I am a bread person. Sourdough, rye, the heel of a baguette eaten standing at the counter.
So when a friend told me she was toasting sweet potatoes instead, I assumed she was describing something soggy and sad that people eat out of obligation.
Then she made me one.
The plank came out of the toaster with dark caramelized edges and held a fried egg without buckling, and I ate two standing up in her kitchen.
I have made them most weeks since.
My wife runs out the door at seven, and this is the breakfast she will actually stop and eat, mostly because it takes about as long as regular toast does.
Here is what it actually is: a raw sweet potato cut into thick lengthwise planks, run through the toaster two or three times until the middle turns tender and the edges crisp, then loaded like any other toast.
Mashed avocado with lemon and salt on top of that.
A fried egg on top of that.
Everything bagel seasoning and a pinch of chili flakes to finish.
It is savory, filling, and it eats like a real meal rather than a snack pretending to be one.
About 20 minutes start to finish, and most of that is the toaster doing its thing while you deal with the egg.
Give it one honest try before you decide.
What Sweet Potato Toast Actually Is
It is a slice of raw sweet potato cooked in a toaster, used the way you would use a slice of bread. That is the entire trick, and it works better than it has any right to.
The plank goes in raw and comes out with a tender interior and a crisp, slightly charred edge.
The starch browns, the natural sugars caramelize at the corners, and the surface dries just enough to hold a topping.
What it is not is a perfect substitute for bread.
It is softer, it bends a little when you pick it up, and it tastes like sweet potato, which is the point.
Fair warning: if you pile it high with avocado and a whole egg, it becomes a fork-and-knife situation. Loaded like that, mine goes on a plate.
Lightly topped, you can eat it out of your hand at the counter like normal toast.
Ingredients You'll Need
Six things, and three of them are salt, pepper and oil. The quality of the sweet potato and the ripeness of the avocado are doing most of the work.
For the toast:
- Sweet potato (1 large, about 12 ounces). Pick the longest, straightest, fattest one in the bin. Round, stubby potatoes give you short planks that fall through the toaster slot.
- Avocado oil or olive oil (1 tablespoon). Brushed on the planks. It helps the edges crisp and keeps them from drying out.
- Fine salt (¼ teaspoon). On the planks before they cook, not after.
For the topping:
- Avocado (1 large, ripe). It should give slightly under your thumb at the stem end. Rock hard means tomorrow, mushy means yesterday.
- Fresh lemon juice (2 teaspoons). My one addition that nobody else bothers with. It keeps the avocado green through a slow breakfast and cuts the sweetness of the potato underneath.
- Eggs (4 large). Two per person, one per plank. Fried in butter with the yolks set through.
- Butter (1 tablespoon). For the egg pan. Better browning and better flavor than oil.
- Everything bagel seasoning (2 teaspoons). Sesame, poppy, garlic, onion, salt. It was made for exactly this.
- Red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon). The heat is what keeps the whole plate from tipping sweet.
- Baby spinach (2 handfuls, optional). Wilted in the egg pan in 30 seconds, tucked under the egg.
- Black pepper. Freshly ground, over everything at the end.
How to Cut the Planks
Thickness is the whole recipe. Get this right and everything after it is easy.
Scrub the potato well and leave the skin on. It softens completely and holds the plank together.
Trim a thin slice off one long side so the potato sits flat and stops rolling under the knife.
Cut lengthwise into planks a solid ¼ inch thick.
Then square off the two rounded outside slices, or save them for a hash, because a curved plank will not sit flat against the toaster elements.
- At ⅛ inch: the edges scorch and go bitter before the center is cooked, and the plank turns floppy as it cools.
- At ¼ inch: tender center, crisp edge, sturdy enough to hold an egg. This is the number.
- At ½ inch: the outside dries out while the middle stays raw and starchy. No amount of extra toasting fixes it.
Brush both sides with oil and season with salt before they go anywhere near the heat.
How to Make Sweet Potato Toast With Avocado And Egg
Start the planks first. They take the longest, and the eggs come together in the last three minutes.
Step 1: Toast the Planks
Drop the planks into the toaster and run them on the highest setting.
When they pop, send them through again. Most sweet potatoes need 2 to 3 full cycles.
They are ready when a fork slides into the center with no resistance and the edges have gone dark at the corners.
For the oven instead, lay them on a sheet pan at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping once.
Step 2: Mash the Avocado
Scoop the avocado into a small bowl with the lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
Mash with a fork until it is chunky, not smooth. Baby food texture slides off the plank.
Step 3: Fry the Eggs
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
If you are using spinach, wilt it in the pan first for 30 seconds and slide it onto a plate.
Crack in the eggs and cook 3 to 4 minutes, spooning a little hot butter over the tops until the whites are opaque and the yolks are set through.
Season them in the pan with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Build
Spread the mashed avocado across each warm plank, edge to edge.
Add the wilted spinach if you made it, then set an egg on top.
Finish with everything bagel seasoning, chili flakes, and black pepper.
Eat it right away, while the plank is still crisp underneath.
Toaster or Oven, Which to Use
Both work, and the right one depends on how many you are feeding. I use the toaster on weekdays and the oven on weekends.
- Toaster, for one or two people. Hands off, no preheat, and the direct heat gives you the crispest edges. It is the faster route by a wide margin.
