These crispy and flavor-packed homemade vegan Mexican Black Bean Tostadas are just too good to be true! Made with beans and spices, this tostada recipe is a keeper! If you have done all the prep work, then this meal comes together in 20 minutes! True Mexican fiesta is incomplete without a Tostada!
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What is a Tostada
A tostada is a traditional Mexican dish that translates to “toasted” in Spanish. The base is fried taco shells or corn tortillas that are flat. They can also be baked. It's usually layered with refried bean base, then loaded with lots of veggies, and cheese. It's similar to a Taco. There is no right way to dress them up.
Unlike a taco, you can load it with lots of toppings. It totally depends on what you have handy. They can get a bit messy to eat so please be prepared for that. But they taste so good that there will be no leftovers! I promise. It's also called Tostada Pizza. Spruce up Taco nights with this delicious homemade bean tostada recipe!
My first tostada
Tostadas are what I call - The Mexican Sev Puri! I had them at a friend's place for the first time and I fell in love with the flavors! It reminded me of home. I picked up a packet of tostadas on my next trip to the groceries and made them for dinner. It surely was a hit and I also realized how easy it is. This had to go on the blog!
Tostadas are slightly different from tacos, tortillas, or chalupas. Tostadas are flat, crispy, and mostly made of corn. They are also served as a whole in comparison to others. I recently used it in an Indian recipe called Dal Pakwan Tostadas and it was a HUGE HIT! This homemade bean tostada recipe is highly customizable, you can either buy all the components from the store or make them all from scratch. Just the shells I prefer store-bought as it cuts down frying time. But I know of many who swear by home-fried tostadas. I may probably try that someday.
Love Mexican food
Mexican food is a bit HIT in our home. We try to include at least one dish in our weekly menu. The spices and seasonings are very similar to Indian food. Usually, Mexican food is fuss-free and easy to put together. Whenever I am in the mood to eat something flavorful, Indian/Mexican food always pops up in my head. This beans and corn tostada recipe is also vegan which is perfect for those looking for a meatless Mexican recipe!
Why make this
- Vegan/vegetarian tostadas recipe
- Made with basic pantry essentials
- Simple, easy and quick to make
- Easily customizable
- Packed with flavors
- Great way to sneak in veggies for fussy eaters
- Prep can be done ahead of time
- A crowd pleaser
Ingredients needed
Tostadas - I have used store-bought corn tostadas for this recipe. They are easily available at all leading grocery stores. You can also fry tortillas at home. When buying from the store, check the labels to ensure you are getting the ones with vegan ingredients or that they don't contain tallow or lard. If making this as a party snack, get street taco tortillas. They are the smallest in size and perfect when entertaining a large crowd. Corn tortillas work better in this recipe than flour tortillas. Use gluten-free flatbreads instead of corn tortillas if you want.
Beans - I have used two kinds of canned and drained beans - black beans and pinto beans in this recipe for more flavor. Alternatively, you can also use refried beans. If using raw beans, soak them overnight. Then cook them separately and use them as mentioned in the recipe.
Mexican flavors - chunky salsa, Mexican seasoning, and Taco seasoning give this dish the authentic flavors and should not be skipped.
Meatless crumbles - It makes the tostadas stuffing meaty, flavorful, and wholesome. Meatless crumbles are a great option for vegans and vegetarians.
Spices - cumin seeds, cumin powder, and chilly powder are a few basic spices that you will need in this recipe.
Veggies - garlic, scallions, onion, bell peppers, shredded lettuce, and serrano peppers/jalapenos are the basic veggies you will need to make these vegan tostadas.
Other ingredients - vegan sour cream, vegan shredded cheese, and cilantro help complete this delicious dish.
How to make it
- In a food processor, add canned and drained black beans and pinto beans.
- To that add chunky salsa.
- Then add the Taco seasoning.
- Blend it all together till its smooth. Keep aside this beans mixture for now.
- Soak meatless crumbles in ½ cup water and leave it for 10 mins. Drain and squeeze out the excess water.
- Add butter and oil to a pan. Temper cumin seeds, then add garlic. Saute till the garlic turns light golden.
- Then add the scallions (white part), green chillies, and onions. Saute till they turn translucent.
- Now add the meatless crumbles along with bell peppers and saute for 4-3 minutes on medium flame.
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- Add the Mexican seasonings, cumin powder, chilly powder and fry for a min.
- Now add the prepared paste of beans. Mix and cook it for 10-12 mins on medium flame. Keep sautéing it and scraping from the sides to prevent it from burning.
- Add sour cream and cilantro.
- Mix and take it off the flame. Transfer to a bowl and keep it aside for now.
- Assemble tostadas on a baking sheet.
- Smear each tostadas with the bean mixture.
- Generously add a layer of shredded Mexican cheese.
- Add sliced green chillies.
- Broil for a min or till the cheese melts, at 300 degrees F.
- Garnish with shredded lettuce, salsa, green part of the scallions and cilantro. Can also drizzle some vegan sour cream on top.
