Avocado toast is one of our favorite healthy snacks, but we wanted a topped toast that was a bit more substantial and could stand alone as breakfast. We chose a bold Southwestern flavor profile to liven up our morning: Mashed black beans on toast elevated with a bit of spice, fresh tomato, and squeeze of lime is hard to argue with. By simply mashing our beans with hot water, oil, and lime zest and juice, we were able to get a flavorsome, well-textured base. We really liked the addition of spicy quick-pickled onions, which can be made up to a week ahead. (If you don’t have them on hand, a pinch of red pepper flakes will provide heat.) For an accurate measure of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to boil and then measure out the desired amount.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 4 teaspoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
- ¼ cup boiling water
- ½ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
- 4 (½-inch-thick) slices rustic 100 percent whole-grain bread
- 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced thin
- ¼ cup Quick Sweet-and-Spicy Pickled Red Onions (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Combine tomatoes, 1 teaspoon oil, pinch salt, and pinch pepper in bowl; set aside. Mash beans, boiling water, lime zest and juice, ½ teaspoon salt, pinch pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil with potato masher to coarse puree in second bowl, leaving some whole beans intact.
- Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place bread on aluminum foil–lined baking sheet and broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Spread mashed bean mixture evenly on toasts, then top with avocado and season with salt to taste. Top with pickled onions, if using, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve.
