I Tried the Reddit-Famous Red Dog Toast and, Honestly, I Loved It

For many cooks, Reddit is the place to go for recipes, advice, and general cooking inspiration. There are countless subreddits focused on everything from bread baking to cake decorating, all filled with home cooks looking to connect and share their passions.

One of my favorite subreddits is Old_Recipes, a place where people share (you guessed it!) old recipes that have been forgotten over the years. It’s provided me with many gems, from a fudgy black midnight cake to a cheesy potato volcano. And when I saw the latest craze — Red Dog Toast — I knew I had to try it, too.

According to the original poster, u/nomoanya (who dubbed it one of the best breakfasts they’ve ever had), the recipe for Red Dog Toast was originally printed in the 1970 Women’s Day Collector’s Cookbook. It’s a decadent dish made with bread dipped in tomato soup, and Redditors have continued to sing its praises ever since the original post. Here’s what happened when I gave it a try.

See the original post and recipe for Red Dog Toast on r/Old_Recipes

This recipe is super easy to make and comes together in less than 15 minutes. You’ll start by whisking together eggs, salt, paprika, and condensed tomato soup in a large bowl until “light.” (I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but it’s what’s written in the recipe.) Next, you’ll dip six slices of bread in the tomato soup mixture and cook them in a skillet with hot butter or drippings.

The recipe didn’t provide a lot of detail regarding how much fat to use or how long to cook them for, so you’ll have to play it by ear. I cooked two slices of bread at a time in a medium skillet over medium heat using two tablespoons butter for about 2 minutes per side. You’ll know they’re ready to flip when the sides of the bread start to brown around the edges and they no longer stick to the bottom of the pan. Once fried, you’ll top the slices with freshly minced chives and serve. It’s a super-quick recipe utilizing a classic French toast technique, but swapping out the dairy for tomato soup for a more savory result.

As someone who dislikes tomato soup, I was fairly skeptical of this recipe, but it proved to be seriously delicious. It tasted like savory French toast mixed with all the best parts of a grilled cheese dipped in soup. The bread got crusty and charred in places, lending it a wonderful toasted flavor, while the interior of the bread was soft and custardy. The addition of freshly chopped chives on top was also nice, and added a fresh savoriness to the toast that helped cut the richness of the butter. It was also beautiful, with a striking orange color that contrasted beautifully against the bright green chives.

This recipe was an unexpected success, and I will definitely be making it again. It would be delicious served as a simple dinner alongside a fresh salad (like I did) or as a savory breakfast. And even if you aren’t a fan of tomato soup (like myself), you’ll probably still like this recipe.

Before you head into the kitchen to make your own toast, a few tips.

1. Use high-quality, crusty bread. You want to use a bread that’s thick enough to stand up to the tomato soup and not get too soggy. A nice, crusty sourdough or Italian loaf will work well in this recipe. Avoid sliced white sandwich bread, which will be too soft.

2. Feel free to increase the spices. The original recipe calls for adding a quarter teaspoon of paprika to the tomato soup mixture, but you can increase that amount or add additional spices such as garlic powder and onion powder.

3. Make sure to use condensed tomato soup. Condensed tomato soup has a lot of its water removed and is typically diluted with water before eating, and it’s used here to make the base super flavorful and thick. If you were to use regular tomato soup, it would be too wet and cause your bread to get soggy.

4. Try serving it with a fried egg or bacon. This recipe reminded me of savory French toast and would be delicious served with fried eggs or bacon. Try making it instead of standard French toast for an unexpected change-up. Or, take the advice of many Redditors and turn it into grilled cheese!

Have you ever made Red Dog Toast? Tell us in the comments below.