Beef Tostadas with Fresh Toppings (Printable Version)
Crispy corn shells layered with seasoned beef, veggies, and creamy garnishes for a colorful Mexican dish.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
06 - 1 medium tomato, diced
07 - 1 avocado, sliced or diced
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Tostadas & Toppings
09 - 8 corn tostada shells
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
11 - 1/2 cup sour cream
12 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
13 - 1/4 cup salsa or pico de gallo
14 - Lime wedges, for serving
→ Spices
15 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
17 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
18 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
21 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Incorporate minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
02 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Mix in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if desired. Continue cooking for 2 minutes to blend flavors, then remove from heat.
04 - Heat corn tostada shells according to package instructions or bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp.
05 - Spread a layer of seasoned beef on each tostada shell. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, avocado slices, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, sour cream, salsa, and fresh cilantro leaves.
06 - Serve immediately alongside lime wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything comes together in under 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinners that feel like you tried.
- Everyone at the table gets to customize their own, so picky eaters and adventurous ones coexist peacefully.
- That satisfying crunch of the shell against creamy toppings and warm beef hits differently every single time.
02 -
- If you drain the beef too early, it continues to cook from residual heat and can end up dry; drain it only if there's an actual pool of fat sitting on top.
- Assembling tostadas in the wrong order (cheese on top, for example) means it doesn't melt into the warm beef and just sits there cold—lettuce first, warm fillings second.
- Tostada shells are fragile; stack them carefully and don't press down when assembling or they'll shatter under your toppings.
03 -
- Cook the beef slightly less than you think it needs—it continues to cook from the residual heat while you're assembling, and you want it tender, not dense.
- Toast your spices in the oil briefly before adding the onion to wake up their flavors, and taste the final beef mixture before serving so you can adjust salt or heat to your preference.