Toast is a cooking process in which food is exposed to dry heat to brown its surface, develop aroma and create a crisp texture. It may be performed in an oven, under a grill or broiler, in a dry pan or with a suitable toaster. Toasting is used for bread, nuts, seeds, coconut, spices and other ingredients.
Heat removes some surface moisture and promotes browning reactions, including Maillard reactions when suitable proteins and reducing sugars are present. Sugars can also caramelise under appropriate conditions. The resulting aromas and colours depend on the ingredient, moisture, temperature and time.
Example: toast sliced almonds in a dry pan until lightly golden and fragrant, then cool them before using as a garnish.
Toasting generally refers to browning a relatively thin or small item with dry heat. Roasting cooks larger foods or ingredients in an oven, while grilling applies direct or radiant heat. The techniques overlap but describe different cooking contexts.
Chef’s tip: monitor ingredients closely because nuts, seeds and spices can go from toasted to burnt quickly. Transfer them to a cool tray immediately when they reach the desired colour.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
