Beef Tostadas with Beans (Printable)
Crispy tortillas topped with spiced beef, beans, cheese, and fresh toppings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium tomato, diced
→ Spices
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp chili powder
07 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Beans
11 - 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
→ Tostada Base
12 - 8 corn tostada shells
→ Cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
→ Toppings
14 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
15 - 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
16 - 1/2 cup sour cream
17 - 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños
18 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
19 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through (about 5–7 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Mix in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add diced tomato. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a small saucepan, heat refried beans over low heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange tostada shells on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 3–4 minutes until cheese is melted.
06 - Spread a layer of warm beans on each tostada shell. Top with seasoned beef mixture.
07 - Garnish with lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, jalapeños, and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Each person builds their own plate, so no complaining about too much cilantro or not enough cheese.
- Ground beef gets deeply seasoned in minutes, making it taste like you've been simmering it for hours.
- Crispy shells, creamy beans, melted cheese, and fresh toppings hit every texture and flavor at once.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the beef—a pool of grease makes the whole thing soggy and heavy.
- Room-temperature toppings on warm shells is the magic: the temperature contrast keeps everything interesting texture-wise.
- Assemble and serve right away, or the shells will lose their crunch in under five minutes.
03 -
- If you want to make homemade tostada shells, brush thin corn tortillas with a little oil and bake them at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes per side until they're golden and snap when you bend them.
- Keep sour cream in a small bowl on the side rather than squirting it directly onto shells—people have opinions about how much they want, and you avoid wasting it.