Crunchy Bean Tostadas

Tasty hand-held crispy corn tortillas topped with homemade refried beans and fresh vegetables, guacamole, and cilantro.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I’ve ordered tostadas over the years. They are definitely one of my favorite things to eat. And it’s not just because of their taste and texture. I treasure finger foods. Eating is so much more fun when I can pick it up with my fingers.

These tostadas are no different.

I love that I can put my favorite taco fixings on top of a crunchy tostada and then pick it up with my fingers. Yeah, it’s a skilled balancing act. But I’m up for the challenge! Are you?

Don’t worry, these are super easy to make, especially if you prep things a day or two before.

No surprise here – the base to these bean tostadas is a corn tortilla. Yep, just a plain ordinary no-frills corn tortilla. The kind you buy in a big package where corn flour with lime (masa) and water are the primary ingredients. Two tortillas contain 1 gram of fat and 10 mg of sodium. A healthy low fat and low sodium treat!

Simply bake these tortillas in the oven for 20 minutes to toast them up to a nice golden brown. All of the moisture bakes out and they shrink up a little, too. The end result is an incredible crunch in every bite.

The primary and super tasty ingredient in a bean tostada is another obvious one – refried beans! But these are no ordinary beans. My Instant Pot Refried Beans contain some pretty special ingredients, including a chipotle pepper.

Of course, you can opt for a can of refried beans, but my Instant Pot Refried Beans really amp the flavor in these bean tostadas without any added salt or oil. The recipe is linked here for your convenience.

The toppings are completely up to you, but I’ve listed my favorites here. It’s pretty standard taco fare, well except for my smashing Instant Pot Refried Beans. (My husband still gets excited when we make these. He loves my refried beans.).

Feel free to use whatever you like. This can include chopped romaine or spinach, avocado or guacamole, tomatoes and/or salsa, grilled corn, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, green onions, sour cream, Mighty Cheez Sauce, and more. If you are pinched for time, Hope Foods makes a delicious chipotle cashew and almond dip that tastes great on these tostadas.

The best part about these refried beans is they can be made the day before so dinner is a breeze to pull together on a busy night after a long day at work. That makes these tostadas perfect for parties, too. Everything can be done the day before your event.

I hope you enjoy this Crunchy Bean Tostadas as much as I do.  

I’m just starting out and would love to see your results. Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Ingredients

• 8 corn tortillas
• Instant Pot Refried Beans
• Easy Vegan Sour cream
• Avocado or guacamole
• Tomatoes
• Fresh Salsa
• Baby Spinach
• Red onion
• Cilantro

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place corn tortillas on a lined baking sheet. I like placing them on a baker’s rack to allow air flow.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping each tortilla over after about 10 minutes, if not on a baker’s rack.
4. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
5. Chop up or dice tomatoes, avocado, baby spinach, onion, and cilantro.
6. Layer the refried beans and toppings on each corn tortilla.
7. Serve immediately.

Notes

For Tofu Sour Cream, combine 16 oz silken tofu, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.   Blend with immersion blender or blender until smooth and creamy.  Keep refrigerated until ready to use. (makes 2 cups)