Straightforward Do-it-yourself Tostadas – A Lovely Mess

Tostadas are a easy and tremendous customizable meal with Mexican origins. With a base of a toasted tortilla (or typically deep fried) and topped with any variety of toppings like seasoned floor meat, shredded meats, refried beans, black beans, lettuce, tomato, cilantro, cheese and typically sauces. I consider tostadas as an open face taco with a crunchy tortilla for the bottom. Scrumptious!

Whereas there are various methods to customise a tostada, I’m focusing this recipe on how we usually make them at dwelling: tostada shell, refried beans, seasoned floor beef, lettuce, tomato, cilantro, cheese, and both bitter cream or what I name “quesadilla sauce.” It is a fast and straightforward weeknight meal that our entire household loves despite the fact that our son often skips the vegetable toppings.

Associated: Love simple weeknight meals? Subsequent up, strive our stuffed peppers or sheet pan totchos.

Components

• Tostada shells* – or corn tortillas
• Refried beans
• Floor beef – or floor turkey or floor hen
• Taco seasoning – retailer purchased or make your individual
• Cheese – Cotija, Cheddar, Mozzarella, and so on.
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Bitter cream – or quesadilla sauce, see beneath

*Tostada shells are typically labeled as Estilo Casero (which implies homestyle), however look within the tortilla shell part of wherever you store for groceries. However in the event you can’t discover them, I’ll share earlier than easy methods to make your individual.

Methods to Make Tostada Shells

You may make your individual tostada shells by pan frying corn tortillas. Add sufficient vegetable oil or canola oil to a frying pan to cowl/barely submerge the tortilla. Warmth over medium/excessive warmth till the oil is sizzling. Then add the shell, fry for 1-2 minutes. Flip, utilizing tongs, and cook dinner for one more 1-2 minutes. Take away to paper towels to permit extra oil to drip off. Repeat for as many shells as you want.

If you need the tostada shells to be barely formed like a bowl, drape paper towels over inverted bowls after which take away the shells from the oil to those. The fried shells will dry over the bowls and tackle this form.

Methods to make Tostadas

First, cook dinner the bottom beef. In a skillet or giant pan, cook dinner the bottom beef over medium warmth, breaking it up in small items together with your cooking spoon or spatula. Season with the taco seasoning as you cook dinner. The meat ought to be cooked by way of with no pink remaining. Take away from warmth.

On a baking sheet, assemble the tostada bases on this order: shell, a skinny layer of refried beans, meat, and cheese.

Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, till the cheese may be very melted.

High with greens, extra cheese (if you’d like) and bitter cream or different condiments. Throw some sizzling sauce on in the event you like. Get pleasure from!

Ideas & Notes

• Quesadilla sauce = 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup bitter cream, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder. I’ll sprinkle just a little cayenne in if I’m wanting so as to add some warmth.
• I prefer to serve these extra like tacos, the bottom is made after which everybody will get so as to add their toppings. So, after baking is the place my household takes over customizing their very own.
• You’ll be able to partially make these forward, by having the meat already cooked. You then simply assemble and bake earlier than including toppings, which make throwing dinner collectively tremendous simple!
• Different nice toppings embrace salsa or guacamole.

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