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Tostadas de frijol

Crisp corn tostadas with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado and crema

Tostadas, crisp flat corn tortillas, are eaten all over Mexico as a quick meal or snack, and tostadas de frijol are the everyday vegetarian version: a thick smear of refried beans topped with shredded lettuce, tomato, avocado, crema and crumbled cheese. The contrast between the shattering crunch, the creamy beans and the cool, fresh toppings is the whole point. Buy ready-made corn tostadas, or bake your own from corn tortillas. Use queso fresco made with vegetarian rennet, or mild feta. Chef's tip: spread the beans warm and thick right to the edge; they act as glue for the toppings and stop the tostada from shattering when you bite it.
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Warm 14 oz refried beans in a small pan over a medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until hot, soft and spreadable.

    4 min
  2. Step 2: Toss 3 ½ oz romaine lettuce and 2 tomatoes with half the juice of 1 lime and ½ tsp salt. Dressing them stops the toppings tasting flat against the rich beans.

    2 min
  3. Step 3: Spread each of 8 corn tostadas thickly with beans right to the edge. Pile on the lettuce and tomato, then 1 avocado.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Drizzle with ¼ cup Mexican crema, scatter over 2 ⅞ oz queso fresco and 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños if using, and squeeze over the rest of the lime. Eat straight away, before the tostadas soften.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
380 kcal
Protein
13 g
Carbs
42 g
Fat
18 g
Fibre
11 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does tostadas de frijol take?
About 15 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of romaine lettuce?
Any crisp salad leaves, same amount.
What can I use instead of tomatoes?
Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).

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