A quick and easy breakfast option, avocado toast is being elevated with additions like ricotta cheese, microgreens, and lemon zest, offering a more complex flavor profile than the simple mashed avocado on toast that gained popularity in recent years.
The trend builds on the initial surge in avocado toast’s popularity, which began in the early 2010s, and now incorporates ingredients traditionally associated with Italian cuisine. Recipes feature creamy ricotta as a base layer, topped with mashed avocado and finished with bright, fresh flavors. Lemon juice and zest are common additions, as are herbs like basil, and chives.
One variation, highlighted by Urban Foodie Kitchen, includes a “bright lemon ricotta” spread, kale microgreens, and everything bagel spice. Microgreens, the shoots of young greens like arugula and kale, are gaining wider availability in grocery stores and farmers markets, and are lauded for their concentrated flavor and nutritional benefits. They pack a lot of flavor into a small amount of vegetable since they are so much more concentrated.
Other recipes emphasize the combination of avocado and ricotta, with toppings of chopped vegetables and herbs. Everyday Healthy Recipes suggests a mixture of red pepper, radish, basil, chives, and capers, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and a touch of lemon juice. The ricotta is recommended to be thoroughly drained to avoid excess moisture. Avocado should be ripe and soft for easy mashing.
Serious Eats offers a recipe pairing avocado with ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest, and basil, highlighting the Italian-inspired flavors. The combination of creamy avocado and mellow ricotta provides a satisfying and healthy breakfast option.
A recent Instagram post from May 23, 2024, details a whipped avocado and ricotta recipe, calling for four tablespoons of ricotta cheese, two teaspoons of lemon juice, and seasonings like salt, pepper, and optional garlic.
