For Elevated Avocado Toast, Add One Creamy Ingredient

Avocado toast is always deliciously rich, but why not make it even creamier? That is what chef and cookbook author Jake Cohen likes to do. You can find his recipes in his two cookbooks, "Jew-ish" and "I Could Nosh," @jakecohen on Instagram, or in the new show "Jake Makes It Easy," which premieres October 28 on A+E Networks.

For Cohen, the best avocado toast has cheese. "I whip my avocado with ricotta in the food processor until silky," he told Food Republic. This lightly textured and moisture-rich ingredient is one of the best cheeses to give avocado toast a creamy boost. And when blended together in a food processor, the ricotta transforms the avocado into a gorgeous pastel green mousse. Fresh lemon juice, grated garlic, red pepper flake, and salt bring brightness and savoriness to the mildly flavored main ingredients — after all, restaurant-quality avocado toast needs plenty of seasoning.

Then, rather than simply spreading it on toast, Cohen prefers to transfer the mixture to a pastry bag. A heavy-duty, zip-top plastic bag with the corner snipped off will also do the trick. Simply piping the avocado and ricotta blend onto the toasted bread makes for a dish that he calls "super lux."

You will definitely be tempted to dive into this creamy delight right away, but the right finishes will take this avocado toast to the next level. "For toppings, I love hot sauce, lemon zest, tons of herbs, and flaky salt!" Jake Cohen told Food Republic. The hot sauce and lemon zest add acidity to balance the richness of the avocado and ricotta mixture, the herbs bring complexity, and the flaky salt does double duty as both a seasoning and pleasant textural component.

When recreating this dish at home, use Cohen's favorite toppings like a formula. You will need something spicy, something acidic, and something fresh to really take this avocado toast home. Try pickled chiles and Thai basil, or a zig-zag of sriracha and thinly sliced scallions — either way, freshly grated lime zest is a great stand-in for the lemon. Play around with orange zest and a chipotle hot sauce with fresh cilantro to finish, or opt for lemon zest, lots of fresh dill, and a spoonful of Giada De Laurentiis' favorite spicy flavor boost – Calabrian chili paste. This extra creamy avocado toast loves a bold pairing!