Avocado Tostada Recipe

Bake tortillas until crispy

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Brush both sides of each corn tortilla lightly with neutral oil and sprinkle a little sea salt on top. Place tortillas in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (use two sheets if needed). Bake 6–9 minutes, flip, then bake another 5–7 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove and cool on a rack to retain crispness.

While tortillas bake, prepare quick pickled onions. In a heatproof jar or bowl combine white vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar/salt dissolve. Add thinly sliced red onion, press to submerge, and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 4 hours for more flavor). Drain before assembling but reserve a little pickling liquid if you want to moisten during assembly.

Toast seeds

Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until they begin to pop and turn lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Toast and soften chilies

In the same skillet, reduce heat to low and lightly toast dried guajillo and arbol chilies for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (do not burn). Transfer chilies to a bowl and cover with very hot water to rehydrate for 6–8 minutes. Drain, discard water, and roughly chop chilies (or tear before toasting).

Sauté and combine

Return skillet to medium-low, add 3 tablespoons oil and lightly sauté smashed garlic cloves until just golden (30–45 seconds). Add rehydrated chilies and cook 30 more seconds to build flavor. Transfer garlic, chilies, toasted pumpkin seeds, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to a food processor or blender.

Pulse briefly until a coarse, slightly chunky paste forms (salsa macha texture — you want some whole seeds and texture, not a smooth purée). Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed. If too thick, add up to 1 teaspoon neutral oil or a few drops of warm water to loosen. Set aside to cool.

Prep avocados

Halve avocados, remove pits, and scoop flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork leaving some texture. Immediately stir in lime juice to prevent browning.

Add minced shallot, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño, ground cumin, 1/2 tsp sea salt, and black pepper to the mashed avocado. Fold gently to combine, taste and adjust seasoning or lime as needed. Keep covered with plastic pressed to surface or a bit of extra lime juice until assembly.

Place a baked tostada on a serving plate. Spread about 2–3 tablespoons of guacamole in the center, leaving a rim of crisp tortilla visible (about 2–3 tostadas per person if serving as a botana: adjust to preference).

Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of pumpkin seed salsa macha over the guacamole — enough to add heat and crunch but not to saturate the tortilla. For a stronger seed presence, add a little more macha.

Top with a few rings of pickled red onion (drained) and scatter micro cilantro leaves.

Lightly dust the exposed rim and top of the tostada with a pinch of kale powder and carrot powder (use fingertips to sprinkle evenly). These powders are concentrated — aim for visual color and a subtle vegetal note, about 1/8–1/4 teaspoon per tostada.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. If making multiple ahead, keep components separate (store macha and guacamole refrigerated; re-crisp tortillas in a 350°F/175°C oven for 3–4 minutes before assembling).