A piece of buttered toast is one of life’s simplest pleasures. Delicious on its own, it’s also the ideal foundation for more substantial breakfast dishes. French toast is the classic example, and the recipes here take it in a range of directions to suit any occasion. Toast’s potential goes far beyond that — try it topped with greens and a fried egg, piled with wild mushrooms and a Gouda scramble, or swap in toasted sourdough for a breezy eggs Benedict. Start your day with a toasty morning thanks to these satisfying toast recipes.
Blueberry Almond Yogurt Toast
Use Greek-style yogurt and your air fryer, toaster oven, or conventional oven to make an unfussy riff on French toast for two that’s ready in 15 minutes. Brioche, challah, or any other soft bread works best here — feel free to get creative with the toppings.
Eggs Benedict Toast
This streamlined take on eggs Benedict swaps in prosciutto for Canadian bacon, sourdough slices for English muffins, and steamed eggs for poached eggs. Cornstarch stabilizes the hollandaise to keep things stress-free.
Classic French Toast
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe
Sturdy Italian bread takes a brief bath in a mix of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg before it’s pan-fried until golden. Keep it classic by serving with a pat of butter, maple syrup, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Wild Mushroom Toast
Food & Wine / Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Los Angeles chef Michael Reed spreads hollandaise on buttered sourdough toast, piles on sautéed wild mushrooms and spinach, tops with Gouda-laced scrambled eggs, and finishes with fresh chives. Use a mix of mushrooms for the most striking result — shiitake, enoki, morel, and hen-of-the-woods are all great here.
Torrijas
Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
Equally delicious for an indulgent breakfast or sweet treat, this Spanish spin on French toast starts with a day-old baguette. The slices are first soaked in a sherry-laced milk mixture, then dipped in beaten eggs and fried in oil. A drizzle of honey and orange marmalade makes them ready to enjoy.
Egg in a Bagel Hole
Using bagels to make traditional eggs in a basket is a no-brainer. Create a little steam in the skillet by adding a tablespoon of water to ensure evenly cooked eggs and perfectly toasty bagel halves. Serve with either smoked salmon or creamy avocado.
Challah French Toast
Julia Hartbeck
Rich challah makes for an especially soft, pillowy French toast. It’s an ideal canvas for all kinds of toppings, from warm maple syrup to berries, cherries, sliced banana, or apple or pear slices sautéed in butter — you can even sprinkle on toasted nuts for a little crunch.
Blueberry Cornbread French Toast
Dolloped with whipped cream and served with blueberry sauce, Erick Williams’ blueberry-battered cornbread French toast straddles the line between breakfast and dessert, making it the perfect brunch treat.
Overnight French Toast with Cranberries and Pecans
Prep your French toast the night before for this baked version that requires little effort in the morning. Tart cranberries are delicious here, but you can easily substitute fresh blueberries if you’d like.
Basted Egg Tartines with Creamed Mustard
For these open-faced French breakfast sandwiches, Justin Chapple spreads a tangy blend of Dijon and whole-grain mustard, lemon, and sour cream over toast, mounds on mustard greens, and adds water-basted fried eggs. It’s ready in just 15 minutes.
Brioche French Toast with Fresh Berry Compote
This just might be the most decadent French toast of them all. Pastry chef Mariah Swan dips buttery brioche in a warmly spiced cream-based custard, cooking each slice on a buttered griddle before topping with a fresh berry compote and dollops of lightly tangy crème fraîche.
Jam-Stuffed Brioche French Toast
At Sqirl, the Los Angeles café with a cult following, owner Jessica Koslow showcases jam in myriad ways — on granola, with porridge, layered on top of ricotta toast. And, of course, stuffed into brioche French toast, like in this strawberry version.
