This easy tostada recipe is a fast, fresh dinner! I pile crispy tortillas with flavorful toppings like refried beans, avocado, veggies, and cheese.
This tostada recipe is a fun, fresh, and FAST weeknight dinner. Just load up crunchy tostadas with toppings like refried beans, crisp lettuce and cabbage, tomatoes, cheese, and avocado. Squeeze with lime juice, and dig in!
This recipe has become a great family meal for us lately…because it’s not a true “recipe” at all. It’s more of a suggestion—the toppings here are flexible, and in our house, everyone chooses their own. I take my tostadas with extra avocado and spicy peppers, Jack skips the avocado and piles on extra cheese, and Ollie goes for whatever he’s in the mood for that day (often just beans and cheese).
In the recipe, you’ll find some suggested toppings (my faves!), but I’ve also included more topping ideas in the blog post. Mix and match to create a combination you love!
What is a tostada?
Let me back up! If you’ve never heard of tostadas before, here’s a quick intro:
A tostada is a corn tortilla that has been baked, fried, or grilled until crisp (the word tostada also means “toasted” in Spanish). In Mexican and other Latin American cuisines, tostadas are often served with toppings such as beans, meat, cheese, and avocado for a snack or meal. Though not entirely authentic, this simple recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them.
Store-bought vs. Homemade Tostada Shells
I’m calling for store-bought tostadas here, because they’re typically what I use when I make this recipe. Look for them in the Mexican section of your grocery store—in mine, they’re right by the chipotles in adobo sauce and hard taco shells.
But if you’d rather bake or fry the tostadas yourself, you can. Here’s how:
- To fry: Use the method from my homemade tortilla chips recipe. Heat 1/4 to 1/2 inch vegetable oil to 350°F in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add a single layer of corn tortillas and cook, using tongs to flip the tortillas continuously until they crisp up, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil and season with salt.
- To bake: Spray corn tortillas with cooking spray on both sides and season with salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Then, bake in a 425°F oven until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them halfway.
Full disclosure: I prefer store-bought or fried tostadas to baked ones. I find that baked tostada shells can get a little too hard in the oven, and they don’t become as airy and crisp. That’s just my opinion though—choose whichever option works best for you!
How to Make Tostadas
Once you prepare your actual tostadas (or take them out of the package, if you’re using store-bought…), you just have to add toppings!
I always start with a layer of refried beans, which adds protein and helps the other toppings stick. Then, I pile on:
- Shredded cabbage and iceberg lettuce, for crunch
- Avocado, for creamy richness
- Chopped tomatoes, for juicy sweetness
- Pickled serrano peppers or pickled jalapeños, for heat and tangy flavor
- Cotija cheese, for extra tang
- And chopped cilantro, for a fresh finishing touch
I season to taste with salt and squeeze with lime juice before serving.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Other Topping Options
This tostada recipe is super flexible—feel free to make it your own! Here are some other toppings that would be great:
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Diced white onion
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled cabbage
- Pico de gallo, mango salsa, or pineapple salsa
- Guacamole
- Sour cream, chipotle sauce, or cilantro lime crema
- Queso fresco or shredded cheddar cheese
- Your favorite hot sauce
Let me know what toppings you try!
What to Serve with Tostadas
You could totally enjoy these tostadas on their own for a quick and easy dinner—no sides required!
But if you’d like to serve them as part of a larger meal, they pair nicely with side dishes like these:
Easy Tostada Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 tostada shells
- 3 cups homemade refried beans, or 2 (16-ounce) cans refried beans, warmed
- 2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
- 3 cups mixed shredded iceberg lettuce and red cabbage
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- Sea salt
- Lime wedges, for serving
Other Topping Options
- Chopped fresh tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, or salsa
- Mexican crema or Cilantro Lime Crema
- Pickled Jalapeños or Pickled Serrano Peppers
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Spread each tostada shell with a layer of refried beans, about ¼ to ⅓ cup.
- Top with the avocado, lettuce and cabbage, and Cotija cheese. Add other toppings as desired. Season to taste with salt and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
