Beef Tostadas with Beans (Printable)
Crispy corn tostadas topped with seasoned beef, creamy beans, fresh vegetables, and zesty garnishes in a flavorful dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef & Bean Mixture
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→ Tostadas & Toppings
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# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
02 - Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for 1 more minute.
05 - Add the refried beans to the skillet and mix thoroughly with the beef. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until heated through. Remove from heat.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the tostada shells on a baking sheet and warm for 3–4 minutes, or until crisp.
07 - Spread a generous layer of the beef and bean mixture on each tostada shell.
08 - Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, olives, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Add hot sauce if desired.
09 - Serve immediately while the tostadas are crisp.
# Expert Advice:
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- The combination of refried beans mixed directly into the beef keeps everything in place and adds an extra layer of creamy texture you do not get from standard taco meat
- These come together in under 45 minutes but taste like they came from a restaurant that specializes in Mexican comfort food
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- Draining excess fat from the beef prevents your tostadas from becoming soggy before anyone even takes a bite
- Warming the tostada shells in the oven makes a huge difference in texture compared to serving them at room temperature
- Letting the beef and bean mixture cool slightly before spreading prevents the shells from getting soft too quickly
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- Mix a tablespoon of sour cream into the beef and bean mixture for extra creaminess before it even hits the shell
- Spread the bean mixture almost to the edges of the shell so every bite has the same ratio of toppings to base