These easy vegan black bean tostadas are chock full of flavor and make a great weeknight dinner option. Pick up a can of beans and corn tortillas and you are halfway to a healthy meal!
If you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner recipe that can be ready in 15 minutes or less, you will love these easy vegan black bean tostadas! They are simple to whip up with just a few vegan pantry staples and can jazzed up however you like. As a plant-based dietitian, I am often encouraging people to eat more beans! This tostada recipe is a delicious way to add more black beans into your diet. Beans are packed with fiber as well as plant-based protein.
What is a Tostada?
A tostada is a traditional Mexican dish that translates to “toasted” in Spanish. The base is a crispy (toasted) tortilla that is loaded up with beans, meat, cheese, lettuce, and more. They are super simple to make at home and can be customized in a hundred different ways depending on what ingredients you have on hand at home.
Ingredients for these tostadas
- Corn Tortillas: I like using corn tortillas for the base of my vegan tostadas, but you can also use flour tortillas. To toast the tortillas and add some char marks, I just toss them directly on my gas burners on the stove for about 30 seconds on each side. (Use tongs to flip!)
- Black Beans: You’ll use canned black beans to make simple homemade refried beans in a skillet that will be spread on the tortillas. You can make these even faster if you want by buying a can of vegan refried beans!
- Taco Seasoning: You’ll use this to add some flavor to your black beans.
- Vegan Cheese: I really like the shredded classic blend from Daiya because it melts well under the broiler. Feel free to use whatever vegan cheese you like.
- Corn: I topped my tostadas with a super simple corn salsa that you can whip up while the beans cook. I used frozen corn that I just defrosted in the microwave, but cooked fresh corn would be tasty too.
- Cilantro: You’ll need some fresh cilantro for the simple corn salsa as well as some for garnish.
How to Make Vegan Tostadas
Make the Beans: Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the black beans (including the liquid from the can). Bring to a simmer and mash with back of a wooden spoon until mixture is thick and most of the beans are mashed. Stir in the red wine vinegar and salt (if needed).
Assemble and Broil: Toast corn tortillas over gas burners on the stove or in toaster oven. (If you have a gas stove, I just set the tortilla directly on the burner over medium to high heat. Let it cook 30-45 seconds or until charred and flip to repeat on the other side.)Turn oven broiler on high. Add corn tortillas to a baking sheet and spread with 1/4 of bean mixture on each. Sprinkle cheese on each, dividing evenly between to 4 tostadas. Broil until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes.
Make the Corn Salsa: Make corn salsa by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Add corn salsa to the tostadas and top with more fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, hot sauce or other desired toppings.
Tostada Recipe Tips
- No need to drain your canned black beans for this vegan tostada recipe. You need the liquid from the can to add moisture to the black bean filling as you cook it.
- Some taco seasoning blends have more salt than others so adjust accordingly when making your refried black beans.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the black beans as they cook. You can also use a potato masher if you have one.
- Don’t have black beans? This recipe would work just as well with pinto beans. Want to learn more about the health benefits of black beans and pinto beans? Check out my black beans vs pinto beans post.
Recipe FAQs
Yes – if you don’t have corn tortillas, you can substitute with flour tortillas.
Yes! Tostadas can be a great healthy dinner option. Most of us don’t get enough fiber in our diets so making a dinner that features beans like these tostadas can be a great way to hit your fiber goal.
The total calories in a black bean tostada varies based on what toppings you add as those can add a lot of calories to the dish. These vegan black bean tostadas have about 300 calories per tostada.
More Vegan Mexican-Inspired Recipes
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Easy Vegan Black Bean Tostadas
Ingredients
For the tostadas:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 15 oz can black beans
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt adjust as needed, to taste
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
For the corn salsa:
- 1 cup corn defrosted frozen corn OR fresh cooked corn
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and heat for 1 minute.
- Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the black beans (including the liquid from the can). Bring to a simmer and mash with back of a wooden spoon until mixture is thick and most of the beans are mashed.
- Stir in the red wine vinegar and salt (if needed).
- Toast corn tortillas over gas burners on the stove or in toaster oven. (If you have a gas stove, I just set the tortilla directly on the burner over medium to high heat. Let it cook 30-45 seconds or until charred and flip to repeat on the other side.)
- Turn oven broiler on high. Add corn tortillas to a baking sheet and spread with 1/4 of bean mixture on each. Sprinkle cheese on each, dividing evenly between to 4 tostadas. Broil until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes.
- Make corn salsa by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Add corn salsa to the tostadas and top with more fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, hot sauce or other desired toppings.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Some taco seasoning brands can be pretty salty, so make sure to look at the label if you need to monitor your sodium intake.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Great recipe thank you for sharing! I followed the instructions as stated and it turned out great for me. I definitely recommend!