Avocado Toast with a Jammy Egg
Crunchy toast, smashed avocado with a squeeze of lemon, and a 6½-minute egg with a golden, jammy center.
Method
- Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Lower in the eggs and cook exactly 6½ minutes for jammy yolks.
- Transfer the eggs to ice water for 1 minute, then peel.
- Toast the bread until deeply golden and crisp.
- Smash the avocado with the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a little pepper. Spread thickly on the toast.
- Halve the eggs and lay them on top. Finish with olive oil, flaky salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
Cook's notes
- An older avocado smashes smoother; a firmer one is nicer sliced.
- Add the eggs to already-boiling water for a reliable, peelable result.
- Top with everything-bagel seasoning, feta, or quick-pickled onions.
Why this works
Six and a half minutes from boiling gives a set white and a jammy, not runny, yolk — the yolk thickens around 65°C (149°F) and sets fully near 70°C (158°F), so the window is genuinely narrow. Ice water stops the carryover cooking that would take you past it.
If it goes wrong
Grey ring around the yolk means overcooked; shave 30 seconds off. Hard-to-peel eggs are usually very fresh — older eggs peel more easily, and starting them in already-boiling water helps.
Make it your own
Chilli flakes and lemon are the standard lift. Feta or labneh under the avocado adds salt and tang. Everything-bagel seasoning is popular for a reason. Toast the bread hard — soft toast under wet avocado goes limp fast.
Storing and reheating
Assemble to order. Avocado browns within the hour, and toast doesn't wait. Boiled eggs, though, keep 5 days unpeeled in the fridge and make this a two-minute breakfast.
More breakfast ideas
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Classic French Toast
Custardy in the middle, caramelized at the edges. Day-old bread is the move, and a splash of vanilla makes it sing.
The Perfect Cheese Omelette
Soft, just-set, and folded around a melty middle. Low heat and constant motion turn three eggs into something French-bistro good.