- Oven, for three or more. A whole sheet pan cooks at once, and the slower heat caramelizes the sugars more deeply, so the planks taste sweeter and richer.
- Air fryer, if that is what you have. 400°F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Somewhere between the two in texture.
- Skillet, in a pinch. Covered, over medium, 5 minutes a side. Steams more than it crisps, though it gets dinner on the table.
Sound fussy? It is one decision, made once, and then you know your own toaster.
Topping Ideas Beyond Avocado and Egg
The plank is a savory base, so treat it like one. These are the combinations that stay in rotation at my house.
- Smoked salmon and dill. Cream cheese on the warm plank, salmon, dill, a squeeze of lemon. This one feels like a restaurant brunch.
- Crumbled feta and tomato. Salty, sharp, and it needs nothing else besides olive oil.
- Ricotta and black pepper. Mild and creamy against the sweetness, and it takes ten seconds.
- Refried beans and hot sauce. Heavier, and genuinely great when you skipped lunch.
- Hummus and cucumber. The cold, crunchy option for a warm morning.
- Hot honey over the avocado. The one sweet crossover I allow, and only a thin line of it.
Make Ahead and Storage
The planks batch beautifully, the toppings do not. Cook a whole potato on Sunday and breakfast takes two minutes all week.
- Cooked planks. Cool completely, then airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. They firm up cold, which is normal.
- Reheating. Back through the toaster for one cycle. They come out crisper than they were the first time.
- Raw sliced planks. Cut ahead and store submerged in cold water for 2 days, then pat them bone dry before toasting. Wet planks steam.
- Mashed avocado. Same day only. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and it holds a few hours, no longer.
- Freezer. Cooked planks freeze for 2 months in a single layer. Toast from frozen, two cycles.
- Assembled toast. Never. Build it and eat it.
FAQ
What thickness should I cut sweet potato toast?
A solid ¼ inch, cut lengthwise. Thinner than that and the edges burn before the middle softens, and the plank goes limp as it cools. Thicker and the center stays raw and starchy no matter how many toaster cycles you run. Square off the two rounded outer slices so every plank sits flat.
Can you make sweet potato toast in a toaster?
Yes, and it is the method I use most. Highest setting, 2 to 3 full cycles, checking after each one. A fork should slide into the center with no resistance. Just make sure the planks are cut narrow enough not to jam in the slot, and never force them down.
Do sweet potato and avocado go together?
They do, and the reason is contrast. Sweet potato is sweet and starchy, avocado is fatty, cool, and slightly grassy. Add salt, lemon, and a little chili heat and the sweetness stops being the loudest thing on the plate. Skip the lemon and it does taste flat, which is my guess at why some people bounce off the combination.
Can I make sweet potato toast ahead of time?
The planks, yes. Toast a whole potato's worth, cool them, and keep them airtight in the fridge for 4 days. One toaster cycle brings them right back. The avocado and the egg have to happen at the last minute, which is about 5 minutes of work.
Why is my sweet potato toast soggy or floppy?
Three usual causes. The planks were cut too thin, they were not dried after soaking, or they were stacked while hot so the trapped steam softened them. Cut at ¼ inch, pat them dry, and lay them flat on a rack for a minute after they come out.
Do I need to peel the sweet potato first?
No. Scrub it well and leave the skin on. It softens completely, adds fiber, and holds the plank together while you spread avocado on it. Peeled planks are more fragile and tear at the edges.
What else can I put on sweet potato toast besides avocado and egg?
Smoked salmon with cream cheese and dill, feta with chopped tomato, ricotta with cracked black pepper, refried beans with hot sauce, or hummus with cucumber. The plank reads savory once it is salted, so savory toppings land better than sweet ones.
Recipe
Sweet Potato Toast With Avocado And Egg
Ingredients
For the Toast
- 1 large sweet potato about 12 ounces, long and even, scrubbed and unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
For the Topping
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for the pan
- 2 handfuls baby spinach optional
- 2 teaspoons everything bagel seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Toast the Planks
- Scrub the sweet potato and trim a thin slice off one long side so it sits flat. Cut lengthwise into planks a solid ¼ inch thick, squaring off the two rounded outer slices.
- Brush both sides of each plank with oil and season with the fine salt.
- Toast the planks on the highest toaster setting for 2 to 3 full cycles, until a fork slides into the center with no resistance and the edges are dark at the corners. For the oven, roast on a sheet pan at 425 degrees F for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping once.
Top and Serve
- Mash the avocado in a small bowl with the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, keeping it chunky rather than smooth.
- Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. If using spinach, wilt it for 30 seconds and set it aside.
- Fry the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, spooning hot butter over the tops until the whites are opaque and the yolks are set through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the mashed avocado edge to edge over each warm plank, add the spinach if using, and set a fried egg on top.
- Finish with everything bagel seasoning, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Serve immediately while the planks are still crisp.
Notes
- Cut at ¼ inch: Thinner planks scorch and go floppy, thicker planks stay raw in the middle.
- Leave the skin on: It softens completely and keeps the plank from tearing under the toppings.
- Lemon in the avocado: Keeps it green through a slow breakfast and cuts the sweetness of the potato.
- Make ahead: Toasted planks keep 4 days in the fridge and re-crisp in one toaster cycle. Top only when serving.
- Dry the planks: If you soak them after slicing, pat them completely dry or they steam instead of crisping.
