Avocado toast with egg and everything bagel seasoning

Avocado toast with egg and everything bagel seasoning is a quick, generous breakfast built for real mornings and slow weekends alike. Creamy avocado, a well-cooked egg and a savoury blend of sesame, seeds, onion and garlic bring enough texture and flavour to turn two slices of bread into a proper meal.

The best version is assembled rather than dumped together: toast the bread properly, season the avocado separately, cook the egg to your liking and finish with something fresh. I make this at home when I want the spirit of a Sydney or Melbourne café brunch without setting up a full café or cooking for a crowd.

Build a sturdy, well-seasoned base

For two servings, gather 2 everything bagels from a local bakery or 4 thick slices of multigrain sourdough, 1 ripe but firm avocado, 2 large eggs, 1 to 2 teaspoons of everything bagel seasoning, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and some olive oil. Cream cheese, sliced radish, spring onion, chilli flakes and coriander leaves are optional. Everything bagel seasoning is commonly stocked in the spice aisle at Coles and Woolworths, so it is easy to keep on hand.

Toast the bagels in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side, or until the edges are deeply golden. If you prefer a softer base, spread a thin layer of butter or olive oil before toasting. Everything bagel blends vary, so taste yours before adding extra salt. A teaspoon over each half is usually enough, while a heavier hand suits a larger, crunchier topping.

Next, mash the avocado with the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Keep some larger pieces for texture; it should look roughly spoonable rather than baby-smooth. Spread the seasoned mash onto the toast, then add a thin swipe of cream cheese if using. The tangy dairy keeps the avocado tasting bright and gives the egg something cool to sit against.

Choose the texture you like

The most reliable choice is a fried egg with crisp, lacy edges and a yolk that stays soft in the middle. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat, crack in the eggs, and cook for about 3–4 minutes. Nudge the edges with a spatula, spoon a little hot oil over the whites, then season with salt and pepper.

For a jammy result, poach the eggs in barely simmering water for 3–4 minutes, or bake them in a 190°C oven for about 8–10 minutes until the whites are set but the centres remain soft. Poaching water should never boil hard; a vigorous simmer can tear the whites. Lift each egg out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly before placing it on the avocado.

A microwave egg takes less than a minute and is useful when the toaster has already claimed your attention. Put a teaspoon of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, crack in the egg, cover with a small plate or vented microwave-safe lid and cook on high for 40–60 seconds. Stop, check and continue in 10-second bursts until the white is set. The timing depends on the microwave, so treat the first result as a guide.

Add fresh, sharp toppings

The toppings should do more than decorate. Thinly sliced red onion adds sharpness, radish brings crunch, and spring onion gives a fresh onion note without overwhelming the egg. Coriander leaves work well if you like their citrusy flavour. Add them after the egg so they stay crisp rather than wilting into the avocado.

A spoonful of chilli crisp or chilli flakes provides the heat many Australian cooks enjoy with eggs, but use it sparingly because the everything bagel seasoning already carries plenty of salt. A squeeze of lime or lemon wakes up the whole plate. If cream cheese is not your taste, use a spoonful of Greek yoghurt or leave it out and add another pinch of lemon to the mash.

For a more substantial breakfast, top the eggs with smoked salmon and capers, then finish with dill or coriander. Toasted seeds and a little grated parmesan also work, although they move the toast towards a lunch-style plate. My rule is to choose one rich element, one fresh element and one sharp element, then stop before every flavour competes for attention.

Keep the cooking safe and convenient

Australia’s food safety framework, including the Australian Food Standards Code, treats shell eggs as a potential Salmonella risk. Keep refrigerated eggs in their original carton at 5°C or below, do not wash the shells, and wash your hands with soap after cracking. Clean benches, keep raw egg separate from ready-to-eat ingredients, and cook the whites until firm.

Fresh avocados are sold by the kilo or as individual fruit at Woolworths and Coles, and their ripeness can vary through the year. Choose one that yields slightly to gentle pressure but is not heavily bruised; a ripe fruit should be ready to mash, while a firm one can sit on the bench for a day or two. Serve the toast immediately for the best flavour, since avocado browns quickly once exposed to air.

Most Australian home ovens run on 240 volts, and recipes here use familiar metric measures and Celsius temperatures rather than Fahrenheit. Check your appliance rather than relying on a universal setting, especially when baking eggs. If a runny yolk is not suitable for someone in your household, use pasteurised eggs and cook them thoroughly, or choose a fully set method.

Adapt the formula for different meals

The same formula works beyond breakfast. For lunch, replace the egg with roasted capsicum, spinach and feta, then add a spoonful of pumpkin seeds. It also works with sliced boiled egg and avocado on rye, especially with a little horseradish cream. Keep the components separate until eating if you are packing it for work, so the bread stays crisp.

Timing matters when cooking for more than one person because eggs are easiest to manage one batch at a time. Toast all the bread first, cover it with a clean tea towel, then fry, poach or scramble the eggs while the avocado is waiting to be spread. A little organisation turns this into a relaxed meal rather than a last-minute scramble, which is useful for a weekend brunch with friends.

Method	Technique	Result	Key point
Fried egg	Cook for 3–4 minutes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat	Crisp edges with a soft or firm yolk	Keep the oil warm but not smoking, and spoon it over the whites
Poached egg	Poach for 3–4 minutes in barely simmering water	Silky white with a runny yolk	The water should not boil vigorously
Scrambled egg	Stir continuously over low heat for 2–3 minutes	Soft curds with a moist centre	Remove the pan while the eggs still look slightly glossy
Microwave egg	Cook on high for 40–60 seconds, covered, checking frequently	Set white with a soft centre	Adjust for your microwave’s wattage and use short bursts

Make this toast on your next slow morning, save the egg method you prefer, and follow Yoko on social media for seasonal recipes and everyday kitchen ideas. When you want another simple meal with clear steps, explore more easy recipes and choose one for your next lunch or dinner.