Beef Tostadas with Beans (Printable Version)
A vibrant Mexican dish featuring crispy tostadas topped with seasoned beef, creamy beans, and fresh veggies.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 450 grams (1 lb) ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
06 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 60 milliliters (¼ cup) beef broth or water
→ Tostadas and Toppings
12 - 8 tostada shells (store-bought or homemade, gluten-free if required)
13 - 425 grams (15 oz) canned refried beans or homemade equivalent
14 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
15 - 1 cup diced tomatoes
16 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
17 - ½ cup sour cream
18 - ¼ cup sliced jalapeños (optional)
19 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned and mostly cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
02 - Add the finely chopped onion to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
03 - Sprinkle the ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper over the beef mixture. Stir to evenly coat the meat with the spices.
04 - Incorporate tomato paste and beef broth. Mix thoroughly and let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens and flavors meld. Remove from heat.
05 - Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place tostada shells on a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 4 minutes to enhance crispness if desired.
07 - Spread a layer of warm refried beans evenly on each tostada shell. Top with a generous portion of the seasoned beef.
08 - Garnish each tostada with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeños if using, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They come together in under 40 minutes, which means dinner happens without the stress.
- Everyone gets to customize their own plate, so no one's left picking things off they don't want.
- The seasoned beef is savory and deeply flavorful without requiring any fancy techniques or expensive cuts.
- It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really didn't.
02 -
- Don't skip warming the beans; cold beans sitting on warm beef creates a disappointing texture contrast, and warming them keeps everything cohesive.
- Assemble right before eating or the shells will start to get soggy from the moisture of the toppings, which ruins the whole crispy-versus-soft dynamic.
- The beef mixture should be thick and clingy, not soupy; if it looks too wet after simmering, let it reduce a bit longer until it coats the back of a spoon.
03 -
- If you're making these for a crowd, prep all your toppings ahead of time so assembly becomes a simple, fast process when it's time to eat.
- Warming your tostada shells in a 350°F oven for 3–4 minutes before assembling them keeps them crispy longer and makes the whole eating experience better.
- The seasoned beef keeps well in the fridge for a few days, which means you can make a double batch and have quick tostadas ready whenever the craving hits.