I am an absolute toast fiend. As a kid, I would come home from school and whack a slice of bread in the toaster, take it out just before it stopped looking anaemic and then slather it in salted butter.
With such simple tastes, I’m sure you’re wondering how I ever became a vegan chef. Yes, I question it sometimes too. But my taste buds have come a long way since then and I understand the necessity of eating a variety of plants, even if I still serve them up alongside lashings of vegan butter.
Whilst I am still no stranger to the classic toast and butter combo, I regularly treat myself to all of the following delicious vegan toast toppings. With bread being such a versatile ingredient, you’ll find a real variety of sweet and savoury options here. I hope you enjoy these toast creations as much as I do!
Quick links:
Peanut butter and sriracha
My all-time favourite combination is peanut butter with sriracha sauce. I get a lot of weird looks when I share this toast topping with friends and family, but have convinced many of them to give it a go and the feedback has been more than positive.
Peanut butter works perfectly with anything spicy, which is why you’ll see it used a lot in many Asian cuisines. Just think of Satay sauce! Mix the two on toast, and you’ll get a really nice warming kick from the sriracha with the soothing nuttiness of the peanut butter. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!
Pesto and avocado
Avocado on toast is a classic dish, but try mixing it up with a layer of pesto underneath the avocado slices. It adds a great herby tang to the toast which is complemented nicely with the creamy avocado.
You could try a few different types of pesto. My new favourite is a red pesto with sliced avocado and a tahini sauce dribbled on top.
Chocolate spread with strawberries
Chocolate and strawberries are a very popular combination. When placed on top of toast you’ve got a match made in heaven! Make sure to put the chocolate spread on straight out of the toaster so that it melts slightly and makes its way into all of the cracks of the toast.
Get some freshly sliced strawberries, sprinkle them with a little sugar if you’re feeling a little extra, and layer them on top. The freshness of the strawberries will be the first thing to hit your tastebuds, with the spread hitting you straight after with a comforting chocolatey hug.
Try opting for a vegan hazelnut chocolate spread (a vegan Nutella), or try making one yourself.
Almond butter with sliced bananas
I am a big almond butter fan. I regularly use it in place of peanut butter to add variety to my diet. Plus almonds are a really nutritious ingredient!
Almond butter has a lovely depth of flavour that is perfectly complimented by some lovely sweet and ripe banana slices. If your bananas aren’t particularly sweet, then drizzle a little bit of agave on top.
Scrambled tofu with mushrooms
Scrambled egg is a classic toast topper and there is no reason us vegans should miss out. Simply scramble some tofu and flavour it using eggy seasoning, like black salt and nutritional yeast, and dollop it on top of buttered toast.
I really like to use a mix of silken tofu and firm tofu to create my scrambled tofu. I also like to saute some mushrooms with garlic to mix into my scrambled tofu.
Vegan bacon and maple syrup
The bacon and maple syrup combination doesn’t need to be confined to waffles and pancakes. You can pair it with a few slices of toast too. If you want to go the extra mile, then make vegan french toast instead. The sweetness of the toast will pair nicely with a slightly salty vegan bacon.
Discover all of my favourite vegan bacon alternatives. Any of these would work beautifully here!
Kimchi and vegan cheese toastie
I love a toastie, especially one that is loaded with plenty of vegan cheese and a huge dollop of vegan kimchi. It adds a lovely spicy and tangy flavour to the toastie. Check out my vegan kimchi toastie recipe here.
Roughly chop a spoonful of kimchi and layer it on top of a slice of vegan cheese. You could also add a layer of vegan mayo to offset the spiciness.
Hummus and roasted peppers
Hummus is an incredibly versatile ingredient. I always like to have a tub of it in the fridge ready to make any last-minute meals. One of these meals is hummus on toast, which I like to top with sliced roasted peppers.
You can buy some roasted peppers in a jar to save time. You could even mix it up and try out different roasted vegetables, like courgette or tomato.
Olive tapenade with tofu feta
If you like your toast to be a bit punchy then you’ll really enjoy smothering it in an olive tapenade. I really enjoy topping it with a large spoonful of homemade tofu feta. You can easily buy some from your local supermarket instead.
If you don’t like olives, then you can sub the tapenade for pesto.
Smoked vegan cheese and tomato
This wouldn’t be a roundup of toast toppings without a mention of cheese on toast. My favourite is smoked vegan cheese with slices of tomato. You can buy slices of cheese or you can grate it directly on top. Then layer on your tomato slices and grill the toast until the cheese is nicely melted.
If sliced tomatoes aren’t quite your thing then you can eat it as it is, or coat it in a thick layer of ketchup, like I used to as a kid.
Carrot lox and vegan cream cheese
One of my favourite vegan discoveries to date is carrot lox. It is pretty quick and simple to make and it tastes like smoked salmon. Just like salmon, it pairs really nicely with cream cheese. So get yourself a tub of vegan cream cheese and a few carrots.
Coat your toast with a generous spread of vegan cream cheese and then cover with your carrot lox and a sprinkle of fresh dill. It’s a brunch worthy dish!
Bread recipes
Feeling extra creative? Why not try out making your own bread to eat with these vegan toast toppings:
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