Sourdough Toast: How to Toast It Right, and What to Put on It

Sourdough toast is a slice of sourdough bread toasted until the crust is crisp and the crumb is golden outside and still a little chewy inside, then finished with a sweet or savory topping. For the best result, cut the slice 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and toast it in a skillet with butter or olive oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or in a toaster on a medium to high setting. Its sturdy crumb and gentle tang hold heavy toppings like avocado, eggs or ricotta without going soggy.

Below: why sourdough makes such good toast, four ways to toast it with times and temperatures, how to start from a frozen par-baked loaf, toppings matched to each kind of sourdough, the best way to make avocado toast on sourdough, and what to eat with sourdough bread beyond breakfast.

Is sourdough bread good as toast?

Yes, and it is one of the best breads for it. Three things set it apart from soft sandwich bread:

• A crumb that crisps without drying out. A naturally leavened loaf has a firm, slightly open crumb. In the heat, the surface turns crunchy while the center keeps some chew, instead of turning into a cracker.
• A real crust. The crust browns deeper than the crumb, so every slice has a crisp, caramelized edge.
• Flavor of its own. Long fermentation gives sourdough a mild tang. It balances sweet toppings like honey or jam, and wakes up rich ones like butter, cheese or avocado.

That flavor takes time. In our bakeries, loaves are slowly fermented for up to 48 hours, as we tell in the Fresh Baguette story.

How to toast sourdough: four methods compared

Each method gives a different result. Use thick slices, 1/2 to 3/4 inch, for all of them: a thin slice of sourdough dries too fast and turns hard.

Baker's tip: in the skillet, rub the slice in the melted butter before it cooks, so the fat soaks into the holes of the crumb, and press it with a spatula for the first 30 seconds. The whole surface touches the pan and browns evenly, edge to edge.

Sourdough garlic bread, sourdough French toast and grilled cheese are recipes of their own. Here we stay with the plain slice and what goes on top. Melting cheese instead? Here is which bread to use for grilled cheese.

Starting from a frozen par-baked loaf

Good toast starts with a good loaf. Ours are par-baked, frozen, and shipped frozen from the Fresh Baguette kitchen in Germantown, Maryland; you finish them in your own oven. Our organic Sourdough Loaf, our true best-seller, is made with our house natural sourdough culture, with a robust crust and a tender interior. Here is how to get from the freezer to the toaster:

1. Bake the loaf. Preheat the oven to 430°F. Remove all the packaging and set the frozen loaf directly on the middle rack, with no baking sheet. Bake for 16 to 23 minutes. The product page suggests running a little water over the back of the loaf first, for a crisp crust that does not get too hard.
2. Let it cool at least 20 minutes before slicing: the bread keeps baking as it rests.
3. Eat some warm, toast the rest. The first slices need no toasting at all. The product page says the baked loaf keeps for a couple of days in a zip-lock bag at room temperature; when you want toast, simply slice and toast.

Day-old sourdough actually makes better toast than a just-baked loaf: the crumb is a little drier, so it crisps faster and slices thinner and straighter. Our other organic sourdough loaves (Superseed, Walnut & Raisin, Ancient Grain, Heritage Whole Wheat, Golden Spelt) bake the same way, but not every bread in our sourdough and artisan bread collection does: the Pioneer loaves, baguettes and ficelles bake at 450°F for 6 to 10 minutes, so check each product page.

Sourdough Loaf, organic

Our best-seller, made with our house starter and shipped frozen. Bake it whole from the freezer at 430°F for 16 to 23 minutes, rest at least 20 minutes, and you have toast for a couple of days. One of the 4 to 12 packs in your box (boxes from $89).

See the loaf

Sourdough toast toppings, bread by bread

Every sourdough has its own character, and the topping should follow it. Here is how we match them.

Classic sourdough: the everyday slice

A plain sourdough goes with almost everything, sweet or savory:

• Salted butter and jam. The French tartine, simple and perfect: spread it edge to edge, then a thin layer of jam.
• Ricotta, honey and black pepper. Creamy, sweet and a little sharp.
• Tomato and olive oil. Rub the hot toast with half a ripe tomato and a cut garlic clove, add olive oil and flaky salt.
• Eggs. Fried, scrambled or soft-boiled, with a pinch of salt and chili flakes.
• Smashed avocado. More on that below.

