Easy Ground Beef Tostadas
User Reviews
5
8 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Servings
3 (6-8 tostadas)
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Easy Ground Beef Tostadas
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I've been in tostada heaven the past few weeks! These Ground Beef Tostadas are easy to make and tremendously satisfying.
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Ingredients
- 6-8 tostada
- 1 cup refried beans
- 1/4 head cabbage or lettuce
- 1-2 cups queso fresco shredded
- cilantro freshly chopped
- crema or sour cream
- 2-3 lime
For the Ground Beef:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 onion small; or 1/4 larger onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1-2 chipotles in adobo
- 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can
- 1 tablespoon chile powder optional
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 2-3 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked
- water splash
For the Tomato Chipotle Salsa:
- 2-3 plum tomatoes
- 1/2 onion small
- 1 garlic clove
- 1-2 chipotles in adobo
- salt pinch, optional
Instructions
- To make the Salsa, start by rinsing and de-stemming 2-3 plum tomatoes. Roast the tomatoes in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes or so. Once roasted, add the tomatoes to a blender along with: 1/2 small onion, 1 peeled garlic clove, 1-2 chipotles in adobo, and a pinch of salt (optional). Combine well and taste for heat. I used 2 chipotles to make a fiery batch, but for a milder version start with a single chipotle (or half of one) and take a taste -- to increase heat simply add more chipotle and blend together. Note: I usually de-stem and de-seed the chipotles.
- For the refried beans I grabbed a single cup of Improvised Pot Beans and mashed 'em up in a skillet over medium heat. I don't think the flavor of the beans is crucial for these tostadas, but if you want to experiment with making your own refried beans then see the Killer Refried Bean recipe.
- For the Ground Beef, start by finely chopping 1/2 small onion (or 1/4 larger onion). Sweat the onion in some oil over medium heat. Once the onion has softened add the pound of ground beef, cooking until it is browned. Once browned you can drain off any fat if you want. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30-60 seconds, and then add the remaining ingredients: 1-2 diced chipotles in adobo, 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can, 1 tablespoon chile powder (optional), 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 2-3 teaspoons Mexican oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a splash of water. Combine well over medium heat and then take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch. Once you're happy with the flavor, turn heat down to low to keep warm. Note: I usually scrape out the seeds of the chipotles.
- Be sure to warm up the tostada shells if using store-bought shells. I crisped up thin corn tortillas for some homemade tostada shells. To do that, rub a thin layer of oil on each side of the corn tortillas using your fingers or a pastry brush. Give them 4-5 minutes per side in the oven at 400F, or until they are crispy and just starting to turn a darker brown. See Homemade Tostada Shells for some pics on this process.
- For the cabbage I sliced up 1/4 head green cabbage and tossed it with the juice of a single lime and a pinch of salt.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients. For me that meant crumbling the Queso Fresco and chopping up some fresh cilantro. Feel free to use whatever cheese you have available.
- Once the tostadas are warm it's time to build your masterpiece! For me that meant loading each tostada with: a thin layer of refried beans, plenty of the ground beef mixture, a few spoonfuls of Tomato Chipotle Salsa, cabbage, Queso Fresco, freshly chopped cilantro, a drizzle of Crema, and a final squeeze of lime.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
8 reviews
Excellent
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