25-Minute Beef Tostadas with Beans & Cheese

This beef tostadas recipe is sponsored in partnership with ButcherBox. All opinions expressed (as always) are my own. I only partner with brands I trust and personally recommend – thank you for your support in helping make Eat the Gains possible!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I have been obsessed with tostadas for almost a year now. We love them for an easy weeknight dinner and probably make them once a week. While we usually change up the meat, these ground beef tostadas are a favorite.

They are layered with a crispy tortilla, refried beans, seasoned taco meat, and toppings of choice. We love them for a fun change on taco night and are honestly just an easy meal to throw together since we always have the ingredients.

To make dinnertime even easier, we always have ButcherBox meat in our freezer, especially their ground beef. It’s grass-fed and grass-finished, delivered right to our door, and makes meals so easy. We defrost some throughout the week to help us hit our nutritional goals and needs.

Right now you can sign up and get $100 off ($20 off your first 5 orders) plus FREE ground beef for a year to try them out!

What is a tostada?

Tostadas are a Mexican dish similar to a taco, but the tortilla is typically fried until crispy and it stays flat (instead of folded). Then layers of refried beans, meat, cheese, lettuce, and toppings are piled on top.

Are tostadas healthy?

Tostadas can be a healthy addition to one’s diet as they are a good source of carbs, protein, fiber, and some vegetables. That being said, they can be heavy on fat as the tortilla is usually fried and lower on protein, especially when eaten out at a restaurant. When making meals at home, you have full control over what ingredients you are using.

To keep these lighter, we are baking the tortillas instead of frying them!

Ground beef tostadas ingredients

• corn tortillas
• olive oil
• onion
• ground beef
• taco seasoning
• tomato paste
• refried beans
• shredded lettuce
• diced tomato
• shredded or crumbled cheese – I like queso fresco for these
• salt and pepper
• toppings – avocado, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, cilantro, jalapenos, red onions, lime juice…

How to make beef tostadas

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Make your ground beef mixture. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and let it get hot. Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Next, add your beef and break it up. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato paste, and salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Saute for another 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. When the beef starts to cook, make your tostada shells. Place tortillas in the oven directly on the racks. Bake for 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and hard. You can also place them on a baking sheet if desired, but I find right on the rack helps with even airflow. Just be careful when flipping and removing them.
4. When the beef starts to cook, heat up your refried beans. Add your beans to the skillet and break them up. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until warmed through, making sure to stir frequently so they don’t stick.
5. Assemble your tostadas. Take one tortilla and spread a large heaping spoonful of refried beans on it and spread it out in a thin layer. Then take a spoonful of taco meat and pile it on top of the beans. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, evenly dividing the beans, meat, cheese, and toppings. 
6. Enjoy! Top with more topping if desired and enjoy!

How to make tostada shells

Typically tostada shells are corn or flour tortillas fried in oil until crispy. To cut down on the fat, I find making them at home in the oven is super easy. To make tostada shells, simply bake them directly on your oven racks at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes until hard.

How to eat a tostada

The best way to eat a tostada is to just pick it up and take a bite! Think of it like a huge nacho. It’s definitely messy – some toppings might fall off and it will get on your face, but it’s the best way to get a little bit of everything.

Substitutions and additions

• corn tortillas – flour tortillas should work instead of corn.
• olive oil – any kind of neutral oil will work.
• ground beef – ground turkey or ground chicken will work instead.
• taco seasoning – store-bought or homemade will work. You can also use a mix of garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne.
• tomato paste – you can leave this out if you don’t have it, it just adds a little more flavor to the meat.
• refried beans – refried pinto or black beans will work.
• cheese – most kinds of cheese will work. Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, cheddar, or cotija would be great subs.
• toppings – use whatever you like on tacos!

And if you want to pump them up some, here are some additions you can add:

• veggies – dice and saute some veggies in your meat mixture. Onions and peppers would be great additions!

More healthy beef recipes

• beef burrito casserole
• ground beef and cabbage stir fry
• cheesy taco pasta
• cheeseburger fries with special sauce
• beef and broccoli stir fry

If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!