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Avocado Toast with Eggs

Crisp whole-grain toast, lemony avocado, and a freshly fried egg make a fast breakfast with a choice of runny or firm yolks.

Two crisp whole-grain toasts hold mashed avocado, fried eggs, red pepper flakes, and fresh chives.

This is a short, well-timed breakfast: the bread toasts while the avocado is mashed, then the eggs cook just before the toppings come together. That order protects the toast's crunch under the creamy avocado.

Start with sturdy toast

Whole-grain bread gives the toppings a firm base, and a full toast makes its surface less likely to soften quickly. Look for deep color at the edges and a slice that feels crisp rather than bendable.

If the bread finishes before the eggs, keep it on a plate while you work; the avocado belongs on top only when the skillet is nearly done.

Keep the avocado bright

Lemon juice seasons the avocado while adding enough acidity to balance its richness. A fork mash with a few small pieces left in the mixture gives each bite a soft texture without turning the topping runny.

Mashed avocado is spread on crisp whole-grain toast beside a skillet of frying eggs. — Lemony mashed avocado is spread across crisp toast as eggs cook in a nearby skillet.

Set the whites to preference

Medium-low heat lets the whites set without making their edges brittle. For a runny yolk, take the eggs off once the whites are opaque and the centers still wobble; covering the pan briefly carries the yolks further for anyone who prefers them firm.

Assemble at the last moment

Spread the avocado while the eggs finish, then place an egg on each slice and add the chives and chile flakes. Serving right away keeps the toast crisp and lets the yolk, if runny, mingle with the avocado as you eat.

A fried egg with a soft yolk rests on avocado toast with chives and red pepper flakes. — A close view shows the crisp toast edge, creamy avocado, set egg white, and seasoned yolk.

Avocado Toast with Eggs

2 servings

15 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices sturdy whole-grain bread
• 1 ripe medium avocado
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Method

Toast the bread
Toast the whole-grain bread until deeply golden and crisp at the edges, then set it on serving plates while you prepare the avocado.
Look for: The bread feels crisp on its surface and holds its shape when lifted.
Mash the avocado
Mash the avocado with the lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper until creamy but still slightly chunky; the lemon also slows browning while you cook the eggs.
Look for: The mixture has no dry pockets and still shows a few small avocado pieces.
Warm the skillet
Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until it shimmers lightly across the pan without smoking.
Look for: The oil loosens and glides across the pan when it is tilted.
Fry the eggs
Crack the eggs into the skillet and cook until the whites are opaque and set, about 3 minutes; for runny yolks, stop when they still wobble, or cover the skillet for about 2 minutes more for firm yolks.
Look for: The whites no longer look translucent; yolks wobble gently when the pan is nudged for runny centers or look fully opaque for firm centers.
Spread the avocado
Divide the avocado mixture between the crisp toast slices and spread it edge to edge in an even layer, leaving the toast uncovered until the eggs are ready.
Look for: Each slice has an even layer of avocado without a thick mound in the center.
Add the eggs
Use a thin spatula to lift one fried egg onto each avocado-covered slice, keeping the yolks intact if you want them runny.
Look for: The eggs sit centered on the toast and the whites remain tender rather than browned hard.
Finish and serve
Sprinkle the toast with red pepper flakes and fresh chives, then serve immediately so the bread stays crisp beneath the avocado.
Look for: The chives and chile flakes are scattered lightly and the toast is still crisp at the edges.