Beef Tostadas with Refried Beans (Printable View)
Crispy tostadas layered with seasoned beef, refried beans, lettuce, and fresh toppings. A quick, satisfying Mexican-inspired main dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Beef Mixture
01 - 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1/3 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
→ Tostadas and Beans
11 - 8 corn tostada shells
12 - 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for warming tostadas, optional
→ Toppings
14 - 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
15 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
16 - 1 medium tomato, diced
17 - 1/4 cup sour cream
18 - 1/4 cup sliced radishes, optional
19 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced, optional
21 - Lime wedges for serving
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the spices release their aromas.
04 - Add tomato sauce and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture slightly thickens. Remove from heat and keep warm.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the refried beans until heated through, stirring occasionally. If too thick, add water or broth to reach desired consistency.
06 - If desired, quickly warm the tostada shells in a large skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil for enhanced crispness, approximately 30 seconds per side.
07 - Spread a generous layer of warm refried beans on each tostada shell. Top with seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, cheese, diced tomato, and desired garnishes including sour cream, radishes, cilantro, and jalapeño.
08 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the tostadas.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These tostadas are endlessly customizable so even your pickiest eater can build their perfect bite without you having to make separate meals.
- The combination of warm spiced beef and cool crisp toppings creates this incredible temperature contrast that makes your taste buds dance.
02 -
- Dont overload your tostada or youll end up wearing half of it after the first bite.
- Warming the beans makes them easier to spread without breaking your tostada shell a lesson I learned after shattering three shells in a row.
03 -
- Always serve tostadas with a side plate for catching the inevitable fallout unless you want your guests performing mealtime acrobatics.
- If youre making these for a crowd, keep the beef mixture warm in a slow cooker on low so everyone can build their tostadas at their own pace while the meat stays perfect.