10 More Easy Peasy Toast Recipes for No-Spoon Days
Another installment of “Things on Toast” recipes that can be thrown together in 15 minutes or less.
A while ago, I shared an article detailing ten “Things on Toast” recipes. As the name suggests, these are recipes involving minimal ingredients on a slice of a bread with just enough nutrients to be considered a meal. I had a lot of fun sharing those recipes, which you can access here, but today, I’m coming back with another list. Without any further ado, here’s ten more toast recipes for busy, chaotic, no-spoon days.
Elote Toast
I’d like to issue a fair warning to any Mexican readers: coquita cheese isn’t available in Japan, and I inadvertently picked out raw mozzarella because it was on sale. It might be fraudulent to call this elote toast, so I’ll refer to it as elote-inspired toast, since the flavor profile is similar and equally delicious.
For this recipe, start by assembling your cheese and corn on the bread. Top with mayo and honey. Don’t forget the lime juice if you have it! Sprinkle chili powder and parsley on before putting it in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius, or 375 degrees Fahrenheit, for ten minutes. If you have the energy, roast the corn in the pan with plenty of butter beforehand, but I chose to put it in the oven as is for simplicity’s sake.
Low-Spoon Mode: mix up the ingredients in a bowl beforehand and bake on the bread when ready.
No-Spoon Mode: use sliced cheese and squeezable mayo or spray butter.
Pumpkin Cheese Toast
For the fall season, I felt compelled to include a pumpkin recipe. Unfortunately, pumpkin purée is not available in Japan, so I made it myself from kabocha, or Japanese squash. If you can use canned pumpkin purée, this recipe will be much simpler. On top, I sprinkled shredded cheese, thyme, and cinnamon with a drizzle of honey. Once assembled, bake for 10–15 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius, or about 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Tasty and autumnal!
Low-Spoon Mode: use store-bought pumpkin purée.
No-Spoon Mode: use sliced cheese or honey and herb-infused cheese to skip out on the seasoning step.
Tofu Dip
Okay, this isn’t technically a “Things on Toast” recipe, but it could be! I prefer saltine crackers for the crunch factor with this creamy tofu dip by Where Is My Spoon. For the best taste, make it the morning of or the night before you plan to eat it, but of course, it’ll taste good either way. You can replace tahini with sesame seeds in the blender, and either rice vinegar or black vinegar will work. I suggest going heavy on the garlic and salt for more flavor-it’s simple, cheap, and a recipe I make almost weekly!
Low-Spoon Mode: make ahead of time.
No-Spoon Mode: use minced garlic to save on chopping and eat straight out of the blender to save on dishes-no judgement!
Brie, Walnut, & Honey Toast
If I’m being honest, I didn’t use nearly enough cheese in my rendition of this recipe, which could have saved it. Still, the combination has promise! Assemble your cheese on the bread, then top with walnuts, thyme, and honey. If you don’t have enough cheese, a berry jam would work beautifully here to provide a bit more moisture. Pop in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius, or 375 Fahrenheit for 10–15 minutes.
Low-Spoon Mode: use pre-chopped walnuts and squeezable jam.
No-Spoon Mode: use spreadable cheese.
Spinach Galette Toast
Puff pastries are far too fussy and time-consuming to contend with most days, let alone days when the spoons are absent. Here’s my easier rendition of a puff pastry favorite: spinach galette toast! After washing the spinach, I roasted it in the pan for a few minutes with salt, pepper, and olive oil, but I think the spinach would cook fine under the cheese while in the oven. To assemble, slather the bread with a combination of olive oil, mayo, and minced garlic. Lay out the spinach and sprinkle cheese over top. Finally, add more salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius, or 375 Fahrenheit.
Low-Spoon Mode: use sliced cheese.
No-Spoon Mode: use store-bought creamed spinach underneath the cheese.
Caprese Toast
This is another go-to recipe of mine that is packed with vegetables and flavor. Spread pesto on the bread along with sliced tomatoes and sweet basil. Add your cheese of choice (I suggest raw mozzarella or shredded mozzarella-both taste amazing in this toast). For the final step, shake some salt and pepper on top. You can either make open-faced toast or sandwiches, whatever floats your boat. Put the caprese toast in the oven for 10–15 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius, or 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Low-Spoon Mode: use sliced cheese.
No-Spoon Mode: use chopped cherry tomatoes/canned whole tomatoes and ground/dried basil.
Caramelized Mushroom & Onion Toast
This was an experimental recipe that turned out divine. Caramelizing takes patience, but I’ll admit, I only spent about 10 minutes at the stove while the toast was being browned, and the mushrooms and onions already looked good. Using butter or the oil of your choice, roast mushrooms and onions in a pan with garlic, salt, pepper, sake, garam masala, allspice, brown sugar, and thyme. Feel free to swap out ingredients or look to similar recipes like this one for inspiration, but I personally love this blend.
Low-Spoon Mode: make the caramelized mushroom and onion mixture ahead of time, leaving it in the pan for when you’re ready to eat.
No-Spoon Mode: buy a caramelized onion dip and add roasted mushrooms on top.
Japanese Egg Sandwich
This is a Japanese staple with many options for variations. Tiffy Cooks shares the brilliant hack in her recipe of using vinegar, an ice water bath, and a spoon to make the shells come off easier after boiling. Unfortunately, the egg mixture won’t last more than a day, so I suggest making it in the morning and not letting it sit in the fridge for too long before consumption. Creamy and delicious, this sandwich is perfect for picnics or when you’re craving a light meal.
Low-Spoon Mode: assemble the sandwiches in a wrap the morning you plan on eating them, or use pre-boiled eggs.
No-Spoon Mode: use store-bought egg salad and dip the bread in.
Yogurt Custard Toast
This was a viral TikTok recipe that I happened to see on Pinterest and immediately wanted to try. For whatever reason, my bread didn’t sink down when I tried to create the crater for the custard mixture, so it baked on top, which worked out fine. I was shocked by how simple this recipe was, and I highly recommend to anyone who likes breakfast for lunch or breakfast for dinner. I topped my yogurt custard toast with dried blueberries because they were a cheaper option than fresh fruit, so feel free to use whichever fruit you like best/fits in your budget.
Low-Spoon Mode: make the custard ahead of time.
No-Spoon Mode: use a store-bought custard.
Mentaiko Cheese Egg Sandwiches
I highly doubt mentaiko, or pollock roe, are available outside of Japan, but caviar or truffle could act as a replacement if you have the budget for it. Mentaiko is cheap here in Japan, and I wanted to recreate an epic street food dish I had in Kamakura. Whisk one egg per person, dipping the bread in and frying it like french toast. Once done, spread the fish eggs, milk, and mayo mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in the oven for ten minutes at 190 degrees Celsius, or 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Feel free to use the egg sandwich idea as a base for your favorite sandwich recipe instead!
Low-Spoon Mode: use a caviar or truffle dip.
No-Spoon Mode: use store-bought french toast or brioche as a base.
Plan to try any of these recipes? Let me know in the comments below! I’m currently burnt out and don’t have much energy to cook these days, so I hope these recipes are as helpful for you as they are for me. If you’d like a third installment, let me know, because I still have some ideas left!
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