If you’ve ever been to Tout Suite Houston (which if you live in Houston, you must go) you will know there are a lot of great choices for brunch. From trendy avocado toast with chili flakes to an awesome fried chicken benedict served over hash browns, there’s really no going wrong. What do I order? Time and time again I have ordered the mushroom toast.

Though it seems like a simple concept – sourdough, fluffy cheese, herb infused mushrooms – there’s something so special about it. I suggest it to everyone, and they are always surprised at how good it is. Since I love a good breakfast at home just as much as going out (breakfast in PJ’s really hits the spot), I decided I wanted to try to remake this fabulous mushroom toast.

Starting with a really crusty, gorgeous load of sourdough bread is key. Lightly toasted and topped with mascarpone to make a solid base. Tout Suite uses gournay cheese, but for the life of me I could not find that anywhere. Mascarpone is similar but less salty and much more available in the grocery stores. By adding salt into the mushrooms you can achieve a similar flavor.

Next comes the main event. I used butter, because I’m a baker and that’s what we do, along with tons of freshly cut baby bella mushrooms and various herbs. To make this a showstopper, the real key is topping the toast with lemon zest. I tasted it the minute I took my first bite and knew it was something really special. Lemon zest is a secret weapon that draws out flavor and freshens so many dishes. It shouldn’t be a secret – ADD FRESH LEMON ZEST!

I think that the result is a perfect copycat of the mushroom toast at Tout Suite. Crunchy, savory, tangy, and overall just delicious. This simple recipe can be replicated for an easy weekend brunch and will really impress anyone you’re serving. Plus we can sneak some veggies into breakfast and feel pretty proud of ourselves. I think that’s how Tout Suite get’s me to buy so many macarons and cupcakes every brunch I have there…

See below for the recipe.