Beef Tostada Recipe

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Beef Tostadas are an easy favorite dinner with crunchy and creamy textures and plenty of flavors to go around.

In our home we often top our tostadas with Steak Carnitas Meat cooked in the Crock-Pot. We love a good beef tostada but if you would rather use chicken try this excellent Chicken Tostada Recipe instead.

A beef tostada on a white plate with cilantro, lime, and fried tortillas sitting by the plate.

Steak Carnitas Tostadas

Living in the middle of nowhere means we don’t eat out much and that is definitely something that I miss from city living. That being said, I’ve started to make things at home that I never would have before. Beef tostadas are one such recipe. I never used to fry food at home, but part of the treat of eating out was indulging in that kind of food. Now I do fry a few things at home and it has a similar effect on my mental state as eating out. It’s just more enjoyable because it feels special and more like a treat. My kids also love it, and from one mother of a too skinny child to another, sometimes it is just nice to know that they’ll love dinner and gobble it up.

Tostadas are one of my favorite things to order at a Mexican restaurant. I love the crunchy shell with beans and meat and cheese. Mmm. And I just cannot get enough shredded lettuce. Making them at home is no harder than getting traditional tacos on the table, but eating them feels a bit more like a treat. So save yourself a $20 and make these at home instead of going out one night. Enjoy!

A steak tostada on a white plate with cilantro, lime, and fried tortillas sitting by the plate.

What is a tostada?

Tostada, a Spanish word for “toasted,” are typically baked or deep fried corn tortillas covered with a diced meat, beans, cheese, sour cream, onions, chopped lettuce, and salsa.

Can I make the shells and store them for later?

Yes! You can fry the shells and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to use them, you can reheat them in your oven by broiling them for up to 30 seconds to make them warm and crisp again.

What else can I put on a tostada?

If there is anything you like on a taco, you will like it on a tostada! Different meats, cheeses, veggies, the possibilities are endless and you can have it be as spicy or as mild as you like.

How can I make my tostada healthier?

Depending on what you’re looking for, you can swap out the traditional corn tortilla for something whole wheat, or you can substitute the meats and beans for more vegetables. Since tostadas are a versatile food, you can mix and match toppings to meet your needs.

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steak carnita recipe, tostada recipe, how to make tostada shells

Mexican Beef Tostadas


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  • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless This Mess
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 10 1x

Description

Beef Tostadas are an easy favorite dinner with crunchy and creamy textures and plenty of flavors to go around.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Tostada Shells:

  • Canola, corn, or vegetable oil
  • Corn tortillas

For Serving:


Instructions

  1. In a small skillet add enough oil to fill the bottom of the skillet about a half inch. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and allow the oil to heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. When the oil is hot carefully place one corn tortilla in the hot oil. Let it cook for about 30 seconds on the first side. Using tongs or two forks flip the tortilla over. Once both sides are cooked crisp let the tortillas drain on paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
  3. To serve spread hot refried or black beans on one tostada shell and sprinkle with a layer of shredded cheese. Warm the cheese (in a warm oven) until the cheese is melted. If your beans were hot enough to melt the cheese in the first place you can skip the melting step.
  4. Add another tostada shell on top of the melted cheese. Add a layer of steak Carnitas meat and then top with your favorite toppings. Eat right away so that the shells don’t get soggy.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Frying Pan
  • Cuisine: Mexican

More Recipes like Steak Tostadas:

This post was originally published in 2013 and has been updated in July 2019.

There you have it – one very delicious beef tostada recipe. And if you are in the mood for dessert, I’d make some red velvet cheesecake bars. Then it really will feel like a night out.

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9 Comments

    1. I’m with you on that. If it were up to me we’d have Mexican 4 nights a week, no questions asked. Mmmm. And here’s a secret… I love Taco Bell too 🙂

  1. I love ur steak tostada recipe looks num nummy
    Feed back on ur Wordpress and our point of view is honestly I would blod Ur font so the reader doesn’t get lost reading it. I find when reading bold fonts I stick to the reading and not skip to the pics and recipe. Hope that helps have a great Monday

    1. Thanks Lisa… does the font in general need to be larger or darker or do you think things like “Ingredients” needs to be bold? Seriously, I love input if you are willing to give it! Thanks so much!

    1. Thanks, they are so good, but I’m also a nut for Mexican food. All hale the cheese covered goodness on a fried shell 🙂