This is the avocado toast I actually make on repeat — not the minimalist café version, but a fully loaded breakfast with crispy oven-baked bacon and a perfectly runny fried egg piled on top of garlic-mashed avocado.
What I love about this version is the contrast: creamy avocado, salty bacon, and that burst of warm yolk pulling everything together. It’s incredibly satisfying and genuinely filling thanks to all the protein from the eggs and bacon.
The whole thing takes about 25 minutes, and most of that is hands-off while the bacon crisps in the oven. Here’s what makes it work:
- Garlic-mashed avocado — just one clove adds a subtle punch without overpowering the avocado
- Oven-baked bacon — flat, evenly crispy, and no stovetop splatter
- Buttery toast — a sturdy base that holds up under all the toppings
If you want a breakfast that looks impressive but requires almost no cooking skill, this loaded avocado toast delivers every single time.
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
What Makes This Avocado Toast Special
There are thousands of avocado toast recipes, but this one earns its place on your breakfast table for three specific reasons.
First, the garlic-mashed avocado. Most basic recipes skip the garlic entirely, but just one minced clove transforms bland mashed avocado into something you’d happily eat with a spoon. Second, oven-baked bacon — baking at 400°F gives you perfectly flat, shatteringly crispy strips without the stovetop mess. Third, the runny fried egg on top acts as a built-in sauce. When you pierce that yolk and it cascades over the bacon and avocado, every bite becomes rich, savoury, and deeply satisfying.
This isn’t minimalist avocado toast. It’s a complete, high-protein breakfast that keeps you full until lunch.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Rimmed baking sheet — essential for catching bacon grease in the oven and for toasting the bread evenly.
- Wire cooling rack — set inside the baking sheet, this elevates the bacon so hot air circulates underneath, giving you evenly crispy strips instead of ones that sit in their own fat.
- Non-stick skillet (10-inch / 25cm) — the non-stick surface is critical here because you’re frying eggs over medium-low heat with minimal butter. A stainless steel pan would require more fat to prevent sticking.
- Fork or potato masher — a fork gives you chunkier avocado with more texture; a potato masher produces a smoother spread. Either works depending on your preference.
Nice-to-haves that improve the result:
- Instant-read thermometer — takes the guesswork out of bacon doneness, especially if you like it right at the edge of crispy without being burnt.
- Offset spatula — makes spreading the mashed avocado evenly across the toast effortless.
Tips for Best Results
- Choose ripe avocados. They should yield to gentle pressure but not feel mushy. If yours are too firm, slice them thinly instead of mashing — you’ll get better texture than trying to force an unripe avocado into a mash.
- Start the bacon first. It takes the longest to cook. While it’s in the oven, prep the avocado and toast the bread during the last few minutes of bacon cooking time.
- Fry eggs on medium-low heat. High heat makes the whites rubbery and the edges lacy before the yolk has time to warm through. Low and slow gives you silky whites with a perfectly warm, runny centre.
- Use sturdy bread. Sourdough, country white, or a thick-cut rustic loaf can hold the weight of avocado, bacon, and egg without going soggy. Thin sandwich bread will collapse.
- Season in layers. Salt the avocado mash, and then add a final pinch of flaky salt on top of the assembled toast. The finishing salt gives you bursts of salinity that make each bite pop.
Substitutions and Variations
- Turkey bacon — bake at the same temperature but check at 12 minutes as it crisps faster and can burn.
- Smoked salmon — skip the bacon entirely and drape 2-3 slices of cold-smoked salmon over the avocado for a luxurious brunch version.
- Poached egg — if you prefer poached over fried, the runny yolk effect is even more dramatic. Poach for exactly 3 minutes in gently simmering water with a splash of vinegar.
- Vegan version — replace eggs with seasoned smashed chickpeas and use coconut bacon or tempeh bacon strips.
- Spicy version — add a few slices of fresh jalapeño or a drizzle of hot honey over the finished toast for sweet heat.
- Everything bagel seasoning — sprinkle over the avocado before adding the toppings for an extra layer of texture and flavour.
Storage and Reheating
Assembled avocado toast should be eaten immediately — the bread softens and the avocado browns within 30 minutes. However, you can store components separately:
- Mashed avocado: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent browning, then refrigerate for up to 1 day. Stir and re-season before using.
- Cooked bacon: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F / 190°C for 3-4 minutes to restore crispiness. Cooked bacon also freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Fried eggs: These cannot be stored — fry them fresh each time for the best runny yolk.
What to Serve With This
This loaded avocado toast is a complete breakfast on its own, but if you’re serving brunch for a group, these sides complement it well:
- Fresh fruit salad — the brightness of berries or citrus cuts through the richness of the bacon and egg.
- Simple green salad — lightly dressed arugula with lemon vinaigrette adds a peppery contrast.
- Roasted cherry tomatoes — toss halved cherry tomatoes with olive oil and roast alongside the bacon for a warm, sweet side.
- Orange juice or a citrus smoothie — acidity pairs perfectly with the creamy avocado and salty bacon.
- Cold brew coffee — the bitterness of coffee is a natural match for rich, savoury breakfast plates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the avocado from turning brown?
Acid is your best friend. A squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice mixed into the mashed avocado slows oxidation significantly. If you’re prepping ahead, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mash so no air touches it, and refrigerate. It will stay green for up to 24 hours this way.
Can I use pre-cooked or microwave bacon?
You can, but the texture will not be the same. Oven-baked bacon renders slowly, producing an even crispiness that microwave bacon cannot replicate. Pre-cooked bacon tends to be chewy rather than crispy. If you’re short on time, pan-frying bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side is faster than the oven and still produces great results.
What type of bread works best for avocado toast?
Sourdough is the gold standard — its tangy flavour complements avocado beautifully and its dense crumb holds up under heavy toppings. Thick-cut country white, whole grain, and rye also work well. Avoid thin sandwich bread or anything too soft, as it will get soggy under the mashed avocado and runny egg yolk.
Can I make this recipe without eggs?
Absolutely. Without the egg, you still have the satisfying combination of creamy avocado and crispy bacon. To replace the richness the runny yolk provides, drizzle a teaspoon of good-quality extra virgin olive oil over the finished toast, or add a few slices of ripe tomato for moisture and acidity.
Is avocado toast actually healthy?
This version provides roughly 620 calories per serving with approximately 24g of protein, making it a genuinely filling and nutritious breakfast. Avocados are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fibre, and potassium. The bacon adds sodium and saturated fat, so if you’re watching those, turkey bacon or smoked salmon are excellent swaps that keep the protein high while reducing saturated fat.
How do I pick the perfect avocado?
Look for avocados with dark, nearly black skin that yield slightly when you press near the stem. If the stem cap pops off easily and you see green underneath, it’s ripe. Brown underneath means it’s overripe. Buying firm avocados 2-3 days ahead and ripening them on the counter is the most reliable strategy for consistently good avocado toast.
The Rise of Avocado Toast
Avocado toast became a global phenomenon in the 2010s, but smashed avocado on toast has been a staple in Australian cafés since the 1990s. Chef Bill Granger is often credited with popularising the combination at his Sydney restaurant in 1993. The dish migrated to the United States via California’s brunch culture and exploded on social media around 2015, becoming both a beloved breakfast and an unlikely cultural flashpoint about millennial spending habits. Regardless of the discourse, the appeal is timeless: ripe avocado, good bread, and a little salt is one of the simplest and most satisfying combinations in cooking.
If you try this loaded avocado toast, I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a star rating and a comment below to let me know your favourite way to top yours!