Serving suggestions
Make as many as you need and then serve the tostadas immediately. They can be served at parties, get-togethers, brunches, potlucks, weeknight lunches, and/or dinners. They can also be served as a snack or for breakfast. This filling plant-based recipe is also perfect for Cinco de Mayo. Frankly speaking, you don't really need a reason to make these delicious Mexican vegan corn tostadas!
One fun way to serve tostadas is to set up a topping bar and let your friends and family build their own tostada as per their taste and preference. If you have any leftovers, wrap the stuffing in a whole wheat low-carb tortilla or in taco shells, instead of a tostada shell. They taste great too! To create an Indian-Mexican fusion tostada using this recipe, use the crispy Indian Puri (the one we use for Sev Puri) instead of tostadas. I am sure they will taste amazing.
Top recipe tips
Feel free to add more veggies like corn, zucchini, carrots, avocado, spinach, kale, mushrooms, etc to make it more toothsome. Grilled veggies also work great here. Skip adding the meatless crumbles if you don't have them. But they do bring in a juicy flavor and make these vegan homemade corn tostadas more filling. Can use lentils, soy curls, vegan chorizo crumbles, jackfruit carnitas, crumbled paneer, or tofu instead. For a different flavor, spread a layer of mashed potatoes or avocados. Add the toppings onto when the tostadas are crispy else they will end up being soggy.
Recipe FAQs
They taste best when assembled fresh. Only assemble them when you plan to serve else they will get soggy. However, you can do all the prep ahead of time.
Prepare the beans mixture and the stuffing beforehand and store it in the fridge or at room temperature if making it in 1-2 hours.
Tostadas are fried corn tortillas. While you can get the fried ones in the market, it's also easy to make them at home. If using large tortillas, cut them into smaller rounds using a cookie cutter or use mini tortillas. Make tiny slits on them to prevent air bubbles from appearing. Fry them in batches in hot oil till they turn light golden and crisp. Then immediately sprinkle salt on these homemade tostadas. Store them in an airtight container once they cool down. They stay good for a couple of weeks. Alternatively, you can also bake or air fry the tortillas.
Assembled tostadas will get soggy so it's best to consume and not store them. Refrigerate the toppings and the bean base separately in airtight containers.
Tostadas can be stored at room temperature to keep their crispiness intact. They stay good for a week. Alternatively, you can also store them in the fridge for 5-6 days.
You can either microwave them for 40-45 seconds or toast them in the oven for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Yes, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature when you want to use them.
There are many ways to make this homemade vegan bean tostadas recipe healthy. The base can be homemade, baked, or air-fried instead of buying store-bought fried ones. You can also add healthy toppings like sliced avocado, coleslaw, skip cheese, or add low-fat vegan cheese.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, brush corn tortillas with little oil, and sprinkle with salt. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, turning halfway, until tortillas are lightly golden brown and crisp. Remove them and allow to cool. Now add your favorite tostada toppings and enjoy! These baked tostadas can stay good for 3 days in a ziptop container.
Some popular Mexican recipes
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Recipe 📖
Vegan Corn Tostadas
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
To prepare the beans mixture
- 15 oz pinto beans
- 15 oz black beans
- ½ cup chunky salsa
- 1 tablespoon Taco seasoning
- 1 cup Meatless crumbles
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 cloves garlic
- 3 scallions
- 2 serrano peppers
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chilly powder
- ¼ cup Sour cream
- ¼ cup cilantro
To assemble the tostadas
- 8 Tostadas
- ⅓ cup Mexican cheese
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
Instructions
To prepare the beans mixture
- In a food processor, add canned and drained black beans and pinto beans.
- To that add chunky salsa.
- Then add the Taco seasoning.
- Blend it all together till its smooth. Keep aside this beans mixture for now.
- Soak meatless crumbles in ½ cup water and leave it for 10 mins. Drain and squeeze out the excess water.
- Add butter and oil to a pan. Temper cumin seeds, then add garlic. Saute till the garlic turns light golden.
- Then add the scallions (white part), chopped serrano peppers, and onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Now add the meatless crumbles along with bell peppers and saute for 4-3 minutes on medium flame.
- Add the Mexican seasonings, cumin powder, chilly powder and fry for a min.
- Now add the prepared paste of beans. Mix and cook it for 10-12 mins on medium flame. Keep sautéing it and scraping from the sides to prevent it from burning.
- Add sour cream and cilantro.
- Mix and take it off the flame. Transfer to a bowl and keep it aside for now.
To assemble the tostadas
- Assemble tostadas on a baking sheet.
- Smear each tostadas with the bean mixture.
- Generously add a layer of shredded Mexican cheese.
- Add sliced green serrano peppers.
- Broil for a minute or till the cheese melts, at 300 degrees F.
- Garnish with shredded lettuce, salsa, green part of the scallions and cilantro. Can also drizzle some vegan sour cream on top.
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