This is avocado toast with real staying power — garlic-mashed avocado, oven-baked bacon, and a fried egg with a runny yolk, all on buttered toast. The whole thing takes 25 minutes, and it scales up easily, which makes it just as practical for a table of six as it is for two. If you need a breakfast that looks put-together without much active cooking, this is a reliable choice.
Why this recipe works
Two things make the difference here. First, baking the bacon on a wire rack at 400°F means the fat drips away instead of pooling under the strips — you get flat, evenly crispy bacon every time, and the oven does the work while you prep everything else. That hands-off time is exactly what lets you cook for a crowd without juggling pans. Second, mashing a single clove of garlic directly into the avocado gives the spread a quiet sharpness that keeps it from tasting flat, especially once the rich yolk breaks over the top. Neither step is complicated, but skipping either one shows in the final result.
About the ingredients
- Bread: Sourdough is the best choice here because the open crumb soaks up yolk without going soggy immediately. A thick-cut country white works too. Avoid soft sandwich bread — it collapses under the toppings.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon holds its shape better after baking and doesn’t shatter into shards when you cut into the toast. Standard-cut bacon works but crisps faster, so check it at the 12-minute mark.
- Avocados: You need ripe ones — they should give slightly when pressed at the stem end. Underripe avocados won’t mash smoothly and taste bitter. If yours aren’t ready, a day at room temperature usually does it.
- Parsley: Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish. The toast doesn’t need it, and the flavors are complete without it.
If something goes sideways
- The avocado turns brown before you serve: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice stirred into the mash slows oxidation. If you’re making this for guests, mash the avocado last, right before assembling.
- The egg white is set but the yolk has gone solid: The pan was too hot. Medium-low heat is slower but gives you control. If you’re frying multiple eggs at once in a larger pan, the heat distributes unevenly — keep it low and give it an extra minute rather than turning up the burner.
- The bacon comes out chewy instead of crispy: The slices were overlapping on the rack, or the oven wasn’t fully preheated. Rearrange so every strip has clearance, and give it another 3–5 minutes.
- The toast goes soft under the avocado: The bread wasn’t dry enough before you spread it. Make sure both sides are fully golden and crisp before adding any toppings. Assembling too far in advance also causes this — build the toasts right before eating.
- Scaling up and the eggs pile up faster than you can serve: Fry eggs in batches and rest them briefly on a warm plate. They hold for about 2 minutes without overcooking if your pan heat was low to begin with.
Keeping and reheating
This recipe doesn’t store well as a fully assembled dish — the toast softens and the egg doesn’t reheat cleanly. Store the components separately if you have leftovers. Mashed avocado keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to limit air contact. Cooked bacon keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days; reheat it on a baking sheet at 375°F for 5 minutes to bring back the crispness. Fried eggs don’t reheat well, so cook those fresh. There’s no good case for freezing any part of this recipe.
Avocado Toast with Bacon and Fried Egg
Ingredients
- 2 large avocados ripe, halved and pitted
- 2 large eggs
- 6 slices bacon thick-cut
- 2 slices bread sturdy, such as sourdough or country white
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- ½ tablespoon parsley fresh flat-leaf, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter divided (for toasting and frying)
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spread a thin layer of butter on each slice of bread. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 375°F / 190°C (195°C fan-forced) for 5–7 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp on both sides. Alternatively, toast in a skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side.
- Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl. Add the minced garlic, a generous pinch of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Mash with a fork to your preferred texture — slightly chunky works best for toast.
- Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400°F / 200°C (205°C fan-forced) for 15–20 minutes until crispy and deep golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Melt the remaining butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry for 2–3 minutes until the whites are fully set but the yolks are still runny. For firmer yolks, cover the skillet with a lid for an additional 30–60 seconds.
- Spread the mashed avocado generously over each slice of toast. Top with 3 slices of bacon per toast, then place a fried egg on top. Gently pierce the yolk so it runs over the bacon and avocado. Garnish with chopped parsley.
- Finish with a final pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I cook the bacon ahead of time if I’m making this for a group?
Yes — bacon is the best component to make ahead here. Cook it fully, let it cool, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F for about 5 minutes before serving and it crisps right back up, which frees your oven for toasting the bread when guests arrive.
What’s the best way to keep the avocado from going brown?
Stir in a small squeeze of lemon or lime juice right after mashing. For a larger batch, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mash before refrigerating — this limits the air contact that causes browning.
Can I use a toaster instead of the oven for the bread?
A regular toaster works fine for one or two slices. For four or more servings, the oven method on a baking sheet is more practical because you can do all the slices at once without standing over a toaster.
Is there a way to make this without a wire rack for the bacon?
You can lay the bacon directly on a foil-lined baking sheet, but the strips will sit in rendered fat as they cook and the underside won’t crisp as evenly. Flip them once halfway through and blot with paper towels when done — it’s a reasonable workaround.
Try these next
- Gourmet Avocado Toast with Poached Egg
- Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Classic Mexican Guacamole
- Golden Buttermilk Waffles
