Ground beef tostadas are a delicious blend of seasoned ground beef and creamy refried beans layered on crunchy corn tostadas. They're topped with cheese, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and fresh cilantro for a flavorful and satisfying meal. Mix and match toppings to satisfy your crowd's tastes, making these tostadas perfect for family dinners or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
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- Oil - Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
- Spices - Chili powder, salt (we use kosher salt), garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, and black pepper.
- Ground Beef - For lean ground beef, choose ground sirloin. If you prefer a richer flavor with a bit more fat, go for ground round or chuck (see recipe tips and notes 1).
- Pantry staples - Refried beans (see recipe tips and notes 2), tomato sauce, beef broth, corn tostadas. Tostadas are available at larger supermarkets or online.
- Toppings - We love topping our tostadas with lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, sour cream, and cheese. These are totally customizable - try adding black beans, corn, sliced jalapenos, black olives, or for a special touch, this black bean and corn salsa.
- See the recipe card for detailed quantities and preparation steps.
How to make ground beef tostadas
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Arrange the beef in the skillet in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir well.
- Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth to the pan, stir well to combine.
- When it starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep at a simmer; raise or lower the heat if necessary.
- The meat mixture should be saucy not soupy. If it has too much liquid, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reaches a thicker consistency. Stir occasionally.
Build the tostadas
Work with one tostada at a time. Be gentle because it will break if too much pressure is applied. Layer 1-2 heaping tablespoons of the refried beans going almost to the edge. Add 1-2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture to cover the refried beans.
Add the desired topping. We added cheese (cheddar), lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and cilantro to ours.
Storing and reheating instructions
Storing instructions: Store leftover ground beef mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating instructions: To reheat, thaw the mixture in the refrigerator overnight if frozen. Heat the desired portion in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, reheat it in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish until heated through.
Food safety: Make sure to reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Recipe tips and notes
- The type of ground beef you choose depends on your preference for fat content:
- Ground chuck - 80-85% lean, 15-20% fat (adds great flavor and is budget-friendly).
- Ground round - 85-90% lean, 10-15% fat.
- Ground sirloin - 90-92% lean, 8-10% fat (the leanest option).For these tostadas, ground chuck is a flavorful choice that balances taste and cost. If you prefer a leaner meat topping, go with ground sirloin.
- For this recipe, I make my own refried beans using pinto beans. They're quick and easy to prepare and can be made while the beef mixture cooks. Canned refried beans are also a great option if you're short on time. Look for them near taco shells and seasoning at larger supermarkets or online. For variety, refried black beans work just as well.
- If you're using canned refried beans, enhance their flavor, if desired, by stirring in a pinch of cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, a splash of beef or chicken broth, or a squeeze of lime juice.
This tostadas recipe is perfect for a quick dinner, game night, or casual gathering. They're both delicious and budget-friendly. With meat prices on the rise, ground beef remains an economical choice. If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like our fiesta taco salad and ground beef and potatoes skillet recipes for more easy and affordable meal ideas.
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📖 Recipe
Ground Beef Tostadas
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt we used kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral oil with a high smoke point we used canola oil
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef (use ground sirloin, chuck, or round)
- 8 ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Beef Broth
- 16 ounces Refried Beans heated through (use homemade or canned)
- 8 Corn Tostadas
- Optional Toppings Suggestions cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, jalapeños, corn, black beans, hot sauce, black olive, salsa
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan or skillet (with a tight fitting lid) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the ground beef, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Arrange the beef in the skillet in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir well. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth to the pan, stir well to combine. When it starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep at a simmer; raise or lower the heat if necessary.
- The meat mixture should be saucy not soupy. If it has too much liquid, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reaches a thicker consistency. Stir occasionally.
Build tostadas
- Work with one tostada at a time. Be gentle because it will break if too much pressure is applied.
- Layer 1-2 heaping tablespoons of the refried beans going almost to the edge.
- Add 1-2 heaping tablespoons of the meat mixture to cover the refried beans.
- Add the desired topping. We added cheese (cheddar), lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and cilantro to ours.
Notes
- Cut down on the amount of salt in the seasoning and use low sodium tomato sauce and beef broth if you are sensitive to salt.
- Try our homemade refried beans recipe, if desired.
- The nutritional calculation does not include the toppings.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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