Cheesy Bean Tostadas
These cheesy bean tostadas are cheesy, crunchy, creamy, fresh, fast, and best of all affordable! Baking the tostadas allows plenty of time to multi-task making you look like a weeknight rockstar by having dinner on the table in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
8 Corn tortillas
X2 cans of black or pinto beans drained and rinsed
X2 garlic cloves, minced
8 pickled jalapeno slices or 1-2 large pickled jalapeños , chopped
¼ c of water
1 TBS of pickle jalapeno brine
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small white onion, minced
¼ c of cilantro, minced
1c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2c Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Sour cream
Hot sauce
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable oil
Cooking spray (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spread tortillas evenly on a sheet pan and lightly brush both sides of the tortilla with vegetable oil, or lightly spray with cooking spray.
3. Season tortillas lightly with salt. Cook in the oven until crispy about 8-12 minutes.
4. While the tostadas are crisping, start the beans by preheating a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 TBS of vegetable oil to the pan. Add garlic and jalapenos by moving them around the pan with a spatula, and cook until fragrant—about 1 minute.
5. Add the beans and water to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes occasionally stirring. When the beans are hot, mash using the spatula or the back of a wooden spoon. Add pickled jalapeno brine and stir. Keep warm until assembly.
6. To make the pico de gallo- In a medium bowl, add tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until incorporated. Set aside until assembly.
7. When the tostadas are done, remove them from the oven and adjust the oven setting to broil.
8. Carefully spread a spoonful of beans over the tostada and top with cheese. Repeat until all tostadas have beans and cheese.
9. Place tostadas back into the oven and allow the cheese to melt for about 1 minute.
10. Remove the tostadas from the oven and top with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, and a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce that you already have on hand!
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