Shake up your breakfast routine with a toast combination that satisfies all cravings. Slightly sweet, salty, savory, creamy, and crunchy. This blood orange ricotta toast will be a new favorite.

Toast is such a great snack or mini meal. You can make it savory or sweet and top it with really anything that’s in season. This variation has a little of each flavor covered due to rich, full-bodied ricotta cheese and the fresh, juicy blood oranges.

I love the color contrast and it’s a total showstopper! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Ingredients

sprouted grain bread
ricotta cheese (full-fat)
blood oranges (you’ll use both the fruit and the zest)
vanilla bean paste
cardamom
pistachios
agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener of choice)

ricotta cheese with orange zest a microplane and blood oranges

Many of us have tried ricotta cheese in a similar fashion: we buy a whole container to use half a cup in lasagna, then the rest sits in the fridge. If you’re in need of something simple to finish the container, why not spread it on toast?

What is ricotta cheese?

Per Bon Appetît, Ricotta cheese translates to “whey cheese”. It’s most commonly made from cow’s milk and has a light and fluffy texture. Besides in Italian food (like stuffed shells and on pizza), it can also be used in dips or really any way that you would traditionally use cream cheese.

The idea of spreading ricotta on toast isn’t a new one. What you layer on next is where you can get creative.

sliced toast with ricotta cheese, blood oranges and pistachios on a plate

Substitutions

This toast combination works really well, but you can certainly make substitutions based on your personal preference and what you have on hand.

Try sourdough bread instead of the sprouted grain (although I do love the seedy, whole grain texture here)
Blood oranges have a wonderful unique flavor but if you can’t find them, any variety of orange will work just fine.
Sub sliced almonds for the pistachios.
Not a fan of cardamom? Try cinnamon instead.
The vanilla bean paste can be a bit of a specialty ingredient so feel free to use vanilla extract or leave it out altogether if needed. Although I would highly recommend getting some of the paste – I use it often!
Use your preferred liquid sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup. I like agave here because it’s very viscous and the flavor pairs well with the cheese.

Now the question is: what fancy toast combinations will you come up with next?