This is the easiest—and the last—avocado toast recipe you'll ever need to know. Memorize the recipe, then use it as a jumping off point for your favorite avocado toast riffs. Put an egg on it, top it with tuna salad or crown it with fluffy alfalfa sprouts for a healthy and satisfying meal. You can mix up the toppings too—we love Japanese furikake or everything bagel seasoning.

Avocado toast is pretty divisive: You either can't get enough of it, or you're totally sick of hearing about it. With a plethora of avocado toast recipes out there—some simple, others more complex—it's easy to wonder if we've reached peak avocado.

But before you write off this open-faced Instagrammable marvel, let's remember why we love avocado toast in the first place. Mashed avocado spread over crusty whole-wheat bread, finished with olive oil, red pepper flakes and flaky sea salt—does it get much better than that? It's full of healthy, unsaturated fats, packed with fiber and it's an effortless breakfast or snack.

So forget fancy-pants versions topped with lobster, truffles and gold flakes—or spinoffs like avocado art, avocado roses and avocado toast chocolate bars. You need a perfect avocado toast recipe that's 100% no-nonsense. Look no further.

We’re going back to basics this summer, so let’s talk about avocado toast! Creamy avocado spread onto well-toasted bread is one of my favorite quick meals. Actually, it’s one of my favorite meals in general. It’s so delicious, I’d call it one of life’s simplest pleasures.

As usual, I have some strong opinions on what makes the best avocado toast. So today, I thought I’d share my basic recipe, with my best tips and favorite variations.

If you are a stranger to avocado toast, you’ve been missing out and we must remedy this situation immediately.

If you’re well-familiar with the joy of avocado toast, I hope you find some helpful tips and some fun new ways to change up your toast. Onward!

How to Make the Best Avocado Toast
1) Pick great avocados
You want ripe but not over-ripe Hass avocados. Look for avocados that yield a bit to a gentle squeeze, but avoid using avocados that are mushy or stringy on the inside. If you run into any bruised or brown bits when you cut them open, scoop those out and discard before mashing the rest.

2) Buy good bread and toast it well
I think sturdy, thick-sliced, whole grain bread make the best avocado toast. Golden, well-toasted bread offers a sturdy base and a crisp, shattering contrast against the creamy avocado.

3) Mash your avocado separately
Mashed avocado is more creamy and luxurious than sliced avocado (think guacamole vs. plain avocado). But don’t mash it on the toast! You risk poking holes in your toast or smashing it. Cut your avocados in half, remove the pit, scoop the flesh into a bowl or onto the side of your plate, and mash it up with a fork.

Mashing a lot of avocados at once? Use a potato masher or pastry cutter instead of a measly little fork.

4) Don’t forget the salt
You’ll want to mix in at least a pinch of salt per avocado half. Bonus points? Finish your avocado toast with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt.