Easy Tostada Recipe

Based on my wildly popular Turkey Taco recipe (which has over 400 5-star reviews), this Beef Tostada recipe is packed with flavor, never dry, and ready in a flash.

The secret is in the sauce: adding one can of tomato sauce to the taco meat makes all the difference. It takes ground beef from dry to juicy, and it helps anchor the meat on top of the refried beans, too.

These crunchy tostadas are ready in 15 minutes or less so you can have another easy weeknight dinner idea in your back pocket. Serve with all your favorite toppings like sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and hot sauce.

Tostadas 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.

• 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.

How to Make a Tostada

1. 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).

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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.

Tostada Serving Suggestions

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.

How to Store Leftover Tostadas

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

For The 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.

Beef Tostada Recipe Variations

• 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.
• 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!

Our Favorite Tostadas

Taco-seasoned ground beef tostadas are an easy, delicious way to level up your next Taco Tuesday, but there are plenty of other tasty tostadas to try. Here are some of our favorites:

• Ceviche tostadas: Pile shrimp ceviche or tilapia ceviche on a tostada and drizzled serve with mayonnaise, sliced avocado, and plenty of hot sauce (Valentina is my favorite for these).
• Tinga tostadas: Serve chipotle-flavored Chicken Tinga on tostadas with shredded lettuce, cotija cheese, and drizzle of crema.
• Carne tostadas: Grilled Carne Asada is delicious on tostadas with guacamole and grilled onions.
• Pinto beans: Whole or mashed and refried, beans are a great toping for tostadas. My Chipotle Copycat Pinto Beans are delicious served with lettuce, sour cream, and salsa for a hearty vegetarian meal on a tostada.
• Breakfast tostadas: Similar to Huevos Rancheros, spread a tostada with tomatillo salsa and a layer of beans, then top with a fried egg (or two), diced avocado, and cheese.

More delicious recipes to try

Mexican Recipes

Homemade Mexican Rice

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice (Copycat)

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Pinto Beans (Copycat)

Stews and Soups

Mexican Chicken Soup

Tostadas Recipe

By Meggan Hill

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.

Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings (2 tostadas each)

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Calories 329

5 from 1 vote

ReviewPrint

Equipment

• Large skillet

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

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 peeled and finely chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef (see note 2)
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon brown sugar packed (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

1. 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.
2. Ground beef: If you choose a lean ground beef such as 90/10, you may not need to drain any fat. Fat is flavor! 
3. Brown sugar: Leave this out if it sounds weird to you.
4. 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.
5. 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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