart-healthy fats. But maybe even more importantly, they add such a fun, surprising crunch that really puts this avocado toast over the top. I love purchasing Turkish pistachios online, as they have unparalleled flavor, and the rosy purple color of the skins is unbeatable from a food styling perspective. As for the microgreens, my favorite are any type in the brassica family (broccoli, radish, etc.), but you can use whatever looks good at the store. Herbs like basil, cilantro, or dill also make a fabulous addition if you find any that feel good to you!
PLATING THE AVOCADO TOAST
To assemble, simply spread the avocado mixture over the crispy toast. Sprinkle over the chopped pistachios and a handful of fresh microgreens and herbs. Then finish with a big pinch of flaky salt and enjoy! A fantastic, nutritious, and easy breakfast option to enjoy, or a delicious snack any time of the day. I hope that you love this recipe as much as I do. If you do make it, please leave a comment below and tag me on social media. I would love to see it.
Happy cooking!
Timothy
IF YOU LIKE THIS DISH, TRY THESE RECIPES:
1 cup shelled edamame (150 g) Thaw the edamame and peas: Add the edamame and peas to a medium-large heat-proof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until fully thawed. Carefully drain the water out, leaving the peas and edamame in the bowl. Set aside. Toast the bread: While the edamame and peas thaw, you can toast the bread. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a good drizzling of olive oil. Before the pan gets too hot, add the sliced bread and use your hands to move it around the pan, flipping it and sliding it around until it’s thoroughly coated in oil on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Toast for about 4 minutes on each side, until deeply golden brown all over. Transfer to individual serving plates, and rub the clove of garlic over the surface of each piece of toast while still hot. Set aside. Make the avocado mash: To the bowl of drained edamame and peas, scoop out the flesh of the avocado in large pieces. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and gently stir to combine. Then sprinkle over the nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mash all the ingredients with a potato masher until the avocado is mashed but still chunky, with a hearty texture from the edamame and peas. Plate and garnish: Evenly spread the avocado mixture onto the sourdough toast. Sprinkle over the chopped pistachios, garnish with the microgreens and herbs (if using), and finish with a sprinkling of flaky salt. Enjoy immediately! You can use any kind of bread, I just love sourdough! You can also try and mash the avocado with a fork if you don't have a potato masher.
Ingredients
1 cup english peas (150 g)
Olive oil, to drizzle
2-4 thick slices sourdough bread
1 small clove garlic, peeled
1 large ripe avocado (about 1 cup)
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
About ⅓ cup raw pistachios, roughly chopped (50 g)
½ cup desired microgreens (optional)
Fresh herbs, to garnish (optional)
Flaky salt, to garnish Instructions
notes
4 comments
Made this Avocado Toast today. Omgoodness it is devine. 💚
Hey Barb! Thank you so much for letting me know! Very happy to hear.
Gosh, this high protein avocado mash is addictive. I started out with toast but ended up eating right from bowl. This recipe took no time to prepare and the flavors are spot on. I love the texture of the peas and edamame with the creaminess of the avocado. Another big HIT!!
Thank you so much for this comment, Ida! So, so happy to hear you liked it. Hugs to you!