First Watch Avocado Toast
First Watch Avocado Toast is one of my favorite easy breakfasts to recreate at home! Thick-cut whole grain toast is piled high with creamy smashed avocado seasoned with lemon and flaky sea salt, then served with two perfectly-cooked over easy eggs. This easy copycat First Watch recipe gives you that restaurant-style breakfast without waiting for a table at brunch!
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Recipe at a Glance
First Watch Avocado Toast
Thick-cut whole grain toast topped with creamy smashed avocado, fresh lemon, flaky sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve it First Watch-style with two over-easy eggs on the side!
Total time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Best for: Breakfast, brunch & a quick lunch
Best Tip: Use thick-cut, hearty whole grain bread so it can hold plenty of avocado without getting soggy.
🔍 COPYCAT SECRETS UNCOVERED!
Avocado toast isn’t exactly complicated, but the little details make the difference between plain avocado slapped on bread and the First Watch version!
- Thick-cut whole grain bread – Don’t grab thin sandwich bread for this one. First Watch uses thick-cut whole grain toast, which gives you a sturdy, crunchy base for all that creamy avocado.
- Don’t over-mash the avocado – You want smashed avocado, not avocado purée! Leave some small chunks so it has texture.
- Lemon + EVOO – Fresh lemon brightens up the rich avocado while extra virgin olive oil makes it even creamier.
- Flaky sea salt – This is one ingredient I’d splurge on for the copycat. Those flaky salt crystals give you little pops of salt rather than disappearing completely into the avocado. Coarse ground sea salt works as well!
- Don’t forget the eggs! – First Watch serves their Avocado Toast with two cage-free “basted” eggs. I asked them what “basted” eggs are – it’s a runny yolk. Mystery solved!
First Watch Avocado Toast Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this First Watch favorite at home!
- Whole grain bread – Look for a hearty, thick-cut whole grain or multigrain bread. You want something substantial enough to hold a generous layer of avocado.
- Avocado – Choose ripe avocados that give slightly when you gently press. You’ll need three small-medium avocados for 2 pieces of toast.
- HUSSY TIP: Leave your avocados out of the fridge if you want them to ripen in a day or two. I always keep the bulk of my avocados in the fridge and then take them out one at a time.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and keeps the avocado from tasting too heavy.
- Extra virgin olive oil – You don’t need much, so use an olive oil you like the flavor of.
- Flaky sea salt – The flaky sea salt is one of the little details that makes this taste more like First Watch.
- First Watch Seasoning Mix – I did the research – it’s a simple mix of salt, pepper and garlic!
- Eggs – First Watch serves two basted eggs alongside the avocado toast.
How to Make First Watch Avocado Toast
Once your avocado is ripe, this breakfast comes together in just a few minutes!
- SMASH the avocado in a small bowl. Cut the avocado into chunks and then smash some of them with a fork for the combination of textures.
- SEASON the avocado with fresh lemon juice and salt/pepper/garlic.
- TOAST the whole grain bread until the outside is crisp and golden.
- SPREAD a generous layer of smashed avocado over the warm toast.
- FINISH with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. You can add a touch of fresh parsley and chives if you like.
- COOK two runny eggs and serve them alongside the avocado toast.
How to Make Basted Eggs Like First Watch
If you’ve never made basted eggs, they’re sort of a cross between fried and poached eggs. You get set whites with a soft, runny yolk that’s perfect for dipping your avocado toast.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Crack the eggs into the skillet and cook until the bottoms begin to set.
- Add a small splash of water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid. The steam gently cooks the tops of the eggs without having to flip them.
- Cook until the whites are completely set but the yolks are still soft and runny. Slide the eggs onto the plate next to your avocado toast and dig in!
HUSSY TIP: Keep an eye on those yolks! Once you add the water and cover the skillet, they can go from gloriously runny to hard-cooked pretty quickly.
What’s the Best Bread for Avocado Toast?
For a First Watch copycat, thick-cut whole grain bread is the way to go. A hearty loaf, with visible seeds & nuts, gives you more texture and stands up to the smashed avocado much better than regular sandwich bread.
Sourdough is delicious too, although it will take the flavor farther away from the First Watch original.
Whatever bread you choose, toast it well. You want that contrast between crunchy toast and creamy avocado.
First Watch Avocado Toast Variations
The actual First Watch version is beautifully simple, but once you know how to make the original, it’s easy to play around with it at home.
Add red pepper flakes or hot sauce for a little heat. Sprinkle on Everything Bagel seasoning for extra crunch or add crumbled feta or goat cheese for something creamy and tangy.
You can also pile on sliced tomatoes, microgreens or arugula, or swap the basted eggs for poached, fried or scrambled eggs.
Just remember that if you’re going for the actual copycat First Watch Avocado Toast, I’d make it the simple way first: whole grain toast, smashed avocado, EVOO, lemon, flaky salt and basted eggs.
What to Serve with Avocado Toast
Since you’re already getting the eggs with the First Watch version, you don’t need much else to turn this into breakfast. You could also add a couple things and have a brunch spread even First Watch would be jealous of:
- Fresh fruit is an easy side and you can make a quick fruit dip by combining flavored yogurt and whipped topping.
- You might as well make the First Watch Million Dollar Bacon – it’s a perfect side dish for avocado toast!
- Chicken salad is a great option as well! You can serve in lettuce leaves or as another option for the toast – something like the Fancy Nancy is perfect with its fruit surprise!
Supplies Used
You don’t need anything fancy for avocado toast, but a few basics make it easier:
- Nonstick skillet with lid – Especially helpful for making the basted eggs.
- Flaky sea salt – gives that perfect salty flavor just like First Watch!
- Citrus juicer – I have four juicers and I use this one the most! It’s just easier and gets out the most juice.
Can You Make Avocado Toast Ahead of Time?
This one is definitely best made fresh. Once an avocado is cut and mashed, it starts oxidizing and turning brown.
You can have the bread ready to toast and the other ingredients measured, but I would mash the avocado and cook the eggs right before serving.
If you have leftover smashed avocado, press plastic wrap directly against its surface and refrigerate it in an airtight container. The lemon helps slow browning, but I’d still plan on using it within a day.
Leftover toast won’t have the same crispy texture, so this is one breakfast where making exactly what you’re going to eat is the winner.
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First Watch Avocado Toast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium avocados ripe
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 tsp Salt Pepper Garlic
- 2 slices whole grain bread
- 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 eggs
Optional
- lemon wedge
- fresh parsley
- fresh chives
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine chopped avocados with lemon juice and SPG seasoning. Mash lightly with a fork and until combined, keeping medium-sized chunks.3 medium avocados, 1 lemon , 1/2 tsp Salt Pepper Garlic
- If making ahead of serving, press plastic wrap down onto the avocado mash mixture to keep it from browning. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- If serving with eggs, now is a good time to make them. You can serve them over-easy or basted. Instructions for basted can be found above the recipe card.2 eggs
- Toast bread. Spread toast with a thick layer of your smashed avocados. Sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.2 slices whole grain bread, 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/8 tsp flaky sea salt
- Slice toast in half and serve with eggs and a lemon wedge.lemon wedge, fresh parsley, fresh chives
