Crispy, crunchy corn tortillas topped with creamy refried beans, cheese, zesty salsa, guacamole, and shredded lettuce, this Taco Bell Tostada is a party of flavors. It's a family favorite for fiesta night and a real crowd-pleaser for get-togethers. Enjoy this tastier and healthier 30-minute recipe.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
These Mexican Tostadas are one of my go-to mid-week meals. It's a meal-prep-friendly and make-ahead dish, ideal for weeknight dinners. It's a true "family-approved recipe" inspired by the famous Taco Bell Tostadas!
Putting these together is a breeze. I always have a bag of store-bought tostada shells in my pantry, so all I have to do is make a pot of refried beans.
The toppings are where the fun begins! We top these tostadas with fresh Pico De Gallo, Guacamole, shredded Mexican cheese, and sour cream, but any taco toppings would be great here.
It's a quick and easy recipe full of flavor and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Let's get started!
Jump to:
What is a Tostada
Tostada means "toast" in Spanish. Tostadas are corn tortillas, fried or baked until crisp, then topped with refried beans, cheese, occasionally chicken or meat, and condiments like salsa, guacamole, cheese, and lettuce.
Think of it as a giant tortilla chip topped with your favorite Mexican toppings. Yum!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Here are some reasons why this tostada recipe is on rotation in my home:
- Easy Make-ahead for Weeknights: I make beans ahead of time, then preparing toppings and assembling these tostadas takes less than 15 minutes.
- Tasty Vegetarian Meal: This dish is filled with flavors from beans, salsa, guacamole, and crispy tortillas, and it's all vegetarian. It's easy to make it vegan by switching the cheese (see recipe notes for details).
- Easily Customizable: Switch up the beans to black or pinto, and add your favorite protein like shredded chicken or fish, or shredded beef. Pick your toppings - anything that goes on a taco is great for a tostada.
- Ideal for Entertaining: I love making these for game-day parties or Tex-Mex nights. I set up a toppings bar and my guests get to assemble their personalized tostadas. Easy to set up and the clean-up is a snitch!
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
- Tostada Shells: Typically, I use store-bought tostadas for convenience, but when I have extra time, I go for homemade tostadas and either bake or fry a batch ahead of time. (instructions mentioned below)
- Refried Beans: Homemade is my preference here. The flavor and texture of homemade refried beans are far superior to canned. I use this Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe. If canned beans are all you have, I recommend heating them per the instructions below.
- Pico De Gallo: Freshly made salsa adds vibrant and zesty flavors to the tostadas. It's a must-have for this dish and takes minutes to make. Here's an recipe for Pico De Gallo.
- Guacamole: Even though you can add plain, chopped avocados, I highly recommend spending an extra 5 minutes to make this delicious Guacamole. It enhances the overall taste.
- Shredded Cheese: Grate a block of cheddar cheese or buy it shredded from the store. Crumbled Cotija cheese is another flavorful substitute in this recipe.
- Lettuce: I like using iceberg lettuce for this. Buy a head and shred it into thin ribbons. Alternatively, pick up a bag of shredded and washed lettuce from the refrigerated produce section.
- Optional Add-ons: Sour Cream, pickled jalapeños, lime juice, cilantro, and hot sauce. You can also add a layer of chopped rotisserie chicken or browned ground meat to these.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Tostada Shells at Home
Baked Tostada Shells
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Brush the corn tortillas lightly with olive or avocado oil on both sides. I prefer them as-is, but you can sprinkle some salt over them if you like.
- Spread them on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip them and bake for another 5 minutes. For extra crispy, bake them for another 1-2 minutes.
Fried Tostada Shells
- Heat about ¼ inch of vegetable or canola oil in a 10-inch deep skillet, on medium-high heat.
- To check the temperature of the oil, drop a piece of tortilla and if it sizzles, the oil is ready. Using tongs, carefully place one tortilla and fry each side until it turns golden brown, flipping in between.
- Remove on a plate lined with paper towels to soak the excess oil. Sprinkle salt and cool before using.
How to Make Taco Bell Tostadas
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make Mexican tostadas from scratch:
1. Prepare Refried Beans: It's best to make refried beans ahead of time so they get a chance to thicken. You can use this easy recipe for Instant Pot Refried beans.
If using canned refried beans, warm them in a saucepan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Adjust the seasoning based on your liking.
2. Make Ahead or Gather Ingredients: Prepare pico de gallo, guacamole, and other ingredients and toppings including shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.
3. Assemble Tostadas: Spoon and spread a layer of refried beans on the tostadas, leaving ½-inch around the edges. (pic 1)
Add shredded cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and other toppings of your choice of toppings. (pic 2 & 3)
Top with shredded lettuce and serve immediately. (pic 4)
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Tostadas: For an authentic taste use yellow corn tostadas. Buy store-ready tostadas from your nearest supermarket or make your own by baking or deep frying yellow corn tortillas per the instructions above.
- Refried beans: If you can, make the refried beans at home. It is an easy recipe that has more flavor than canned refried beans.
- Toppings: Pick your favorite toppings and customize these tostadas to taste. Anything that goes in a taco is a good option for tostadas.
- Serve Immediately: Tostadas are best served immediately otherwise they get soggy. If planning a tostada bar, prepare all the ingredients, store them separately, and assemble them before serving.
- Make it Vegan: Use vegan cheese, or skip it altogether to make this recipe vegan. Check the label of store-bought ingredients to ensure they're vegan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Think of a tostada as an open-faced sandwich. Using your thumb and fingers lift it flat and take a bite in the middle.
While tostadas and tortillas are variations of the same corn flatbread, their texture sets them apart. Tortillas are soft, pliable, and typically warmed before eating, whereas, tostadas are deep-fried or baked crisp before adding toppings.
More Tasty Mexican Dishes
And here are more Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes to enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Taco Bell Tostada
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Optional Toppings
- sour cream, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeno, hot sauce
Instructions
- Prepare refried beans ahead of time using easy recipe for Instant Pot Refried beans. Alternatively, use 2 cans of refried beans, and warm them in a sauce pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Adjust seasoning based on your liking.
- Prepare pico de gallo, guacamole and other ingredients and toppings including shredded cheese, sour cream etc.
- Spoon and spread a layer of refried beans on the tostadas, leaving ½-inch around the edges.
- Top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheese.
- Add pico de gallo, guacamole, and other toppings of your choice of toppings.
- Top with shredded lettuce and serve immediately.
Notes
- Tostadas: For an authentic taste use yellow corn tostadas. Buy store-ready tostadas from your nearest supermarket or make your own by baking or deep frying yellow corn tortillas per the instructions above.
- Refried beans: If you can, make the refried beans at home. It is an easy recipe that has more flavor than canned refried beans.
- Toppings: Pick your favorite toppings and customize these tostadas to taste. Anything that goes in a taco is a good option for tostadas.
- Serve Immediately: Tostadas are best served immediately otherwise they get soggy. If planning a tostada bar, prepare all the ingredients, store them separately, and assemble them before serving.
- Make it Vegan: Use vegan cheese, or skip it altogether to make this recipe vegan. Check the label of store-bought ingredients to ensure they're vegan.
Leave a Reply