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This is the fastest and most delicious way to put a can of black beans and some lingering veggies from the fridge to use! My crispy, easy Black Bean Tostadas are the 'girl dinner' of your dreams, but they're also perfect anytime! Customize the toppings and make them however you like.
This Black Bean Tostadas Recipe makes the perfect 'Girl Dinner'
Since 'Girl Dinner' is trending and everyone is sharing their lazy (but easy, delicious meals), I thought I should share my own version. This is what I make when I have almost nothing in the fridge, and I'm too lazy to go shopping. I can always find a bag of tortillas somewhere in the fridge, a can of black beans in the pantry, and some kind of vegetables for topping in the crisper drawer.
I keep these black bean tostadas vegan, opting for avocado instead of cheese on top, but you do you, girl. Or guy. Whatever you like on top of your crispy pan-fried tortilla with creamy smashed black beans is your call.
What are Black Bean Tostadas?
You might be wondering what is a tostada and how is it different than a taco. I'm here for you. A tostada is a crispy fried tortilla, simply. It typically contains delicious toppings, and it is served flat. A taco can also be fried and filled with toppings, but is served folded, or can be made from a soft tortilla. Essentially, a bean tostada is a flat taco.
The benefits of your taco being flat include: more room for toppings. You can pile anything on top of your sticky layer of mashed beans. The creamy beans acting like 'glue' are key for this black bean tostada recipe. When we make lentil tacos, we need the shell to hold everything in. Luckily, this isn't true for tostadas.
Bean Tostada Ingredients
- Oil. The key to the best black bean tostadas is frying the small corn tortillas yourself. You can technically buy them already crisp, but these taste so much better, trust me! I like to fry my tortillas in any neutral oil, like canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or even grapeseed oil. I wouldn't recommend using olive oil here for frying, because its flavor can overpower everything else.
- Tortillas. The best tortillas for black bean tostadas are small-ish corn tortillas. I buy the 6 to 8-inch ones, and mine are usually white corn.
- Black Beans. One 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed.
- Salsa. You need ½ cup of your favorite salsa for this recipe. For me, that's a green tomatillo salsa, but the beauty of this recipe is that it is custom to your taste.
- Cumin. A small amount of smoky cumin brings so much flavor to a can of beans, don't skip this part!
- Toppings: My favorite toppings for tostadas are shredded lettuce for crunch, chopped tomatoes, avocado slices and scallions. You can also add crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro, if you like!
How to make Black Bean Vegan Tostadas
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add one tortilla at a time. Fry on each side until crisp, about 3-4 minutes per side. Move the tortillas to a wire rack to cool, and sprinkle them with extra salt while they cool. Repeat with all tortillas to make crisp tostadas.
Meanwhile, add the drained and rinsed black beans, salsa, cumin, salt and pepper to a small pot. Heat the beans over medium heat until simmering, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove the bean mixture from the heat and mash with a fork. You can add water if you need help getting them mostly smooth, but lumps are okay here, too.
To serve, place ¼ of the mashed black bean mixture on each tostada, and then add your toppings of choice. I usually go with shredded lettuce, avocado, chopped tomatoes and scallions.
Bean Tostada Toppings
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Sour Cream or Crema
- Avocado Slices
- Salsa
- Shredded Cheese
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
What to pair with this Tostada Recipe
I think these qualify as a meal all on their own, just like my chickpea tacos, but I can also suggest some side dishes!
- Black Beans and Rice
- Spanish Rice and Beans
- Refried Beans
Tostadas Recipe storage
Once a tostada is assembled, it needs to be eaten. It does not hold up well in the fridge, because the beans will make the crisp shell soggy. You can, however, fry the tortillas ahead of time, and keep them at room temperature with a piece of wax paper in between each one. You can make the bean topping mixture ahead of time, and store it separately in the fridge.
Tostada Recipe FAQs
Are tostada shells the same as taco shells?
Tostadas are corn tortillas that have been fried and kept flat while frying. Taco shells, on the other hand, can be fried corn or flour tortillas that are folded half-way through the frying process to. create a pocket for holding fillings. Tl;dr: Tostadas are flat; taco shells are folded.
Is a chalupa a tostada?
A chalupa is made from a fresh dough that includes masa and is deep-fried immediately. A tostada is often day-old tortillas or pre-made tortillas that are then crisp or fried in a small amount of oil in a skillet. Chalupas are slightly concave to hold plenty of fillings, while a tostada is flat and perfect stacking.
Tostadas Recipe
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Healthy, easy crispy Black Bean Tostadas. Vegan, too!
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tomatillo salsa (or your favorite salsa)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus extra
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For serving: shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add one tortilla at a time. Fry on each side until crisp, about 3-4 minutes per side. Move the tortillas to a wire rack to cool, and sprinkle them with extra salt while they cool. Repeat with all tortillas.
- Meanwhile, add the drained and rinsed black beans, salsa, cumin, salt and pepper to a small pot.
- Heat the beans over medium heat until simmering, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash with a fork. You can add water if you need help getting them mostly smooth.
- To serve, place ¼ of the mashed black bean mixture on each tostada, and then add your toppings of choice.
Notes
Neutral Oil: Use any neutral oil, like canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or even grapeseed oil. I wouldn't recommend using olive oil here for frying, because its strong flavor can overpower everything else.
Tortillas: The best tortillas for black bean tostadas are small-ish corn tortillas. I buy the 6 to 8-inch corn tortillas, and mine are usually white corn.
Beans: You can also use pinto beans here!
Salsa: You need ½ cup of your favorite salsa for this recipe. For me, that's a green tomatillo salsa, but use your favorite.
Toppings for tostadas: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, sour cream or crema, avocado, more salsa, scallions, and cilantro.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 572Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 15gSugar: 3gProtein: 14g
