Terrific toast toppers

A simple slice of toast smothered in butter is a beautiful thing, and one of the most satisfyingly simple snacks you can make. But if you want to take your toast game up a notch, there are plenty of easy ways to transform it into a hearty meal using all kinds of everyday cupboard staples. From posh baked beans and the best-ever cheese on toast to homemade hummus and even marshmallows, our terrific toast toppers are perfect for any time of day.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the tastiest ways you can top your toast, from fancy desserts to easy dinners.

Garlic mushrooms

Mushrooms sautéed in lots of butter and garlic are among the very tastiest of toast toppers. Start by adding a generous knob of butter to a sizzling frying pan, followed by a handful of sliced mushrooms and a finely chopped garlic clove. Cook for three to four minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and lightly caramelised, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Finish with a scattering of fresh thyme leaves or chopped parsley and spoon the mushroom mixture over your toast.

Pickled mushrooms and goats' cheese

Just when you thought mushrooms on toast couldn’t get any more delicious, along comes this inventive toast topper using jarred pickled mushrooms (or antipasti) as the main ingredient. This is a simple way of trying interesting wild mushrooms without the effort of foraging, cleaning and cooking them. Simply spread your toast with soft goats’ cheese or ricotta, drain the mushrooms and sit them on the bread. You can then finish it off with fresh chives, grated Parmesan and toasted nuts, if you like.

Scrambled eggs and mushrooms

Mushrooms and eggs on toast is another lovely combination that’s ideal for breakfast or brunch. Make a perfect scramble by whisking three eggs in a jug with a large pinch of salt and black pepper. Melt a knob of butter in a non-stick pan over a medium-low heat until melted, then add the eggs and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until just set. Serve the scrambled eggs on toast with fried garlicky mushrooms, a few rocket leaves, chopped flat leaf parsley and a sprinkling of pepper.

Avocado and egg

A poached or fried egg makes pretty much any toast topper even better – especially that modern breakfast classic, avocado toast. To take it up a notch, try spreading your toast with a spoonful of crème fraîche or ricotta before layering with sliced avocado and a poached or fried egg, then finishing with rocket leaves. Simple seasonings like seaweed flakes, pink peppercorns or chilli flakes are also great for adding pops of colour and flavour.

Shakshuka

This classic North African and Middle Eastern breakfast dish is just made for spooning onto crispy sourdough toast. To make shakshuka, heat a glug of olive oil in a large frying pan and add one chopped garlic clove, one diced onion and one sliced red pepper, plus a pinch each of paprika and cumin. Sauté for five minutes. Stir in a tin of chopped tomatoes, then crack in two eggs and cover with a lid. Cook for another five minutes, then scoop the eggs onto some toast and finish with chopped coriander.

Avocado with smoked salmon and cream cheese

Here’s another combo made in foodie heaven. To make this zingy toast topper, mix together 3 tbsp of cream cheese and a squeeze of lime juice, then spread the mixture on some toast. Next, layer over avocado slices and pile high with smoked salmon or trout. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste and drizzle the avocado with olive oil. Serve with green olives and lime wedges to squeeze over.

Smashed peas

If you're looking for a thriftier alternative to avocado toast, smashed peas make a fantastic swap. Place a couple of handfuls of defrosted peas in a food processor with fresh mint, a dash of olive oil and half a red chilli, and whizz into a chunky paste. Top your toast with the mixture and add chunks of feta cheese, lemon zest, pepper and sea salt flakes.

Fried little gems

Fried lettuce on toast? Don't knock it until you've tried it. Griddled wedges of little gem on crispy bread might sound a little unusual, but trust us and give this tasty Asian-inspired dish a go. First, fry some lettuce halves in a hot griddle pan with a little sesame oil, turning frequently, until the lettuce is golden and slightly wilted. Then, in a small pot, whisk together equal amounts of peanut butter, vegetable oil, honey and fish sauce. Pop the lettuce on some toast and drizzle over the peanut butter dressing, then finish with chopped coriander.

Posh baked beans

Here we give classic baked beans on toast an extra twist of flavour by adding cheese. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan and add one chopped garlic clove, one chopped onion, a pinch of paprika and ground cumin. Fry for five to six minutes, then add a tin of baked beans and season with pepper. Bring to the boil and serve on toast, with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Garlicky butter beans

It's not only baked beans that belong on toast – why not liven up your lunch with juicy and creamy butter beans instead? To make this hearty topping, sauté a drained can of butter beans in chopped garlic and olive oil, then add fresh thyme and a squeeze of lemon, as well as some lemon zest. Cook gently for five to six minutes. Spoon the beans onto your toast and sprinkle with pecorino or Parmesan and a generous crack of black pepper.

Tuna Niçoise

Make this classic French salad even simpler by swapping potatoes for toast. To create a tuna Niçoise-inspired topping, spread some toast with mayonnaise, then divide good-quality tinned tuna between the slices. Top with sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, cooked green beans and avocado, if you like. Finish with quartered soft-boiled eggs, fresh herbs and a scattering of capers and cracked black pepper.

Spanish-style tomatoes

A super-simple Spanish tapas dish, pan con tomate is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to elevate your toast. To make it, toast some bread and drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil, then take a halved garlic clove and rub the toast with the cut side. Grate a large ripe tomato into a bowl, season with sea salt flakes and black pepper, then spoon the mixture onto the toast. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.

