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This Mexican inspired meal is layers of crispy tortilla, refried beans, and ground beef all topped with fresh ingredients such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and crumbled cheese. Win dinner with these delicious Ground Beef Tostadas that require little prep and are loved by many.
Ground Beef Tostadas
With homeschooling and staying inside indefinitely being our current way of life right now, my schedule is slightly overwhelming. To say it was overwhelming before would have been an understatement and so easy dinners are a bit of a passion project at the moment.
Since we’re also not visiting the grocery store with as much frequency as before I want all the meals I make to be eaten preferably without fuss. Easy dinner such as these Ground Beef Tostadas checks all of the boxes I’m currently so passionate about.
This delicious meal is similar to loaded nachos, which is exactly what I transformed this recipe into for my kids. My husband and I enjoyed them tostada style.
How to Make Ground Beef Tostadas
You can make tostadas in an authentic Mexican style, however, they’re equally delicious when using canned or pre-chopped ingredients. Making them using this method is easy and best of all quick. Prepare then however you prefer.
Time needed: 30 minutes.
A quick and delicious dinner recipe you can make in minutes.
- Cook the Beef
Place the ground beef in a skillet set over medium heat. Break the meat apart using a wooden spatula and add the taco seasoning and chopped onions, tossing to combine. Once the meat is fully browned and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes, remove from the heat.
- Heat the Refried Beans
Put the refried beans into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2 to 3 minutes until completely warmed. You can also place them in a pot and heat them on the stove.
- Prepare the Mexican Crema
In a small bowl whisk the sour cream and lime juice together to make a lime crema. If you would like this to be more of a liquid you can add a little bit of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Prepare Your Assembly Station
Arrange all the toppings near you for easy assembly.
- Layer the Refried Beans
Place the tostada shell on a plate and spread a layer of the heated refried beans on top.
- Beef Layer
Next spoon the ground beef mixture on top.
- Shredded Lettuce and Avocado
Add the shredded lettuce and the chopped avocado.
- Chopped Tomato Layer
Sprinkle on the chopped tomatoes.
- Final Layers
Drizzle the sour cream mixture on top and sprinkle the cheese over it.
What are Tostadas?
Tostada literally means “toasted” in Spanish. The first layer of this recipe is usually made with a flour tortilla or a corn tortilla, which you toast before layering. Thus the name of this recipe comes from the crispy shell, which all the other ingredients are layered onto.
Ingredients in this Ground Beef Tostada Recipe
- Tostada Shells – you can make your own, which I describe below, or you can purchase tostada shells such as these at the grocery store.
- Refried Beans – traditional canned refried beans are easiest and you can also use black refried beans.
- Ground Beef – any ground meat will work, but my preference is beef.
- Taco Seasoning – use pre-made taco seasoning or make your own.
- Shredded Lettuce
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Cotija Cheese – any crumbled or shredded Mexican cheese will work, but cotija is a delicious option.
- Sour Cream
- Lime Juice
- Chopped Cilantro
Additional Tostada Toppings
This recipe for ground beef tostadas is very basic, however, you can easily change up the layers to create an entirely different version. Some additional toppings that would also be delicious are listed below.
- Guacamole
- Red Onion
- Jalapenos
- Pico de Gallo
- Salsa
- Refried Black Beans (instead of pinto beans)
How to Make Homemade Tostada Shells
Making your own tostada shells is extremely easy. You can easily purchase tostada shells, which are commonly found where all the fajitas and tortillas are stored at the grocery store, but you can also make them.
Ingredients in Homemade Tostada Shells
- Flour Tortillas or Corn Tortillas
- Cooking Spray
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Lightly spray both sides of 6 tortilla shells and place then in an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 5 minutes and then flip the shells to the other side and bake an additional 5 to 6 minutes.
How to Save Tostada Leftovers
Since this is a recipe of layers it’s best to keep the layers separate. Store the ingredients in separate containers and place them in the refrigerator for later use. The ingredients (including the beef) will last for about 3 to 4 days.
The tostada shells can be stored in a zip-top bag or an air-tight container. They do not need to be placed in the refrigerator.
More Easy Mexican Recipes to Try:
- Beef Burrito Skillet
- Lighter Chicken Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Salsa Verde Chicken Fajitas
- Cheesy Mexican Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 Tostada Shells
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning Mix 1 package
- 1/2 Onion diced
- 1 can Refried Beans
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
- 1 cup Romain Lettuce shredded
- 1/2 Avocado chopped
- 1 Tomato diced
- 4 ounces Cotija Cheese crumbled (or other cheese)
- 1 tablespoon Cilantro chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a skillet set over medium heat. Break the meat apart using a wooden spatula and add the taco seasoning and chopped onions, tossing to combine. Once the meat is fully browned and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes, remove from the heat.
- Put the refried beans into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2 to 3 minutes until completely warmed. You can also place them in a pot and heat them on the stove.
- In a small bowl whisk the sour cream and lime juice together to make a lime crema. If you would like this to be more of a liquid you can add a little bit of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Arrange all the toppings near you for easy assembly.
- Place the tostada shell on a plate and spread a layer of the heated refried beans on top. Next spoon the ground beef mixture on top. Add the shredded lettuce, avocado, chopped tomatoes, and crumbled cheese. Drizzle the sour cream mixture on top and sprinkle with cilantro if using.
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