Black Bean Tostadas

1. First choose your tostada cooking method below. You can also go the shortcut route and purchase crispy tostada shells from the grocery store, usually found in the tortilla aisle towards the top shelf.
2. If you're using premade you can get them even crispier by baking for a few minutes on the center rack of the oven.

OVEN BAKED TOSTADA SHELLS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray or brush both sides of the tortillas with oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet spritzed with a teeny bit of oil.
2. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and bake for 10 minutes, flipping them over at the 5-minute mark to nicely crisp both sides.

CRISPY FRIED TOSTADA SHELLS

1. Heat a small 8-inch cast iron skillet to medium-high heat with approx 1/4 inch of of oil. I use avocado oil.
2. Once the oil is shimmering, use tongs to add your corn tortilla to the skillet. It should sizzle right away. Fry each side until lightly golden and crisp, approx. 30 seconds per side. Remove using tongs and allow to cool on a stack of folded paper towels, bloting gently as needed. Season with a little salt if desired.

READY TO GET YOUR TOSTADA ON?

1. Drain and rinse black beans. Add to a sauce pot with salsa (any variety you love - spicy or mild), minced garlic, lime juice, cumin, and salt. Cook on medium-high heat until beans are warmed through, stirring often. Mash beans with potato masher, immersion blender, or pop them in a blender/processor to puree into a bean dip consistency. You can make them as chunky or as smooth as you'd like!
2. Spread the warm beans on your crispy cooked tostada shells and top with lettuce, cheese, tomato, onion, jalapeno, and optional tortilla strips/crumbles.
3. Drizzle with sour cream and sriracha ranch (ranch dressing with some sriracha mixed in) or try it with jarred salsa, hot sauce, or any of your favorite sauces!
4. For a full list of toppping ideas check out the blog post and feel free to get creative with your tostadas. You can even set up a tostada bar for your family with bowls of toppings to let everyone customize their own.