The Best Way To Cook Crunchy Toast For Breakfast Isn't In The Toaster

Though it may not always be the star of a breakfast spread, toast is nonetheless a staple. A freshly toasted bread slice is a blank canvas upon which butter, jam, jelly, marmalade, and even savory elements can be added. A steady supply of toast for a big breakfast requires a reliable toaster. Or does it?

While a toaster may be forever associated with crispy slices of bread, it's not the only way to get perfectly brown, crunchy slices. With a little bit of butter (or oil) and a frying pan, bread can be fried — not toasted — to the perfect color and texture. While more than a few eyebrows may be raised at the thought of using anything but a toaster for toast, consider this: Crispy, fried bread is already a key component of grilled cheese sandwiches or pan-fried breakfast sandwiches, so frying bread isn't completely out of the ordinary.

Frying bread is a good way to use up leftover oil or butter after cooking frying pan staples like eggs. Frying the bread in the leftover oil can instantly infuse it with the flavor of what came before it, and, with a careful eye, the bread can avoid being burned — something that can't always be avoided when bread is dropped into a toaster slot.

In addition to providing a crispy alternative to a toaster, fried bread can be at the center of all kinds of deliciousness in the kitchen beyond breakfast. One of the easiest dishes to make with pan-fried bread is French toast. It's a simple dish that can be enjoyed for any meal. For a bolder take on French toast, follow Robert Irvine's advice and use true cinnamon for a more peppery bite.

Pan-fried bread can be a staple in flavorful avocado toast, which is best enjoyed with hearty multigrain bread. It can also be the vessel for your favorite kinds of cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup or for providing extra crunch to your favorite sandwich. Another fun way to enjoy fried bread is with one of Gordon Ramsay's personal favorites: Beans on toast. However it's enjoyed, fried bread offers a quick, almost effortless way to get crispy, crunchy bread without having to always rely on a toaster.