About this recipe

These crispy corn tostadas are topped with creamy mashed black beans and a fresh, zesty tomatillo salsa made with cilantro, jalapeño, and lime. A vibrant and satisfying Mexican-inspired dish that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or casual entertaining.

Instructions

1. 1

   To make the salsa: In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the prepared ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary (more lime juice, salt and black pepper, etc.). Cover the salsa and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in order for the flavors to meld and the black beans to soak up the surrounding flavors.

2. 2

   To make the tostadas: Preheat the oven to ![450°F]. Spray each corn tortillas with cooking spray on both sides (I used organic extra-virgin olive oil spray) or brush them lightly with extra-virgin olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until golden and crispy.

3. 3

   In a skillet over ^[medium heat], pour in the extra-virgin olive oil. Add black beans and their cooking liquid, and mix in some hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Mash the mixture with a potato masher for five minutes or longer, until the black beans have reduced to your desired consistency.

4. 4

   Spread bean mixture evenly over each corn tortillas and top with tomatillo salsa. Finish with your selected toppings. Pick it up with your hands or be fancy and eat it with a fork and steak knife.

Notes

Notes Salsa barely adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman. Tostadas roughly adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. Change it up: Feel free to sub pico de gallo or any other fresh salsa for the tomatillo salsa. For inspiration, check out Big Eats, Tiny Kitchen! If you want the really lazy variation, just skip the black bean mixture altogether since the salsa already has beans in it. It’s like a big baked chip with salsa and cheese—you can’t go wrong!