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Easy Black Bean Tostadas Recipe

There is a lot to love about these black bean tostadas! Not only is it an incredibly satisfying, delicious, and nutritious meal, but it’s easy to make, AND, it’s also my favorite type of meal for families – DIY and totally customizable. Spread a thick layer of flavorful black beans on a crispy tostada shell and pile it high with cool and crunchy fresh vegetables, a sprinkle of cheese, and a splash of fresh lime juice. This has been a favorite meal at our house and it continues to be requested on a regular rotation, I hope you love it as much as we do!

The homemade refried black beans totally make this tostada and they only take 15 minutes, so I highly suggest that you give them a try.

Black bean tostadas with toppings

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

What You’ll Love About Black Bean Tostadas

  • Savory and warm black beans
  • Cool fresh toppings
  • Nutritious and balanced meal
  • Just 10 minutes prep time
  • Just 15 minutes cook time
  • Made with simple ingredients
  • Perfect for busy weeknights
  • Vegetarian, but super satisfying

Ingredients

  • Refried black beans – Use canned black beans as a nice shortcut to make these homemade refried beans. You can also use homemade cooked black beans, just be sure to save the cooking liquid, as you’ll need both. If you don’t have the 15 minutes to make them, you can use canned refried black beans, but these homemade ones are better!
  • Oil – You can use any vegetable oil here. Avocado oil, canola oil, or olive oil will all work.
  • White onion – I prefer white or yellow onion for the refried black beans, but you could also use red onion, especially if you have some from the pickled red onions.
  • Garlic – Use fresh garlic for best flavor or frozen garlic cubes for an easy shortcut. In a pinch, I’ve also used garlic powder.
  • Tostada shells – I always buy store-bought tostadas, but you can certainly fry up your own corn tortillas until they are crisp if you prefer.
  • Lettuce – Use a really crunchy lettuce like iceberg or romaine. I prefer to shred it as thinly as I can (using a knife to thinly slice) so it’s easier to eat as opposed to big chunks.
  • Tomatoes – You can use any type of tomato, I would recommend using whatever is going to be best and in-season. If it’s the summer months, I would go with a roma or other sturdy tomato. If not, I would use grape or cherry tomatoes.
  • Cheese – You have a few options for cheese! Cotija is a flavorful and more authentic option, otherwise shredded cheddar cheese is always a good one as well. You can buy pre-shredded cheese or shred it yourself. (I prefer shredding my own for tostadas but my kids seem fine with either option.)
  • Lime – Serve the tostadas with lime wedges for a little extra zing!
  • Extra toppings – Anything goes here, you can go as basic or as complex as you want to! I have a whole list of ideas below but like to include sour cream, cilantro, and pickled onions at a minimum. Choose a few of your favorite toppings and go with that.
Ingredients to make black bean tostada recipe

Emily’s Tip

This is one of our go-to meals when we need something ready in 15 minutes. While the beans are cooking, prep any toppings and gather the toppings that don’t require any prep and put on the table. Then let everyone build their own tostada.

How to Make Bean Tostadas

This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

  1. Make refried black beans. Heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat and saute onions and garlic. Add beans and some of the bean liquid and simmer until thickened. Mash to desired consistency and season with salt to taste.
Skillet with mashed refried black beans from a can.
Tostada toppings on a cutting board
  1. Prep toppings. Cut lettuce, dice tomato, shred cheese, and put out any other toppings on a platter.
  2. Assemble bean tostadas. Bring the tostada shells and toppings to the table and let everyone make their own perfect tostada. Layer black bean mixture over shells, drizzle with lime crema, and sprinkle with shredded lettuce, and pickled onions.
tostada gif

More Tostada Toppings Ideas

If you want to put out MORE toppings, here are some good ones to try:

  • Sharp cheddar cheese
  • Queso fresco
  • Pepper jack cheese
  • Corn Salsa (Chipotle Copycat)
  • Thinly sliced lettuce
  • Sliced radish
  • Sliced grape tomatoes
  • Chopped red onion
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Pickled jalapeรฑo peppers
  • Thin slices of fresh jalapeรฑo
  • Creamy Quesadilla Sauce
  • Pico de gallo
  • Salsa
  • Hot sauce
  • Sour cream
  • Diced avocado
  • Guacamole
  • Lime juice

Storage

Store leftover tostada components in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

How to reheat

Reheat beans in the microwave or a hot skillet until warmed through.

Can you freeze refried black beans?

Yes! Refried beans will freeze well. Store in an airtight container (souper cubes are perfect) in the freezer for 2-3 months. Let thaw or defrost before reheating.

Hand squeezing fresh lime juice over tostada

What to Serve with Tostadas

All this black bean tostadas recipe needs is a variety of toppings or a few sides:

Tostada with beans and veggies

More Black Bean Recipes

If you like If you love black beans as much as we do, be sure to check these recipe out next time. Can you tell we are slightly obsessed?! ๐Ÿ™‚

Want More?

Follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.

Three black bean tostadas with fresh toppings
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Three black bean tostadas with fresh toppings

Best Black Bean Tostadas Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Emily Dingmann of myeverydaytable.com
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings (3 tostadas) 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Skillet
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These easy and delicious black bean tostadas consist of a crunchy tostada, homemade refried black beans, and cool and crisp fresh toppings.ย 


Ingredients

Units Scale

For Tostadas:

  • 12 tostada shells
  • shredded iceberg lettuce (or romaine)
  • diced tomatoes
  • cotija cheese (or shredded cheddar)
  • lime wedges
  • any other toppings (see list above)

For Refried Black Beans:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 15oz. cans of black beans (DO NOT DRAIN)
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt


Instructions

  1. Make refried black beans. Heat olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add garlic to pan and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
  2. Add beans and liquid (don’t drain beans!) to the skillet and stir together with onions.ย  Bring to a simmer and then turn heat to low and cook at a low simmer for about 9-14 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Mash beans to desired consistency and season with sea salt to taste.ย 
    Skillet with mashed refried black beans from a can.
  3. While beans are cooking, prep any toppings. Shred lettuce, dice tomatoes, etc.ย 
    Tostada toppings on a cutting board
  4. Assemble tostadas. Top tostada shell with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, and cotijia cheese. Squeeze lime over the top OR put out toppings and let everyone build their own tostadas.ย 
    black bean tostada
YouTube video

Notes

  • Pickled red onions: Thinly slice 1/2 red onion and place into a jar. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar and cover with 1/2 cup vinegar (white, apple cider, red wine) and 1/2 cup hot water. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.

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5 Comments

  1. Fixed the black bean tostadas last night and made a big mistake! Since thereโ€™s only two of us, I used 2 rather than the 3 cans of black beans in the recipeโ€ฆ.they were so good we ate tostatdas again today and now all the beans are gone. Wish there were more, wonโ€™t make that mistake again.

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