Beef Tostadas with Beans (Printable)
Crispy tostadas topped with seasoned beef, creamy beans, fresh vegetables, and tangy flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Mixture
01 - 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 - ¼ cup beef broth or water
→ Tostada Assembly
12 - 8 tostada shells (store-bought or homemade; gluten-free optional)
13 - 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
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 ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
02 - Add chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
03 - Sprinkle in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir until meat is evenly coated.
04 - Incorporate tomato paste and beef broth, mixing well. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened and flavorful. Remove from heat.
05 - Heat refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Optionally, bake tostada shells for 3 to 4 minutes to enhance crispness.
07 - Spread a layer of warm refried beans on each shell. Top with a generous portion of seasoned beef.
08 - Layer lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapeños if desired, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Comes together in less than 45 minutes and tastes like you've been cooking all day.
- Everyone at the table gets to pile on exactly what they want, so it works for picky eaters and adventurous ones alike.
- That moment when the warm beef meets the cold sour cream and crispy shell—it's genuinely satisfying.
02 -
- Don't pile the toppings on cold; warm everything you can (beans, beef, even cheese melts better on top of warm ingredients) so the flavors actually meld instead of sitting in separate layers.
- The tostada shell stays crispest if you add the wet toppings last, which is why the order matters even though it seems small.
03 -
- Make the seasoned beef up to a day ahead and reheat it gently when you're ready to eat; the flavors actually get deeper overnight.
- Set up a little toppings bar and let people build their own instead of assembling them yourself—it's faster and everyone gets exactly what they want.