Vegetable Tostada Recipe
Crisp blue corn tortilla, veg-refried beans, cheddar cheese, lettuce, topped with salsa. A mild option.
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Ingredients
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Tostada Base
Vegetable Refried Beans
Toppings
Method
Tostada Base
- 1
- 2
To bake: arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 6–8 minutes per side until crisp and slightly golden. To fry: add remaining oil to skillet to reach about 1/8" depth, heat until shimmering, then fry tortillas one or two at a time 30–45 seconds per side until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Vegetable Refried Beans
- 3
Cook aromatics
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 4
Smash and season beans
Add the drained pinto beans, ground cumin and chili powder to the skillet. Stir to combine, then add 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water). Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash the beans in the skillet to a mostly-smooth but slightly chunky texture. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4–6 minutes until heated through.
- 5
Stir in lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If beans are too thick, add up to 2 tbsp more broth to reach a spreadable consistency. Keep warm until assembly.
Assembly & Toppings
- 6
Assemble tostadas
Place each crisp blue corn tortilla on a serving plate. Spread about 1/3 cup of the warm vegetable refried beans onto each tortilla in an even layer.
- 7
Add cheese and lettuce
Sprinkle roughly 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar over the beans on each tostada. Top with a generous handful (about 1/3 cup) of shredded lettuce.
- 8
Finish with salsa and garnish
Spoon about 2 tablespoons mild tomato salsa over each tostada. Scatter a little chopped cilantro across all, and serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing, if desired.
- 9
Serve immediately so the tortillas remain crisp. For a mild option, choose a mild salsa and keep chili powder at 1/2 tsp; for more heat, increase chili powder or add diced jalapeño to the bean mixture.