And the New Queen of Toast Is… (Not Avocado!)

Avocado toast, we’ve had a great time. And we’ll always consider you a good friend. But it’s time we looked around for some toasty new standbys. Here are top six contenders for mixing up your delicious-on-bread routine. (OK: Avocado toast isn’t going anywhere: Trends come and go, but tasty is forever. But it’s time to diversify your hangry routine.)

Here are the alterna-toasts dominating our Instagram feeds and appetites.

1. Goat Cheese Toasts with Walnuts and Honey

Our Facebook friends went wild at the idea of these thyme, walnut and honey-soaked toasts for their next wine night. And why wouldn’t they? With a prep time of merely 10 minutes and a cook time of five, these are the no-brainer appetizers a host covets. Somehow very French and very American at once, they’re savory, sweet and herbaceous in equal measure.

2. Blackberry and Gruyère Toasts

The smart thing about adding protein to your toasts, of course, is that they then become a breakfast or a light lunch that can actually tide you over for a few hours. (No offense, Madame Avocado!) These little beauties do the trick, mingling juicy blackberries with nutty Gruyère and super-savory walnuts. The cheese is actually an ad-hoc béchamel, giving the finished dish a sort of fondue-on-toast vibe (in the best way).

3. Chickpea and Poached Egg Toasts

This is a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, which means it is unimpeachably good the way it is written, but you could also take a shortcut and use high-quality canned chickpeas. The punchy little legume is having a moment in the sun, and for good reason: Cooked correctly and thoroughly, it is an unbeatable bean. Here it is spiced with a ridiculously high-powered mélange of tomato, paprika, cayenne, garlic and olive oil, layered on to toasts with beautifully poached eggs, sprinkled with za’atar, and served hot.

4. Wild Mushroom Toasts With Truffle Butter

Every time we eat sautéed mushrooms, we wonder why we don’t eat them more often. Daily, even. When sautéed with garlic, white wine, thyme, and truffle butter, they take on an otherworldly dimension. These toasts are simply next-level. Consider topping them with a poached or fried egg and serve alongside a bright green salad to make a meal of it, or just make a big batch and hog them all for yourself.

5. Sweet Potato “Crostini”

You don’t need to wait until Thanksgiving to make these little numbers. Yes, yes, there’s no toast involved, but you won’t miss it when you bite down into sweet potato nearly the texture of velvet. Rosemary leaves, toasted walnuts, honey, blue cheese, and sea salt are the pairings sweet potatoes dream about. These are exactly as good as they look, and bonus: They’re gluten-free.

6. Refrigerator Toasts

Part of perfecting your toast technique is in learning how to combine the ingredients you have on hand in your refrigerator or pantry in tasty and complementary combos. Pairing sweet and savory is an easy trick. Start with a good-quality slice of toasted multigrain, then you can go to town. Try fresh raspberries on cream cheese with a sprinkling of almonds, blueberries warmed with honey and butter over stilton, sliced avocados with microgreens and sliced hard-boiled eggs over egg salad.

7. Pastry Toast

Can puff pastry be toast? Is Santa real? Who knows, but when it (or Santa, for that matter) delivers results, we don’t ask questions. Puff pastry is a freezer superstar. It will save you when you think there’s not a lick of starch in the house, it cooks fast, and you can serve it to surprise in-law visitors and have them leave impressed. Leeks and pancetta are a particularly hearty combo, but you could also do Taleggio, caramelized onions and thyme, Brie and tomatoes, or whatever your heart desires.

Avocado toast, we (almost) don’t miss you at all.