Tapas toast

Many of the ‘little plates’ you find in Spain are simply gorgeous versions of things on toast, so why not make an assortment of toast tapas for lunch or a party? Top your toast with soft goats’ cheese or mashed avocado, then add chopped tomatoes, sliced radish, ribboned cucumber (just use a vegetable peeler to do this), cooked prawns with a sweet chilli sauce dressing, smoked salmon and sliced avocado. Garnish with pink peppercorns and fresh herbs.

Beetroot mash

This colourful little beetroot recipe will certainly brighten up your lunchtime. Place a couple of pieces of pre-cooked beetroot in a blender with 3 tbsp of cream cheese and season with salt and pepper. Whizz the ingredients up until very smooth, then spread the mixture on toast. Top with a sliced boiled egg, avocado, mixed seeds and pea shoots, or rocket.

Welsh rarebit

Adding a few extra ingredients to simple cheese on toast transforms it into a hearty Welsh rarebit, a quick and simple dish that’s a meal in itself. To make it, whisk together a large handful of grated Cheddar cheese with an egg, 1 tsp of English mustard, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and black pepper. Spread it over toast and grill until bubbling, golden and nicely puffed up. If you’re really hungry, put a fried egg on top.

Homemade hummus

The ultimate healthy treat, hummus on toast is tasty and versatile, with so many different garnish options. To make hummus, add a can of chickpeas, 1 tbsp of tahini, a good glug of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to a blender, and whizz until smooth. Spread the hummus thickly over a piece of toast and drizzle with olive or chilli oil. You could top it with a handful of whole tinned chickpeas, lemon zest, fresh herbs, paprika, ras el hanout, pink peppercorns or cumin seeds – the possibilities are endless.

Pesto and cheese

Give cheese on toast a herby kick by adding some homemade pesto. In a blender, whizz up a handful of fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, a glug of olive oil and a quarter of a peeled garlic clove. Blend until smooth and spread on top of grilled cheese on toast. You can exchange the basil for rocket leaves for a punchier pesto flavour, or add a layer of melted mozzarella on top of the pesto, in place of the grilled cheese.

Pear, goats' cheese and walnut

This elegant ensemble is bound to impress. To make it, brush a piece of toast with olive oil then roughly spread it with some fridge-cold, soft goats’ cheese. Top with sliced pear, then drizzle over some runny honey and scatter with crumbled walnuts and fresh thyme sprigs. You could also try swapping out the honey for chilli jam or the walnuts for pecans.

Marshmallows and jam

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this s’mores-inspired toast topper. Spread some toast with butter and strawberry jam, then top with a couple of large marshmallows. Grill until the marshmallows go nicely gooey and start to caramelise on top. Cut into squares and serve. You can also swap the jam for chocolate spread and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top to make it a proper dessert.

Chocolate and peanut butter

One of the best sweet pairings around, chocolate spread and peanut butter blend perfectly to make a speedy Snickers bar-inspired treat. Butter the toast, then layer with the chocolate spread, followed by the peanut butter, and top with sliced banana. Sprinkle the fruit with grated milk chocolate and scatter over fresh raspberries and sliced almonds to serve.

Cinnamon French toast

Rich and indulgent, French toast is a breakfast classic loved all over the world. To make it, whisk an egg in a large bowl and add the same amount of milk, then sprinkle in 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp sugar. Add two bread slices to the bowl and let it soak up the mixture for a few minutes. Melt some butter in a pan and fry the bread on both sides, until crisp and golden. Serve dusted with icing sugar alongside raspberries and blueberries, plus a dollop of cream.

Roasted cherries

This toast topper idea is one of those handy nibbles that could be savoury or sweet, depending on what you fancy. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Place 9oz (255g) of halved and stoned cherries on an oven tray, then sprinkle with sugar and a scattering of oregano and mint leaves. Roast for approximately 15 minutes, until the cherries are softened, then serve on top of toast spread with cream cheese. To make it extra savoury, you could swap the cream cheese for ricotta or soft goats’ cheese.

Grilled apricots, honey and yogurt

Another recipe that could be sweet or savoury, depending on how you serve it, this topping really showcases the fresh and juicy flavour of apricot. To make it, simply place halved apricots (you can use tinned or fresh for this) under a hot grill for about 10 minutes. Spread the toast with thick Greek yogurt and top with the apricots and some honey. To go sweet, drizzle with melted white chocolate, or for something more savoury, sprinkle with fresh dill, sliced red chilli and cracked peppercorns.

Peach and mascarpone

This simple dish is a real celebration of summer. To make it, crispy toast is generously spread with mascarpone cheese and topped with sliced peach – either fresh or tinned will work. Drizzle the topped toast with honey and sprinkle over fresh thyme leaves or any other fresh herb you fancy.

Strawberries and chocolate ganache

Strawberries and chocolate on toast is a combination that pretty much everyone will love. Make a silky and smooth chocolate ganache by filling a small pan with 7oz (around 200ml) double cream and warming over a medium heat. Add the same amount of broken up milk chocolate and immediately take off the heat, stirring continuously until the chocolate is melted and the sauce is smooth. Spread it on toast and top with sliced fresh strawberries.