Tostada: Crispy fried corn tortillas topped with refried beans, cheese, avocado, tomato, crispy shredded cabbage, and salsa. It's like the ultimate giant nacho.
What is a toast?
A tostada is a toasted omelette. Tostada literally means roasted. The toasted tortillas are made into giant, crispy, round tortilla chips that are used as a base for other dishes. Toast can also refer to any dish that uses toast shells as a base. Think of them as an open-faced crunchy taco or a crunchy flat taco. Everything you can put on a taco, you can put on a tostada. Covered tostadas usually start with a base of refried beans (which help hold the other ingredients together), meat, vegetables, and sauce. They are a tasty, crunchy and full of flavor delight.
The difference between tostadas and tortillas
The only difference between a tortilla and a tostada is the heat. Just as bread is toasted to become toast, a tortilla needs heat to become toast. Tostadas are usually corn tortillas, but there are also flour tostadas, just less common. A simple way to think about it is: tortilla = soft | toast = crispy
Homemade toast shells
Making toast at home is the easiest and most rewarding thing there is. Hot tostadas are amazing and when you fry the tortillas it gives them a different life and flavor.
To make homemade tostadas, you can make homemade tortillas, dry them and fry them OR you can use store bought tortillas and fry them.
Personally, when I make fresh homemade tortillas there are never any left overs to turn into tostadas, so I always use store-bought tortillas to fry tostadas.
How to fry toast shells
All you need is oil and corn tortillas.
How to bake toast
How to air fry tostada shells
If you ever just want to make one or two pieces of toast, the air fryer is awesome.
Store-Bought Toast Shells
Store-bought toast is convenient and totally understandable if you don't want to fry your own. If you're going the store-bought route, be sure to heat the toast in the oven so they feel fresh from the air fryer. Preheat oven to 350°F and place toasts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 4-5 minutes, or until heated through and toasted.
how to make toast
toast ingredients
- tortillas All you need to make tostadas are tortillas. Corn tortillas work best. I like small street-sized corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour, you can use those too.
- Oil. A neutral oil will help puff up and crisp up the tortilla until it becomes crispy toast. Any oil will work, but I like to use a neutral oil (like grapeseed or canola) so it doesn't detract from the flavor of the tortilla.
toast toppings
Toppings is where all the fun is! Most tostadas start with the crispy tortilla topped with refried beans, meat, vegetables, cheese, and then sauce.
- refried beans – Refried beans give your tostada a little bed that helps hold the ingredients. You can use homemade or store-bought refried beans, just be sure to heat them up first so they are hot and spreadable.
- meat – If you're a vegetarian, you can skip the meat and enjoy some refried bean toast, but if you're looking for extra protein, this is where you can get something as fancy or as simple as you like. Fry your favorite meat with taco seasoning or choose a classic taco filling like: birria, al pastor, barbecue, chicken tinga, carnitas, or green chile pork.
- vegetables – vegetables add crunch and color to toast. Try: shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, chopped red or green onions, avocados, cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, sliced radishes, lime
- cheese – you can use any cheese: grated Mexican blend, queso fresco, cotija
- salsa – You can make some homemade pico de gallo or make your favorite salsa recipe. You can also use store-bought salsa.
- Butter – a little cream or sour cream drizzled on top is a nice spicy touch.
Roasted Chicken Tinga
Add 6 cloves garlic, 1/2 small can chipotle in adobo, 14.5 oz fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, and 1 teaspoon cumin to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown 1 medium onion, sliced. Add the mixed sauce, 1 cup chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, and 4 cups cooked shredded chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes. Taste and season as needed. Use according to the recipe below. Makes enough chicken for 8-12 toasties. Read more about chicken tinga here.
barbecue toast
Soak 1 dried guajillo chili in boiling water for 15 minutes. When they are soft, remove them from the water, remove the stem and discard the seeds. Add the pepper to a blender, along with 2 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 2 tablespoons of beef broth, and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Mix to a paste and rub it all over 1 pound of cubed roast beef. Marinate for 2 hours or overnight. Brown 1/2 cup chopped onion in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef, a bay leaf, and 2 whole cloves to the pot. Barely cover the meat with beef broth and simmer over medium high heat. Lower heat, cover, and cook for 1 to 1,5 hours, or until meat is tender and flaky. Taste and season as needed. Use according to the recipe below. Makes enough barbecue for 8-12 toasts. Read more about barbecue here.
carnitas toast
To a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add 1/2 pound cubed pork belly, 1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 minced onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup of orange juice. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then lower to the lowest heat. Cook, stirring, until the pork belly is soft and cooked through, about 1 to 2 hours. Shred pork, remove from cooking liquid, and crisp over high heat. Taste and season as needed. Use according to the recipe below. Make enough carnitas for 8-12 tostadas. Read more about carnitas here.
What do you eat with toast?
Tostadas are usually eaten plain, like tacos, but if you want to make a feast, you can also serve:
toast recipe
Tostadas are like the ultimate giant nacho.
Serves 2
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cook time 5 minutes
Total time 15 minutes
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup refried beans
- 1/2 cup protein of choice, per serving
- 1 cup of lettuce crushed
- 2 tablespoons sour cream optional
- 1/4 cup of tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons onion diced
- 2 tablespoons of fresh cheese or cojita, fallen apart
- 1 tablespoon of coriander Cortado
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Heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium heat, while stirring. Loosen with 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Cover, keep warm and reserve.
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Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. When hot and shimmering, add a corn tortilla and fry for 2 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, turning once. Let drain on paper towels or a rack.
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Build the tostada: Lay out both tostada shells and divide the refried beans on top, using the back of a spoon to spread evenly. Top each toast evenly with the protein, then add the lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, queso fresco, and cilantro. Enjoy!
Estimated nutrition assumes chicken breast as your protein.
Nutrition Facts
toast recipe
Amount Per Serving (2 toasts)
Calories 236 calories from fat 67
%Daily value*
fat 7,4 g11%
Saturated Fat 2.8g18%
Cholesterol 42 mg14%
Sodium 334mg15%
Potassium 361mg10%
carbohydrates 23,7g8%
Fiber 4.7g20%
Sugar 1,4g2%
protein 18,8g38%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
