These quick and easy Black Bean Tostadas are made with oven-crisped tortillas, refried black beans, and all of your favourite toppings. Simple to make and endlessly customizable, these vegetarian tostadas are a family favorite.
Who loves a quick and easy dinner? We sure do!
You know, something for those nights when you're tired, hungry, and just can't even. For those nights, I present to you: Black Bean Tostadas.
What's a tostada? Think of it as a taco, but flatter and crispier. Traditionally, tostadas were made to use up old tortillas. It starts by frying a corn tortilla on the stovetop, then piling on the toppings—typically refried beans, ground beef, then all the usual taco fixings.
I’ve opted for the healthier and easier option of baking the tortillas in the oven until they’re delightfully crispy. To make tostadas vegetarian, we simply skip the ground beef—there's lots of protein from the black beans.
The result is a quick, easy alternative to the usual Tuesday tacos. (Or any busy weeknight when you want something satisfying and kid-friendly, but don't have an hour to spend making dinner!)
INGREDIENTS
You only need a few basics to pull together this easy black bean tostada recipe! You'll find specific quantities in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, but here's a quick overview of what we're going to be using:
- Small corn tortillas --> If you prefer, you can swap in flour tortillas.
- Olive oil --> For brushing onto the sheet pan and tortillas.
- Salt --> A much-needed addition to the crispy tostada shells we’re making.
- Refried black beans --> I used my homemade Refried Black Beans, but this basic Refried Beans recipe works too.
- Cheese --> Use cotija cheese for authenticity or shredded Tex-Mex cheese if you can't find cotija or want something a little meltier.
- Avocado --> When you just can’t find that perfect avocado at the supermarket, store-bought guacamole is a solid stand-in.
- Baby plum tomatoes --> Or any tomatoes that look good at the store.
- Fresh cilantro --> For garnish only, so if you’re not a fan, just leave it out or swap in some thinly sliced green onions.
- Lime --> A squeeze of lime juice adds some zip and zing.
How to Make Black Bean Tostadas
You'll find detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. For now here's a step-by-step overview, complete with photos!
Brush or spray a sheet pan with olive oil, then lay the tortillas on the pan and brush the tops with more oil. Sprinkle salt over the tortillas, then place them in an oven pre-heated to 350ºF.
Bake the tortillas for 10 minutes, then flip the tortillas, brush with more oil, and sprinkle with salt again. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
Spread the warm refried black bean mixture onto each tostada, then add your desired toppings and a squeeze of fresh lime juice to each.
That's it! We're done!
Tips for Perfect Black Bean Tostadas
Brush liberally with oil
Yes, we're trying to lighten things up, but that doesn't mean you can forego the oil altogether! You need a thin layer on both sides to help the tortillas crisp up.
Watch closely
The tortillas can go from golden to burnt in a matter of minutes. Keep an eye on them and make sure to flip them on the baking sheet halfway through cooking for even crisping.
Use homemade refried beans
In a pinch, you can use store-bought refried beans, but nothing beats the flavor and texture of homemade. Plus, you can control the amount of added salt and fat—and make sure your beans are vegetarian.
How to Make These Tostadas Your Own
- Add more protein: Traditional tostadas are made with ground beef and refried beans. Mimic this by using a batch of Tempeh Taco filling to layer on top of the beans.
- Make them vegan: Simply omit the cheese and use vegan sour cream or cashew cream instead to add some rich, creamy flavor.
- Use different beans: If you're not a fan of refried black beans, you can coarsely mash Instant Pot Pinto Beans or Instant Pot Black Beans. You don’t have to puree them like refried beans, but smash them enough that they won’t roll off the tortillas.
- Add veggies: I like to sauté onions, zucchini, and green peppers with olive oil and fajita seasoning to make seasoned veggies for adding to these tostadas and other Tex-Mex recipes.
- Try other toppings: Another traditional tostada topping is shredded lettuce, but if you’re not into the usual iceberg, romaine is also excellent. Quick Pickled Red Onions, salsa, hot sauce, and anything else you enjoy on tacos will work as a tostada topping too.
Storing + Reheating Leftover Tostadas
If you have any leftover tostadas, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they’re warmed through and the edges of the tortillas are crispy again. (The middles of the tostadas will likely remain soft, but they’ll still be tasty!)
Recipe FAQ
Yes, bean tostadas can be a healthy option if they’re baked instead of fried and made with good-for-you toppings. This black bean tostada recipe checks both of these boxes!
Yes, you can use canned black beans for convenience. My little hack for making canned black beans more flavorful is to drain and rinse them, then simmer the beans with some salsa, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Use the back of a spoon to mash them a bit so they stay put on the tortilla shells.
While you could fold a tostada in half and eat it like a taco, tostadas are meant to be eaten open-faced with toppings piled on top. There’s really no way around the fact that tostadas are a little awkward and messy to eat. Just enjoy them with family and close friends and it’s all good!
I usually eat two tostadas for a meal, but it ultimately depends on your appetite and how much toppings you pile on.
Black Bean Tostadas
Ingredients
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups refried black beans
- 4 ounces crumbled cotija cheese or shredded tex mex cheese if you can't find cotija
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 16 baby plum tomatoes quartered
- ½ bunch cilantro for garnish
- 1 lime sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Brush or spray a large sheet pan with olive oil.
- Brush one side of each tortilla with oil and place on the sheet pan, oil side up. Sprinkle with salt.8 small corn tortillas, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt
- Place into the pre-heated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, flip the tortillas, and brush with oil once more. Add another small sprinkle of salt.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Note that these will continue to crisp up as they cool. Keep a close eye on them as they can go from golden to burnt very quickly!
- Remove the tostadas from the oven to cool.
- Warm the refried black beans up if they aren't warm already.1 ¾ cups refried black beans
- Spread a few tablespoons of refried black beans onto each tostada. Top with sliced avocado, tomatoes, crumbled cheese, and cilantro. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top before serving.1 ¾ cups refried black beans, 4 ounces crumbled cotija cheese, 1 avocado, 16 baby plum tomatoes, ½ bunch cilantro, 1 lime
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only and are based on two tostadas per person per serving. Actual nutrition values will vary wildly depending on the toppings you choose!
- Brush liberally with oil - Yes, we're trying to lighten things up, but that doesn't mean you can forego the oil altogether! You need a thin layer on both sides to help the tortillas crisp up.
- Watch closely - The tortillas can go from golden to burnt in a matter of minutes. Keep an eye on them and make sure to flip them on the baking sheet halfway through cooking for even crisping.
- Use homemade refried beans - In a pinch, you can use store-bought refried beans, but nothing beats the flavor and texture of homemade. Plus, you can control the amount of added salt and fat—and make sure your beans are vegetarian.
- Can I use canned black beans for the refried beans? Yes, you can use canned black beans for convenience. My little hack for making canned black beans more flavorful is to drain and rinse them, then simmer them with some salsa, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Use the back of a spoon to mash them a bit so they stay put on the tortilla shells.
- Leftover tostadas? If you have any leftover tostadas, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they’re warmed through, and the edges of the tortillas are crispy again. (The middles of the tostadas will likely remain soft, but they’ll still be tasty!)
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