These warm and crispy bean and cheese tostadas start by placing a layer of creamy refried beans on a baked or lightly fried tortilla, and then piling on toppings like crunchy lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and flavor-packed pico de gallo. This fun-to-assemble food is a hit with families because everyone can make their very own tasty tostada just the way they like it.

After you make this recipe for vegetarian bean and cheese tostadas at home, this easy meatless meal is guaranteed to be part of your weeknight dinner rotation. Besides their wonderful, taco-like flavor, tostadas have so many layers of texture. There’s the warm and crispy tostada shell, the creamy beans, juicy tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and melted cheese on top. From there you can keep piling on the flavors with a dollop of zippy guacamole, spicy salsa verde, or sour cream.

Save time by placing the toppings for the tostadas in small bowls earlier in the day, so the only thing you need to do when it’s dinnertime is prepare the tortillas, and place the toppings on the table. You can buy tostada shells at the grocery store if you’re really pressed for time, but homemade tostada shells take just a few minutes to make, and they are so warm, crispy, and delicious. 

Just like this recipe, canned beans can really shine in a variety of easy, vegetarian weeknight dinners. Among my favorites are Shakshuka with White Beans, Warm White Beans and Kale on Toast, Black Bean and Zucchini Enchiladas, and Black Bean Quesadillas.

What is a tostada?

Tostadas are a popular Mexican dish that uses a “toasted” flour or corn tortilla as its base, and is topped with a layer of beans, followed by traditional taco toppings like tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and shredded or cotija cheese. Ground meats, salsas, and guacamole can also be added. 

Tostadas are known for their crispy golden brown shell, which comes from baking or frying the tortilla. When it comes to the tostada’s shape, you can either leave the tortilla flat while it bakes, or form a bowl-like shape to hold all of the tasty toppings.

How to Make It

1. Cook the tortillas. Broil the tortillas in the oven or fry them on the stove. Both methods take between 2 and 4 minutes.
2. Heat the beans. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Prepare the tortillas while the beans cook.
3. Assemble. Grab your favorite toppings and assemble. Enjoy within a few hours of “toasting” for maximum crispiness. 

Ingredients for Bean and Cheese Tostadas

• Cooking Oil – Avocado oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed are good neutral cooking oils. Use the oil to achieve a crispy tortilla shell while baking or frying. 
• Flour Tortillas – Flour tortillas produce a slightly softer crisp when baking for frying, compared to corn tortillas. 
• Refried Beans – Refried beans serve as a stand-in for meat-based proteins in this recipe. The creamy beans also help all of the delicious toppings stay on top of the delicate, crispy tostada shell.  
• Chili Powder – For a hint of spicy Southwestern flavor.
• Ground Cumin – The warmth of ground cumin goes hand-in-hand with the spiciness of chili powder.
• Garlic Powder – The perfect accompaniment to chili powder and cumin. Be sure to use garlic powder, rather than garlic salt so the seasoning doesn’t get too salty. 

Optional Toppings:

• Chopped Avocados or Guacamole – Whether you add chopped avocado, homemade guac or store bought guacamole, creamy avocados add so much texture to the tostada.
• Minced Onions – For extra crunch and aromatic flavor.
• Grated Cheese – Is cheese ever a bad idea? Try a shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend for optimal melting.
• Sour Cream – The smooth, cooling flavors of sour cream balance the warmth of the chili powder and cumin.
• Salsa – Try tomato-based pico de gallo or tomatillo-based salsa verde.
• Shredded Lettuce – Crunchy iceberg lettuce is perfect on top of tostadas. You can also use shredded cabbage.
• Cilantro – Fresh cilantro adds its bright, zippiness.
• Chopped Tomatoes – Roma tomatoes are a good tostada tomato because they’re easy to chop, but any tomato will work.

How to store

Once you bake or fry the tostadas, they will stay crisp for a few hours, so enjoy them while they are nice and warm. The beans and toppings can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To keep everything fresh, store all of the toppings separately. If you make the guacamole from scratch, place the avocado pit in the sealed container with the guac to prevent it from browning. 

To reheat

Reheat the beans in a small saucepan on a medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan. 

Variations

• Change tortillas – Try a corn tortilla in place of a flour tortilla. Using a corn tortilla will also make this crispy bean tostada gluten-free.
• Make it spicy – Cholula Original Hot Sauce and Tapatio Hot Sauce are staples in taquerias, and a drizzle on top of the tostada adds just the right amount of spiciness. 
• Use different beans – Black beans are packed with protein, and a good alternative to refried beans.

FAQs

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