Homemade First Watch Avocado Toast

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First Watch has built a loyal following with their fresh, made-from-scratch approach to breakfast and brunch, and their Avocado Toast is a perfect example of why. Built on thick-cut sourdough that is grilled to a deep golden crust, the toast is loaded with freshly smashed Hass avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, vibrant microgreens, and a generous hand of everything bagel seasoning that ties every bite together. It looks deceptively simple but hits every textural note when executed correctly.

First Watch’s version is a solid brunch value compared to most sit-down spots, though making it at home brings the cost down further and lets you control every element exactly how you want it. This copycat nails the key signatures: chunky rather than blitzed avocado mash, properly toasted sourdough with real structural integrity, and that distinctive everything bagel seasoning finish that most homemade versions underuse.

About First Watch’s Avocado Toast

What separates First Watch’s Avocado Toast from the generic brunch-spot version is restraint and quality of execution. The avocado is not turned into a smooth paste; it is smashed to a rough, chunky texture that carries lemon juice, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper throughout. That texture is critical: too smooth and it reads as baby food, too coarse and it slides right off the bread. The sweet spot is somewhere in between, where you can still see defined green ribbons of avocado but the mash holds together on the toast and clings to each bite.

The sourdough is the other non-negotiable. First Watch uses thick-cut slices that are grilled or toasted until deeply golden, sturdy enough to hold the toppings without going soggy but not so hard that they shatter when you bite in. The everything bagel seasoning, applied generously to the surface, delivers poppy seeds, sesame, dried garlic, dried onion, and flaky salt in every forkful. The microgreens and cherry tomatoes add brightness and acidity that balance the rich avocado, and a final drizzle of good olive oil adds a fruity, peppery finish.

How Much Does It Cost to Make First Watch’s Avocado Toast at Home?

A full batch makes 1 serving (2 open-faced toasts) for about $1.28 in ingredients — roughly $1.28 per serving. Ordering the equivalent at First Watch runs around $14.00, so making it yourself saves about $12.72 (91%). Those numbers come from current US average grocery prices (US BLS Average Price Data, May 2026), so treat them as estimates — the per-ingredient breakdown is in the table above. The savings are this large because you’re buying staple ingredients in bulk instead of paying for a prepared, served dish, and a single batch stretches across many servings.

Why Make It at Home?

Making First Watch Avocado Toast at home is genuinely worth the effort for reasons beyond the cost savings. You control the avocado ripeness, the single biggest variable in whether this dish sings or flops, and you can time it perfectly instead of waiting on restaurant kitchen prep. You also get to choose your own bread: a good bakery sourdough with real tang and a tight crumb will outperform anything a busy breakfast chain can reliably source at volume. At home you can add or skip the poached eggs, stir in your favorite hot sauce, or pile on extra toppings without paying a modifier fee, and total ingredient cost stays modest per serving depending on avocado prices in your market.

Ingredients for Copycat First Watch Avocado Toast

Here’s the full ingredients list you’ll need to make First Watch Avocado Toast at home:

• 2 each thick-cut sourdough bread slices
• 2 each ripe Hass avocados
• 0.5 each lemon
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 0.5 oz fresh microgreens
• 2 each large eggs (for poaching)
• 1.5 tsp everything bagel seasoning
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt and black pepper

A few ingredient notes:

• Avocado ripeness is the make-or-break factor in this dish. A ripe Hass avocado yields gently to thumb pressure near the stem end without feeling mushy or hollow. If yours are still firm, leave them at room temperature for a day or two rather than refrigerating them, which stalls ripening and dulls the flavor significantly.
• Use a genuine sourdough with a tight, chewy crumb rather than a soft sandwich loaf. The bread needs to hold up under the weight of the mash and toppings without going limp within minutes. A bakery-section loaf sliced about 3/4 inch thick is ideal; anything thinner will buckle.
• Everything bagel seasoning brands vary widely in salt level, so taste before you pile it on. Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend is well-balanced and widely available. If yours is heavily salted, start with 3/4 teaspoon per slice rather than the full amount and adjust from there.

How to Make First Watch Avocado Toast at Home

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 5 min · Makes: 1 serving (2 open-faced toasts)

1. 1. Toast sourdough slices in a toaster on the highest setting, or brush each side lightly with olive oil and grill in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 30 seconds.
2. 2. Halve avocados lengthwise and remove the pits. Scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and several cracks of black pepper.
3. 3. Smash the avocado with a fork to a chunky-smooth consistency, aiming for visible pieces of avocado still intact throughout rather than a uniform paste. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice as needed.
4. 4. If poaching eggs: bring 2 to 3 inches of water to a bare simmer in a small saucepan and add a splash of white vinegar. Crack each egg into a small individual cup. Create a gentle swirl in the water and slide the eggs in one at a time. Poach 3 to 4 minutes for fully set whites with a runny yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry on a paper towel.
5. 5. Spread the avocado mash generously over each toast slice, covering all the way to the edges so every bite has full coverage.
6. 6. Scatter the halved cherry tomatoes across the avocado on both slices, distributing evenly.
7. 7. Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning evenly over each toast using about 3/4 teaspoon per slice, then add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
8. 8. Top each slice with a small handful of microgreens and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Place a poached egg on top of each slice if using and serve immediately.