Superseed sourdough: crunch and nutty flavor

Our Superseed Sourdough is packed with toasted oats, flax, sunflower seeds and millet. Toasting brings out its roasted, nutty taste. It is a natural match for:

• Peanut or almond butter with sliced banana and a drizzle of honey
• Cream cheese and smoked salmon, with capers and thinly sliced red onion
• Avocado, lemon and a sprinkle of extra seeds

Walnut and raisin sourdough: sweet and savory

Our Walnut & Raisin Sourdough folds organic walnuts and plump raisins into the dough. Toast it lightly: the fruit browns quickly, and gentle heat brings out the toasted nut flavor. Try it with:

• A little salted butter and flaky salt, nothing else
• Goat cheese or Brie, with a drizzle of honey
• Ricotta and sliced pear or apple, with cinnamon

Ancient grain sourdough: a hint of honey

The Ancient Grain Sourdough blends organic brown rice, farro, barley, quinoa and oats with a touch of honey. That slight sweetness loves nut butters, a fried egg with hot sauce, or simply salted butter.

Butter and jam on sourdough, the French way

In France, the classic breakfast tartine is bread, butter and jam, and the order matters: the butter goes first, on the warm slice, so it melts into the crumb, then the jam on top. A salted, cultured one makes the difference. We like the Sea Salt Butter by Banner Butter, churned in small batches and finished with flakes of hand-harvested sea salt. For the jam, our Wild Blackberry Jam is made with 55% real fruit. The deep, slightly tart berries and the gentle tang of sourdough are a lovely pair.

Sea Salt Butter by Banner Butter

Cultured, churned in small batches and finished with flakes of hand-harvested sea salt, for the French breakfast tartine. Add it to your box.

See it

The best bread for avocado toast

The best bread for avocado toast is a thick slice of sturdy bread with a crisp surface, and sourdough is the classic choice. Its firm crumb holds a heavy layer of avocado without bending, its crust gives crunch against the soft fruit, and its tang works like a squeeze of lemon. A seeded sourdough adds extra texture.

Avocado toast on sourdough, for 2 slices. Ingredients: 2 slices of sourdough, 1 ripe avocado, a lemon or lime, olive oil, salt, black pepper and chili flakes.

1. Toast 2 slices of sourdough, 3/4 inch thick, in a skillet with olive oil, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deep golden.
2. Smash 1 ripe avocado with a fork, with 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice and a good pinch of salt. Leave it a little chunky.
3. Spread it right to the edges of the warm toast, so every bite gets crust and avocado.
4. Finish with olive oil, black pepper and chili flakes. Add a fried or soft-boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, or smoked salmon to make it a meal.

Toast the bread well until crispy: a pale slice softens under the avocado in a minute. Spread the avocado just before eating, not ahead.

What to eat with sourdough bread, beyond toast

Sourdough bread is not just for breakfast. A slice, toasted or not, also goes with:

• Soups and stews: tomato soup, French onion soup, a beef stew or a bowl of chili, to dip and wipe the bowl.
• Salads: a toasted slice, rubbed with garlic, next to a green salad or a burrata with tomatoes.
• Cheese and charcuterie: thin slices, lightly toasted, with aged cheeses, ham and pickles.
• Eggs and brunch: shakshuka, a frittata, poached eggs.
• Olive oil: warm slices with good olive oil and flaky salt, the simplest appetizer there is.

Curious how our breads go from our kitchen to your freezer? Read how it works.

Shop the bakery

Superseed loafSeeds that turn extra crunchy in the toaster.See the loaf →Walnut & Raisin loafFor goat cheese, Brie or salted butter.See the loaf →All our artisan breadsPar-baked, shipped frozen, finished in your oven.Shop the breads →

Questions about sourdough toast

How long do you toast sourdough in a toaster?

About 2 to 4 minutes on a medium to high setting, depending on the thickness of the slice and your toaster. Thick sourdough slices often need a second, shorter cycle. Watch the edges: the crust browns faster than the crumb.

Why is my sourdough toast so hard?

The slice is too thin, toasted too long, or cut from a loaf that has dried out. Cut 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices, toast on a medium setting, or use the skillet with a little butter or oil, which keeps the center tender. To keep the loaf going all week, see storing sourdough bread.

Do you butter sourdough before or after toasting?

For the toaster, after: butter the toast while it is hot so it melts into the crumb. For the skillet or the oven, before: the butter or oil on the bread is what makes it golden and crunchy.

What is the best thing to put on sourdough toast?

The most popular toppings are butter and jam, smashed avocado, eggs, and ricotta with honey. Our favorite is the one that suits the loaf. A plain sourdough suits everything, a seeded one suits avocado and nut butters, and a walnut and raisin loaf suits cheese and honey.

Can you toast sourdough in the oven?

Yes. Lay the slices on a sheet pan, brush them lightly with oil, and bake at 425°F for 6 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden. It is the easiest way to feed several people at once.