12 Savory Toast Recipes

Garlicky Mushroom-Onion Toasts
Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne

A simple toast is the perfect vessel for many excellent toppings. Try the popular avocado toast, or opt for something different like a marinated piquillo pepper and whipped eggplant toast.

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Marinated Piquillo Pepper and Whipped Eggplant Toasts

Marinated Piquillo Pepper and Whipped Eggplant Toasts
© John Kernick

Chef Jose Garces pan-sears sweet and smoky Spanish piquillo peppers before marinating them in a garlic, honey and fresh herb vinaigrette.

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Feta-and-Radish Toasts

Feta-and-Radish Toasts. Photo © John Kernick
© John Kernick

Steven Satterfield's restaurant, Miller Union, serves some combination of feta and radishes almost every day. He says you can use any assortment of radishes for these toasts, like watermelon, pink beauty, cherry belle or d'Avignon. If you slice the radishes ahead of time, keep them in a bowl of ice water, which makes them extra cold and crispy.

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Curried Spaghetti-Squash-and-Chickpea Toasts

Curried Spaghetti-Squash-and-Chickpea Toasts.
© David Malosh

Spaghetti squash gets its name because once it's cooked, you can use a fork to pull the flesh into long, thin strands. Jonathon Sawyer makes his own curry and cooks his own chickpeas for this vegetarian dish, but this simplified recipe calls for store-bought curry paste and canned chickpeas. Sawyer roasts the seeds from the squash and uses them as a garnish; pumpkin seeds from the supermarket are a fine substitute.

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Toasted Bread with Olive Oil, Garlic and Herbs

Toasted Bread with Olive Oil, Garlic and Herbs
© Chris Chen

Bread that's grilled over an outdoor fire has a delicious, woodsy flavor and needs only the simplest of toppings.

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Ham and Gruyère French Toast Sandwiches

Ham and cheese sandwich
© FREDRIKA STJÄRNE

Dive into the delectable sandwich with a fork and knife or pick it up with your hands, providing there are plenty of napkins close by. Chef Jesse Cool likes to tuck the maple apples in with the ham and cheese, but the fruit can be served on the side, along with a spicy mustard or horseradish sauce.

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Smoked Salmon Toasts with Mustard Butter

Smoked Salmon Toasts with Mustard Butter
© Fredrika Stjärne

Sour cream or cream cheese may be the usual spread with salty smoked salmon, but chef David Tanis thinks softened butter makes a tasty alternative. (Think of ham-and-butter sandwiches.) To give the butter a zippy bite, he stirs in lemon zest and both Dijon and grainy mustards.

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Turkey Liver Mousse Toasts with Pickled Shallots

Turkey Liver Mousse Toasts
© Petrina Tinslay

This hors d'oeuvre is a Louisiana riff on traditional French chicken liver pate. The Rushings create a silken mousse with livers from the quintessential American bird, turkey, but you can also use chicken livers. Instead of cornichons, the little French pickles, the Rushings add a sweet-and-tangy Southern accent--pickled shallots.

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Smoked-Trout-and-Caper-Cream-Cheese Toasts

Smoked-Trout-and-Caper-Cream-Cheese Toasts. Photo © Michael Turek
© Michael Turek

Inspired by the classic combination of bagels with lox and cream cheese, Tory Miller devised this variation using smoked, locally raised trout and homemade English muffins. It would be equally good on other breads, such as a baguette, or even the bagel that inspired it.

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Beans and Bacon on Buttered Toasts

201404-r-beans-and-bacon-on-buttered-toasts.jpg

This hearty fork-and-knife dish from Hugh Acheson is perfect for a quick, easy dinner for two or as a starter for four.

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Ratatouille Toasts with Fried Eggs

Ratatouille Toasts with Fried Eggs
© Con Poulos

This is an ideal make-ahead brunch recipe; the luscious ratatouille tastes even better when made the day before.

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Grilled Strawberry-Avocado Toasts with Burrata

Grilled Strawberry-Avocado Toasts with Burrata
CON POULOS

These hulking avocado toasts with strawberries and creamy burrata are a great early summer lunch or, cut into thick slices, a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Be sure to use a quality balsamic vinegar here.

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Garlicky Mushroom Onion Toasts

Garlicky Mushroom-Onion Toasts
© Fredrika Stjärne

Grilling guru Francis Mallmann is a master of efficiency. Here, he creates a delicious first course using only a cast-iron skillet, first toasting the bread in it, then quickly searing the mushroom, onion and garlic toppings right after.

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