Can’t decide between the mouthwatering flavors of your favorite taco and the satisfying crunch-factor of a plate of nachos? Enter the tostada, aka the perfect marriage of the two. Here, you’ll toast tortillas in the oven for a flat, golden, crispy base. Then, you’ll layer on all your toppings—think creamy spiced black beans, melty Mexican cheeses, sautéed pepper and onion, homemade pico de gallo, and tangy lime crema. Yep, it’s pretty safe to say these tostadas are a SMASH hit.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
1 unit
Onion
1 unit
Tomato
¼ ounce
Cilantro
1 unit
Lime
1 unit
Long Green Pepper
1 unit
Black Beans
3 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains Milk)
6 unit
Flour Tortillas
(Contains Soy, Wheat)
1 tablespoon
Southwest Spice Blend
1 unit
Tex-Mex Paste
½ cup
Mexican Cheese Blend
(Contains Milk)
10 ounce
Ground Beef
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil
Olive Oil
Butter
(Contains Milk)
• Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 2 TBSP (4 TBSP for 4). Dice tomato. Roughly chop cilantro. Quarter lime. Halve, core, and thinly slice green pepper into strips. Drain and rinse beans. • In a small bowl, combine minced onion, tomato, half the cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. • In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream with a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, sliced onion, and half the Southwest Spice Blend (you’ll use the rest in the next step). Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and softened, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate.
Before cooking veggies, open package of chicken* and drain off any excess liquid. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken or beef*; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes (it will cook through in Step 5). Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Drain any excess grease from pan, then cook through the rest of this step as instructed.
• Heat pan used for veggies over medium-high heat. Add beans, Tex-Mex paste, remaining Southwest Spice Blend, and 1⁄4 cup water (1/3 cup for 4 servings). Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has mostly evaporated, 3-4 minutes. • Remove from heat; gently mash beans with a potato masher or back of a spoon. Stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) until melted. (TIP: If mixture is too thick, stir in a splash of water.) Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle tortillas with 1 TBSP olive oil (2 TBSP for 4 servings); brush or rub to coat all over. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer (divide between 2 sheets for 4). Gently prick each tortilla in a few places with a fork. • Bake on top rack, flipping halfway through, until lightly golden, 4-5 minutes per side. (For 4, bake on top and middle racks; flipping tortillas and swapping rack positions halfway through.) TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.
• Once tortillas are toasted, remove sheet from oven. Carefully spread each tortilla with smashed beans, then top with veggies and Mexican cheese blend. • Return to top rack until cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.
Add chicken or beef to tostadas along with veggies, then top with Mexican cheese blend. Return to top rack until chicken or beef is cooked through and cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.
• Divide tostadas between plates. Top with pico de gallo, lime crema, and remaining cilantro. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.
Ground Beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°.