Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 1 sourdough bread, thick slice
- ½ hass avocado, ripe
Seasoning and Finish
- 5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 g flaky sea salt
- ½ g black pepper, freshly cracked
Optional Kick
- ½ garlic, peeled
- 1 g red chilli flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 343 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1266 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 262 mg
- Calcium
- 15 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 18 mg
- Phosphorus
- 31 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 26 mcg
- Water
- 60 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Toast the sourdough slice until deeply golden and crisp on the outside while retaining a slightly chewy interior.
While the toast is still hot from the toaster, lightly rub one side with the cut side of the halved garlic clove to infuse it with aromatic oils.
Scoop the avocado flesh into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, flaky sea salt, and black pepper. Roughly mash with a fork, intentionally leaving some chunky pieces.
Spoon the smashed avocado generously over the garlic-rubbed toast. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with red chilli flakes.
Serve immediately while the toast is warm and crisp beneath the cool avocado.
Chef's Notes
- Rubbing a cut raw garlic clove on hot toast is a classic bruschetta technique; the heat and abrasive surface of the bread gently cook and grate the garlic simultaneously, releasing pure aroma without the harsh bite of raw mince.
- Always season avocado with salt and acid immediately after opening. The salt elevates the naturally flat fat profile, while the acid inhibits enzymatic browning.
- Resist the urge to create a completely smooth puree. The textural contrast between a creamy emulsion and firm, fresh chunks is the hallmark of a professional-level avocado toast.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Toast becomes instantly soggy under the avocado
Cause: Bread was sliced too thinly or not toasted sufficiently to create a barrier
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Cut bread at least 2cm thick and toast until deeply crisp. You can also lightly brush with olive oil before toasting to create a fat barrier.
Avocado turns brown very quickly
Cause: Insufficient acidity or prepared too far in advance of serving
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure adequate lemon juice is mixed through and prepare only right before consumption.
Cultural Context
While pairing avocado with bread has historical roots in Mexican and South American culinary traditions, 'smashed avo' as a specific stylized café dish was heavily popularized in Australia during the 1990s. It has since become a global symbol of modern, ingredient-focused breakfast culture, celebrating simple, high-quality local produce.