Tips for the Best Results

• Smash the avocado as close to serving time as possible. Oxidation starts within minutes and lemon juice only slows it, so timing the mash to coincide with the toast coming out of the toaster is the best approach.
• Let toast rest on a wire rack or plate for 30 seconds before spreading the avocado. Trapped steam from very hot toast will soften the crust faster than the toppings will.
• For a cleaner poached egg with no wispy whites, crack each egg through a fine-mesh strainer first to drain the thin, watery portion of the white before transferring to a small cup for poaching.
• If you are making this for two people, prep both avocados together and toast bread simultaneously in batches so everything lands on the plate at the same temperature.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-processing the avocado into a smooth, homogeneous paste. First Watch’s version has visible texture and distinct chunks; stop smashing while some intact pieces remain.
• Using an underripe avocado. A firm avocado will not smash properly, has a grassy rather than buttery flavor, and makes the whole dish fall flat. Check ripeness at purchase and plan a day ahead when needed.
• Applying everything bagel seasoning too sparingly. This seasoning is a primary flavor driver in the dish, not a garnish, and the correct amount per slice is closer to a full teaspoon than a light dusting.
• Toasting the bread too lightly. Pale or soft toast becomes soggy under the avocado mash within sixty seconds. Toast until the surface is genuinely golden-brown and the slice feels rigid when tapped.

Variations to Try

• Spicy version: Stir 1 teaspoon of chili oil or your favorite hot sauce directly into the avocado mash before spreading, and add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes on top for layered heat.
• Feta and olive: Crumble 2 tablespoons of briny feta cheese over the finished toast and scatter a few sliced Kalamata olives across the top for a savory Mediterranean take.
• Double-seasoned: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of everything bagel seasoning into the avocado mash itself in addition to the surface sprinkle, so the seasoning flavor runs through every layer rather than just sitting on top.

Storage & Reheating

Avocado toast does not store well once assembled; the bread softens and the avocado browns noticeably within an hour. If you want to get ahead, store the avocado mash separately in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the mash rather than just draped over the bowl, and use within a few hours. A squeeze of extra lemon juice over the surface and a thin film of olive oil both help slow oxidation. Toast fresh bread and assemble immediately before serving rather than trying to refrigerate a finished plate.

What to Serve It With

First Watch serves their Avocado Toast as a standalone brunch plate, and it holds up well on its own especially with a poached egg on top for protein. At home it pairs naturally with a bowl of fresh fruit, a simple green salad, or a strong cup of black coffee to balance the richness of the avocado. For a heartier spread, add a few strips of turkey bacon or a small side of chicken sausage on the plate without overwhelming the fresh, clean flavor profile of the toast itself.

The Bottom Line

First Watch’s Avocado Toast is one of those dishes that feels like it should be hard to make and expensive to buy, but at home it’s neither. For about $1.28 in everyday ingredients you get 1 serving (2 open-faced toasts), fresh and warm, for roughly 91% less than ordering out. Make it once and it’ll join the short list of recipes you reach for without thinking. Bookmark this one, grab the ingredients, and keep an eye on CopyKitchen for more copycat favorites with the real cost to make them at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of bread does First Watch use for their avocado toast?

First Watch uses thick-cut sourdough bread that is toasted or grilled until deeply golden on both sides. The sourdough’s natural tang complements the rich avocado and the savory everything bagel seasoning. For the closest copycat, look for a bakery-style sourdough loaf with a tight, chewy crumb and slice it about 3/4 inch thick at home. Avoid soft sandwich-style bread, which will go limp under the toppings in under a minute.

Can I make this without eggs?

Absolutely. The poached egg is an optional add-on that makes the dish more filling and adds richness when the yolk breaks over the toast, but First Watch’s base avocado toast does not always include eggs and stands on its own without them. The toast, avocado mash, cherry tomatoes, microgreens, and everything bagel seasoning are the core components that define the dish.

How do I know if my avocado is ripe enough to use?

A ripe Hass avocado will yield to gentle thumb pressure near the stem end without feeling mushy or hollow inside. The skin should be very dark, nearly black, and the small stem nub should pop off cleanly revealing green flesh underneath. If the flesh visible under the stem looks brown, the avocado is overripe. If it is firm and the skin is still greenish, leave it at room temperature for one to two more days.

Can I use store-bought everything bagel seasoning or should I make my own?

Store-bought works great and is what most home cooks will use. Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend closely matches the balance First Watch uses and is widely available. Similar blends exist at most grocery stores under various brand names. If you want to mix your own, combine sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, and flaky sea salt in roughly equal parts with slightly less salt than the rest.

How do I keep the avocado from turning brown if I need to prep ahead?

Fresh lemon juice slows oxidation through its citric acid, and limiting air contact slows it further. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mash itself rather than just draping it over the bowl, and add a thin film of olive oil on top as an additional barrier. Prepare the mash as close to serving time as you can manage, ideally within 15 minutes of plating, since no method stops browning entirely.

What specifically makes this a First Watch copycat versus a basic avocado toast?

Three things set First Watch’s version apart from a generic preparation: the heavy, intentional use of everything bagel seasoning as a primary flavor rather than an afterthought garnish, the deeply golden thick-cut sourdough that maintains structural crispness under wet toppings, and the specific pairing of fresh microgreens with halved cherry tomatoes that adds brightness and acidity without overwhelming the avocado. Most basic versions season only with lemon juice and salt; First Watch layers in considerably more flavor through the seasoning blend and a more considered topping selection.

Cost figures use US BLS Average Price Data (US city average) and are estimates for comparison; your local grocery prices and First Watch’s current menu price will vary. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. CopyKitchen is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by First Watch or any brand mentioned; this is an independent, homemade copycat recipe, and all trademarks are the property of their respective owners.