It’s fun to try something new. That’s what most people would say, including Mr. JOC, but I actually tend to stick to things that I’m used to. I always order the same flavored ice cream, the same kind of sandwich I like for years, and of course, the same avocado toast. Without Mr. JOC around, I think my avocado toast would be very basic. Although nothing wrong with the same avocado toast, life is just decidedly more interesting when you experience something new. Today, I resolved to try something different, something small but enough to challenge my inner creativity. Here’s what I have for you – 6 Different Avocado Toasts with Japanese twists!
5 Tips to Make Delicious Avocado Toast
Before I share my 6 creations, here are some best tips on how to make the best avocado toast:
Buy “ripe” avocado: Your grocery stores sell avocado with a “ripe” sticker on avocados. Get them when you’re ready to make avocado toast.A squeeze of lemon juice: To keep the fresh green avocado color, add 1 tablespoon of squeezed lemon juice to half of the avocado.Mash to your liking: I believe mashed avocado works best for avocado toast (than sliced avocado), but that’s just my preference. I tend to mash mine finer so it’s creamy and lay cozily like a thick coat over the toasty bread. Leave it chunkier if that’s what you favor.Toast your bread: This is pretty obvious of course, but do make sure your bread is nicely toasted. Not only you’d get a crunchy and toasty flavor, but toasting the bread gives it a sturdy base to support the weight of avocado.Drizzle sesame oil: If you have been drizzling extra virgin olive oil, give it a break and try toasted/roasted (dark) sesame oil. It’s a game changer!
Variations: Avocado Toast Ideas
1. The Basic Avocado Toast (with Sesame Oil)
For the longest time, I’ve always eaten my avocado toast in this exact fashion: perfectly toasted Shokupan (Japanese toast), mashed avocado, flaked sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a drizzle of good quality sesame oil. It’s SO simple, yet really delicious. Now the use of sesame oil is nothing revolutionary, but it does change up the character of your avocado toast than using regular olive oil. I always mash my avocado to finer chunks because sliced avocado does look pretty to eyes, but they fall off while I eat, and that’s not fun. Flake sea salt is fantastic as it melts in your mouth when you bite into the creamy avocado toast. The sharp saltiness hits all the flavor highs and gives the extra oomph.
2. Avocado Toast with Furikake
Furikake is the all-rounded Japanese rice seasoning comparable to the Bagel seasoning that everyone can’t live without. If you have been sprinkling the Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning on your avocado toast, I have a feeling that you’d like furikake just the same, or even more! Furikake often includes umami-packed ingredients such as katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and nori seaweed. There are different flavors of furikake at Japanese grocery stores, so pick the one you like (look out for one without MSG). Most brands of furikake contain salt so go easy on flake salt. You can also use your Homemade Furikake for this recipe!
3. Avocado Toast with Spicy Mayo and Shichimi Togarashi
If you love some spicy note on avocado toast, try it with spicy mayo and shichimi togarashi! Here, I used sliced avocado for presentation purpose, but I’d much prefer mashing the avocado. It’s creamier and you don’t have to worry about avocado go ‘head-over-heels’ scenario.
4. Avocado Toast with Fried Egg
I love my egg to be sunnyside-up and if you want to add volume to avocado toast, a crispy fried egg is the easy solution. Here I added mini heirloom tomatoes and thinly sliced red radish for additional crunch and color.
5. Avocado Toast with Ramen Egg
Yes, ramen egg! Eggs on avo toast are the ideal pair, but Ramen Egg (Ajitsuke Tamago) is a whole level of ingenuity. Accent with a sheet of Korean seaweed before you top it with the ramen eggs. You can use Japanese nori but I love the texture and saltiness from Korean roasted seasoned seaweed. You can get the Korean seaweed from Asian grocery stores, Trader Joe’s, Target, Walmart or even major grocery stores.
6. Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon
Smoke salmon is my son’s favorite, and he wishes he can eat this particular avocado toast for breakfast every single day. I bejeweled the toast with some dainty ikura (salmon fish roes), drizzle with some soy sauce and garnish with ribbons of shiso leaves. The Japanese touches feel extra luxurious but totally doable.
Kikkoman® 100% Pure Sesame Oil
You may know Kikkoman® as a soy sauce brand, but do you know they also carry Kikkoman Sesame Oil? Made from 100% pure toasted sesame seeds, Kikkoman Sesame Oil adds an extra burst of nutty flavor to dressings, marinades, and dips. It’s also an essential flavor in Asian dishes and is perfect for seasoning stir-fries or soups after cooking. In one of our meetings with Kikkoman®, I mentioned how much I love sesame oil and drizzle sesame oil on my avocado toast. That casual conversation led to this Japanese inspired avocado toast recipe challenge post. Thank you for partnering with us, Kikkoman®! You can easily find Kikkoman® Sesame Oil at an Asian food section of the local supermarkets.
Avocado Toast – Wholesome & Healthy Breakfast, Lunch & Snack
Avocado toast maybe so passé for the foodie trend standard, but I am all about practicality and the staying power when it comes to food. Ever since it took over the internet craze that seems yesteryear, I am still eating avocado toast for breakfast, lunch, and snack until these days. I could eat it a few times a week. Are you with me? Apparently, the existence of avocado toast has been around for a very long time (although the exact date was unclear). There was even a 1920 recipe found in the archives of Bon Appétit that titled ‘Avocado on Toast’. Trivia aside, I think the many greatness about avocado toast is – it’s delicious, easy to make, filling and good for you! It’s also very satisfactory any time of the day, be it breakfast, lunch or snack, or a lazy dinner. Will you try any of these avocado toast with Japanese twists? If you try them, tell me which is your favorite. Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
