Description
Ever since the epic 90s-style tostadas of my childhood, tostadas have been one of my all-time favorite weeknight dinners. These Black Bean Tostadas are fueling my tostada obsession as of late. They’re quick & easy to prepare, but they’re seriously so satisfying.
What separates a great tostada from a good or just-fine tostada, in my experience, are a few different toppings that create layers of flavor & texture. That’s exactly what happens here; they come together with 3 easy-to-prepare components:
- Refried black beans. Start with canned beans for quickness & ease (though if you want to go the extra mile & cook beans from scratch, YUM!), then quickly simmer them with flavorful aromatics & spices.
- Charred sweet corn. Use the burner on a gas stove to quickly char up some sweet corn, or go ahead & toss it under the broiler. The corn provides the perfect crunchy pop of texture, & charring it brings out a slightly nutty flavor.
- Avocado crema. Easy to prepare in a food processor, this crema is eat-straight-off-the-spoon good, & it provides amazing cooling creaminess to the tostadas. (Check the Recipe Notes, below, for an easy vegan alternative!)
Layer them up & finish them off with any other tostada toppings your heart desires – check out the blog post, above, for plenty of inspiration to get you started!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 tostada shells, warmed according to package directions as desired
- 2 ears sweet corn, husked & silks removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- two 14-ounce cans black beans, mostly drained (do not rinse)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup vegetable broth/stock or water
- 2 large, juicy limes, juiced
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: avocado crema (below), crumbled cotija cheese, pico de gallo or salsa of choice, chopped lettuce, finely chopped cilantro, lime wedges, etc.
for the avocado crema:
- 1 large avocado, pitted & peeled
- 1 large jalapeño, deseeded as desired
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 large, juicy limes, juiced
- ⅓ cup packed cilantro leaves & tender stems
- ⅓ cup sour cream or full-fat yogurt
- 2–3 tablespoons water
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
Prep note: Once you begin cooking, these black bean tostadas come together very quickly. It’s really helpful to get any chopping & measuring done ahead of time, placing everything within an arm’s reach of the stovetop.
- Prep the avocado crema: Add all listed ingredients (minus the water) to a food processor, seasoning with a heaping ½ teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Pulse to break up the avocado & cilantro, then blend until smooth & creamy. If necessary, add a couple tablespoons water to smooth out texture. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Char the sweet corn: Place the sweet corn directly over a gas burner. Light to a medium-high flame & cook about 2 minutes per side or until as charred as desired. Transfer to a cutting board & carefully slice kernels away from the cob. Set aside. (If you do not have a gas stove, you can also char the corn on an outdoor grill, in a grill pan, or under the broiler.)
- Sauté the aromatics: Meanwhile, as the corn chars, get the black bean tostada topping cooking. Add the olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot & shimmering, add the onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent & fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the chili powder, ground cumin, & smoked paprika. Stir, coating the onion. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, until very fragrant.
- Make the black bean tostada topping: Add the black beans to the skillet, stirring to combine with the aromatics. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warm, 1-2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth/water & increase heat to bring the black bean mixture to a simmer. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mash the black beans slightly, binding everything together. If needed, cook 1-2 minutes longer to thicken slightly. Squeeze the lime juice over the black bean mixture. Taste & season with additional kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Remove from the heat & set aside for tostada assembly.
- Assemble black bean tostadas: If desired, warm tostada shells according to package directions. Spread the prepared black bean topping over each tostada shell. Top with charred sweet corn kernels & a drizzling of avocado crema over top. If desired, add other toppings like chopped cilantro, cotija cheese, shredded lettuce, etc. Enjoy!
Notes
- Vegetarian & vegan black bean tostadas: As written, the black bean tostada topping is completely vegan, though the avocado crema is not. For a completely vegan dish, feel free to swap the sour cream/yogurt in the crema with your favorite dairy-free alternative or try this vegan cashew crema instead.
- Storage & Reheating: Once assembled, these black bean tostadas are best enjoyed immediately. The black bean tostada topping, however, will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Simply reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through & assemble tostadas as desired.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these black bean tostadas comes from prepping the avocado crema & chopping the veggies. Prep either or both in advance for a great head start on your tostadas dinner – it takes 15 minutes, tops:
- Dice 1 small yellow onion. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (<5 minutes active prep).
- Prep the avocado crema according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above, & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. (10 minutes active prep)