With the sun working overtime during these hot summer months, I’ve got tacos on my mind (and tortillas in my fridge) 24/7. I love how balanced and fresh Mexican-inspired cuisine can be, and these tostadas are no exception! Crispy tortillas are piled high with mashed pinto beans, salsa, veggies, and cheese for a different spin on your typical taco night. Plus, I love that I can use up any leftover tortillas I have on hand so nothing goes to waste! These are super customizable based on your family’s preferences, so you can add or omit just about anything you want.
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“Oh Beth (and Jess Rice!), thank you for this reminder of how wonderful tostados are. I used to make them a lot, my kids loved them, and now they’re grown and up and out and we’ve forgotten tostados. My version was even “easier”, but yours looks delicious and I urge BB readers to try them.”
SUE
Whenever I find myself with a stack of leftover tortillas and a craving for something fresh and satisfying, I turn to tostadas. There’s something so delightful about the contrast between the crispy tortilla base and the flavorful toppings. I love piling them high with mashed pinto beans, salsa, crunchy slaw, and a sprinkle of cheese. It’s a fun, customizable meal that brings a burst of flavor and texture to my table, all while making good use of ingredients I already have on hand.
Tostadas
Cost $7.88 recipe / $1.97 serving
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)
- 1/2 white onion, diced* ($0.45)
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced ($0.24)
- 1 1-oz. packet taco seasoning ($0.59)
- 2 15-oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed ($1.88)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 8 tostada shells ($0.88)
- 1/2 cup salsa ($0.49)
- 3 radishes, julienned ($0.37)
- 1/2 14-oz. bag pre-chopped slaw mix ($0.99)
- 1/4 cup sour cream** ($0.31)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro ($0.12)
- 1 avocado, sliced ($0.99)
- 2 Tbsp crumbled queso fresco*** ($0.35)
Video
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, onions, jalapeño, and taco seasoning mix to a skillet. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and glossy.
- Add the drained and rinsed pinto beans to the skillet with 1 cup of water and simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the beans start to dissolve and break down and the liquid reduces to about 1/2.
- Remove from the heat and mash the bean mixture together. Set aside.
- Crumble queso fresco, julienne or slice radishes, mince cilantro, thinly the avocado, and gather your premixed cabbage and salsa of choice.
- Spread out tostada shells on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes. This makes the tostadas extra crunchy!
- Assemble tostadas: The tostada shell will be on the bottom, topped with mashed pinto beans.
- Then, add all other toppings; divide the pre-chopped slaw mix, salsa, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, avocado, and crumbled queso fresco between all tostadas. Enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!how to make Tostadas step-by-step photos
Sauté aromatics: Add the 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 diced white onion, 1 seeded and diced jalapeño, and 1 oz. packet of taco seasoning mix to a skillet. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and glossy.
Add beans: Add the 2 cans of drained and rinsed pinto beans to the skillet with 1 cup of water and simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the beans start to dissolve and break down and the liquid reduces by about 1/2.
Remove from the heat and mash the bean mixture together.
Prep toppings: Crumble 2 Tbsp queso fresco, julienne or slice 3 radishes, mince 2 Tbsp cilantro, thinly slice the avocado (guacamole also works), and gather your premixed cabbage and salsa of choice.
Toast shells: Spread out 8 tostada shells on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes. This makes the tostadas extra crunchy!
Assemble tostadas: The tostada shell will be on the bottom, topped with mashed pinto beans.
Add all other toppings: Divide the 1/2 bag of pre-chopped slaw mix, 1/2 cup salsa ( I love this Fire Roasted Salsa, but store-bought works just fine), 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, 1 sliced avocado, and 2 Tbsp crumbled queso fresco between all tostadas. Enjoy!
Serve and eat: Tostadas are finger foods, so use your hands, not a fork and knife! I like the two-handed method of holding the edges of the tostada and taking bites like a slice of toast. I also like to crack the tostadas into smaller pieces and eat it in smaller bites that way.
Easy fuss free recipe that turned out great!
This recipe was so quick and easy to make! I used white kidney beans, my store didn’t have pinto beans. It was delicious even with the substitute! I’ll definitely be adding this to my dinner or lunch rotation. I also used pickled jalapeños instead of fresh, and plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It’s also easy to prep a bunch of the beans in advance and then just throw everything together in two minutes.
These tostadas were so delicious! Easy and affordable to make. I had nearly everything except for pre-made tostada shells. I did have some small corn tortillas that I ended up fruing quickly to make crispy shells. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Delicious! I made these this week and used feta in place of queso fresco—not as good but it’ll work in a pinch
I had tostadas laying around from another recipe so this was a great way to use them up. I had everything but radishes and I’m trying to be budget mindful this month but next time I will definitely add them. Recipe came together quick and easy.
Great recipe, super light and my kids loved the beans!
Made this last night, great recipe! Seasoning on the beans and using fire roasted tomatoes were the spot for me! Wish I’d taken a picture.
I love these tostadas! They are crispy and fresh and totally satisfying! This will go into my rotation!
(Forgot to rate my last review!) Have cooked this recipe like 4 times at this point and I love the simplicity, my family really enjoys it! Will definitely be putting this in my rotation! TYSM! Also, It’s so funny how different our version of Mexican food is compared to Mexico. Definitely not Taco Bell! Lol!! These tacos are delicious. It definitely reminds me of the tropics!
Have cooked this recipe like 4 times at this point and I love the simplicity my family really enjoys it! Will definitely be putting this in my rotation! TYSM!
My two children and I made Tostadas for dinner tonight. This was a very simple recipe and didn’t take long to throw together. We’d made Budget Bytes Poor Man’s Burritos the night before so we added some of those toppings too. In New Zealand we can’t get pinto beans so we used another type, unfortunately it didn’t mash but was still yummy. I’d definitely make again and I’d trust my teenage son to make alone too. 🤪
I would not have made this recipe without the recipe challenge, but I am very glad that I did. It was very easy, and my husband was still talking about how good it was the next day. I will definitely be saving this one.
This was easy to make, and the recipe is very versatile. I used kale instead of cole slaw mix and feta cheese instead of queso fresco. I also used the Budget Bytes taco seasoning mix, which makes it easy to adjust the heat level you desire. I made the tostada shells by cooking corn tortillas brushed in oil for 10 minutes in a 450°F oven, turning them over halfway through.
Such a delicious and simple recipe with quite a few ways to make it your own. I added scrambled eggs to make a breakfast version. They key is baking the tostadas to add a well needed crunch. Will definitely make again!
Love the idea of adding eggs!
Loved this recipe! Our kids had a great time making their “flat tacos”, and didn’t even register that it was vegetarian. I loved having a new twist on taco night.
This was a great upgrade from our traditional taco night! I left the seeds in the jalapenos and it sure brought up the heat! Loved these, thanks for sharing!! #BBcookingclub