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Guacamole toasts might seem like a trendy new creation, but people have been enjoying this healthy, filling combo for centuries. In areas where avocados are plentiful, such as Australia, Mexico, California and Chile, they’re eaten with bread or tortillas as a regular daily staple.
The California Avocado Association marketed avocado toasts as an hors d’oeuvre in America back in 1915. Still, the avocado remained an exotic, relatively expensive luxury for most Americans.
In the early 2000s, however, recipes for avocado bruschetta and avocado toasts began appearing on restaurant menus and in Instagram photos. The open-faced sandwich reached its pinnacle of popularity around 2014, and in many restaurants, has now replaced grilled cheese as an easy, healthy and filling brunch or lunch staple.
Our smoky guacamole toasts with pepitas feature all the zesty flavors of good guacamole for a flavorful, out-of-the-ordinary sandwich experience. This is not your Grandma’s Sunday morning toast! We combine the sweet, smoky flavor of smoked chilies (such as chipotles or New Mexico hatch chiles) with the nutty crunch of pepitas.
Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, are a key ingredient in many Mexican sauces and are a popular snack, served roasted and salted — and they’re a perfect match for these toasts. Mix them into your sauce for an unexpected crunch, or use them as a garnish.
The smoked chilies in the salsa add deep flavor to the buttery avocado. The chilies are dry-smoked for about 48 continuous hours to infuse them with the smoky flavors of pecan wood.
In salsas, the result is a more complex and unique flavor than traditional varieties. If you are looking for an authentic flavor with a lot of kick, try an adobo sauce in your mix. The flavor- and texture-boosters in this recipe are sure to kick your avocado toast game up a notch!
Smoky guacamole toasts with pepitas
Yield 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 8–10 slices of hearty multigrain bread, cut into approximately 3-inch halves
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ripe Haas avocados
- 1/4 white onion, grated
- 2-1/2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 serrano pepper, finely minced, seeds removed
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin, toasted
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile seasoning, toasted
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh smoky salsa
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup radish sprouts
- 3 tablespoons pepitas, toasted
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Line baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place toast pieces on baking tray.
- Brush each piece of toast on both sides with olive oil.
- Bake for 5 minutes, turning over each piece of toast about halfway through the baking process. Once turned, continue baking until brown, about 5 more minutes. Note: Keep a close watch; toasts burn easily.
- Cut each avocado piece in half, remove pit, and cut fruit into 1/2-inch pieces. Discard seed and skin of avocados.
- Place avocado pieces in large bowl and mash well with potato masher.
- Add onion, garlic, serrano pepper, lime juice, cumin, ancho chile seasoning, smoky salsa, salt and pepper, and continue to mash until well blended. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, spices or lime juice if desired.
- Top each toast piece with generous layer of guacamole, spreading it across top of toast.
- Garnish with radish sprouts, toasted pepitas and sprinkling of parsley.
- Serve immediately.
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