Beef Tostadas with Refried Beans (Printable)
Crispy tostadas with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, lettuce, and fresh garnishes—an easy Mexican-inspired weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1/3 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
→ Tostadas and Beans
11 - 8 corn tostada shells
12 - 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)
→ Toppings
14 - 2 cups shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
15 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
16 - 1 medium tomato, diced
17 - 1/4 cup sour cream
18 - 1/4 cup sliced radishes
19 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
20 - 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
21 - Lime wedges for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, approximately 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fully fragrant.
04 - Add tomato sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the refried beans until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add water or broth if needed to reach desired consistency.
06 - If desired, quickly warm the tostada shells in a large skillet with vegetable oil for approximately 30 seconds per side for enhanced crispness.
07 - Spread a generous layer of refried beans on each tostada shell. Top with seasoned beef, lettuce, cheese, diced tomato, and desired garnishes including sour cream, radishes, cilantro, and jalapeño.
08 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between the warm, seasoned beef and the cool, crisp toppings creates this incredible texture party that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
- These tostadas come together in about 40 minutes with ingredients you probably already have, making them my go-to when friends unexpectedly stop by for dinner.
02 -
- The tostada shells can burn in seconds, so dont walk away or check your phone while theyre warming in the skillet.
- Warming the refried beans makes them spread more easily, but if theyre too thick, adding just a tablespoon of chicken broth instead of water brings extra flavor.
03 -
- Toasting whole cumin seeds in a dry pan before grinding them brings an incredible depth to the beef mixture that pre-ground cumin cant match.
- Adding a squeeze of lime juice directly to the meat mixture just before serving brightens all the flavors and cuts through the richness.