Vegan Toast Recipe

Press and drain tofu

Remove the tofu from its package and drain the liquid. Wrap the block in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and place a heavy flat weight (cast iron pan or a few cans) on top for 20–30 minutes to press out excess water. Alternatively use a tofu press.

Crumble or cube

After pressing, cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes for 'feta' texture. Alternatively crumble with your hands for a more irregular 'feta' look.

Make marinade

In a bowl combine 2 tbs olive oil, 3 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs white miso paste, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tbs water. Whisk until miso is dissolved and the mixture is homogenous.

Marinate

Place the tofu cubes into a shallow container or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over, tossing gently to coat. Press tofu down so marinade covers as much surface as possible. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours for deeper flavor. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before assembling the toast.

Toast nuts and seeds

Preheat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup hazelnuts and toast, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, 4–6 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. In the same skillet toast 3 tbs sesame seeds until golden, 1–2 minutes, then remove. Toast 1 tbs coriander seeds and 1 tbs cumin seeds for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.

Rub skins off nuts (if using hazelnuts)

If using hazelnuts, rub them in a clean towel or between paper towels to remove loose skins.

Grind to coarse mix

In a food processor pulse the toasted nuts with toasted seeds and spices (hazelnuts/almonds, sesame, coriander, cumin, 0.5 tsp fennel seeds if using) and 0.5 tsp sea salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Pulse to a coarse crumb—do not over-process to a paste. The texture should be grainy, with some larger pieces remaining. Taste and adjust salt.

Toast the bread

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brush each slice of bread lightly with olive oil (about 1/2 tbs per side) and toast in the skillet until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side. Alternatively, grill or use a toaster and then lightly brush with olive oil.

Season toasts

While the toasts are warm, sprinkle about 1/4 tsp of everything bagel seasoning over each slice (adjust to taste). This adds garlicky, oniony crunch that complements the dukkah.

Layer greens and tomatoes

Divide 1 cup baby arugula or microgreens across the four toasts. If using cherry tomatoes, distribute halved tomatoes evenly on top of the greens. Season the tomatoes lightly with a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper.

Add marinated tofu

Spoon the marinated tofu 'feta' evenly over the toasts (about 3.5–4 oz tofu per 2 slices, so roughly half the prepared tofu per two slices). Make sure to include some marinade for extra moisture and tang.

Finish with dukkah and lemon

Generously sprinkle the prepared dukkah over each toast—about 1 to 1.5 tbs per slice—so the crunchy mixture sticks to the tofu and greens. Grate 1 tsp lemon zest over all to finish and add an optional drizzle of olive oil if desired. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Serve

Serve the toasts immediately while bread is still crisp so the dukkah stays crunchy. Leftover marinated tofu can be refrigerated up to 4 days; dukkah keeps in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.