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This easy Tostada Recipe makes delicious, homemade tostadas fast. Similar to a crunchy beef taco, tostadas add a layer of refried beans which makes them extra hearty and filling.
These easy Beef Tostadas are just like your favorite beef taco but served on a crunchy corn tostada shell instead of wrapped in a tortilla. You also add a layer of canned refried beans for extra flavor and heartiness.
The ground beef mixture itself cooks up quick, in 15 minutes or less, meaning you have another easy weeknight dinner idea to keep in your back pocket!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Taco seasoning: Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning are right in the recipe card in the amount you need. Or, substitute one packet of store-bought taco seasoning.
- Ground beef: If you choose a lean ground beef such as 90/10, you may not need to drain any fat. Fat is flavor!
- Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), Whisk in cornstarch if desired. (Or, substitute one packet store-bought taco seasoning).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, garlic, and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Feel free to drain excess grease at this point if desired.
- Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Arrange tostadas on a flat surface. Top each with 2 tablespoons refried beans, ¼ cup ground beef, and your favorite toppings like lettuce, a sprinkle of cheese, tomatoes, and finely minced white onion.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups (1 quart) of taco meat. That’s enough for 16 tostadas where each tostada has 2 tbsp refried beans and ¼ cup meat. At 2 tostadas per person, that’s 8 servings total.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool the cooked meat, then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag and press flat to gently squeeze out the air from the bag as it seals. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator (never at room temperature). Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Slow cooker: Sauté the onions in a skillet on the stove. Add the taco seasoning, garlic, and dried oregano. Add the ground beef and cook until almost done. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker and add the sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or on LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Dried spices: Cooking out of the pantry? Substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon onion powder or 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes for the fresh garlic and onion.
- Tostada toppings: Load it all up! Try lettuce, tomato, avocado (or avocado sauce), guacamole, shredded cheese, crumbled queso fresco, sour cream or Mexican crema, bell peppers, black olives, minced white onion, cilantro, and minced jalapeños.
- Salsa: Try mild tomato salsa (pico de gallo), hot salsa, green tomatillo salsa, or corn salsa.
- Breakfast tostadas: Add over-medium or scrambled eggs on top of the beans and/or beef mixture for a crunchy version of Huevos Rancheros.
- Lettuce wraps: Skip the tostada and try this taco meat on butter lettuce or romaine leaves.
- Taco salad or bowl: Add the cooked meat to a bowl with chopped lettuce, cooked black beans, tomatoes, scallions, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing. Add cooked brown rice to make a hearty turkey taco bowl. Serve with tortilla chips.
- Add quinoa: Add cooked quinoa to the mixture to make it more filling or stretch it further.
- Turkey Tacos: Ground turkey shows up where you least expect it, in the Best Turkey Tacos you’ve ever had. This recipe has a few tricks up its sleeve to make sure every bite is juicy and perfectly seasoned. Coming to tortillas near you in about 15 minutes.
- Chicken Tacos: Easy Ground Chicken Tacos are juicy, perfectly seasoned, and perfect for hectic weeknights. They are also lightning fast, ready in about 15 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a taco and a tostada?
A taco is served on a shell that is either folded to fry or bake (corn tortillas) or bent and soft (corn or flour tortillas), to hold a filling. Tostadas are crunchy but flat and you add toppings on top of it. Tostada shells are like a crunchy corn tortilla that is flat instead of folded.
More delicious recipes to try
Mexican Recipes
Mexican Rice
Chipotle Copycat Recipes
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat)
Chipotle Copycat Recipes
Chipotle Pinto Beans (Copycat)
Soup and Stew Recipes
Mexican Chicken Soup
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Tostada Recipe
This easy Tostada Recipe makes delicious, homemade tostadas fast. Similar to a crunchy beef taco, tostadas add a layer of refried beans which makes them extra hearty and filling.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the taco seasoning (see note 1):
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the beef:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound ground beef (see note 2)
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (see note 3)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- tostadas
- refried beans
- shredded lettuce cotija cheese, finely diced tomatoes, and thinly sliced avocado
Instructions
To make the taco seasoning:
- In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ½ teaspoon), Whisk in cornstarch if desired. (Or, substitute one packet store-bought taco seasoning).
To make the tacos:
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, garlic, and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Feel free to drain excess grease at this point if desired.
- Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve:
- Arrange tostadas on a flat surface. Top each with 2 tablespoons refried beans, ¼ cup ground beef, and your favorite toppings like lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and finely minced white onion.
Notes
- Taco seasoning: Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning are right in the recipe card in the amount you need. Or, substitute one packet of store-bought taco seasoning.
- Ground beef: If you choose a lean ground beef such as 90/10, you may not need to drain any fat. Fat is flavor!
- Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups (1 quart) of taco meat. That’s enough for 16 tostadas where each tostada has 2 tbsp refried beans and ¼ cup meat. At 2 tostadas per person, that’s 8 servings total.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup meatCalories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 20gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 850IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 3mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I want meat pie recipes please
Me too! Thank you for this suggestion. I’ll get it on my list for development. Thanks again! – Meggan