Easy Bean and Cheese Tostadas Recipe

Tostadas are similar to bean burritos but cooked open-face under a broiler rather than rolled up. Try bean and cheese tostadas for a delicious, easy meal!

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I’ve always been a fan of refried beans. But I usually only eat them in Taco Dip or make simple bean burritos. I searched online for other recipes for tostadas since it was something I had never had before. Of course, everyone makes them slightly different. So I used the elements I liked from a few and started cooking.

Refried beans are basically a staple in my pantry so I knew I wanted to use those. We had some small taco shells from another meal, so we used those as the base. Then I started building from there.

Bean and cheese tostadas are a great weeknight meal because they are quick and easy to make, and you can prepare just the amount you need. Also, since there isn’t any meat to get out, it’s perfect for nights when you haven’t planned anything and don’t have to wait for the meat to thaw. There isn’t a long prep time, meaning dinner can be on the table in about 30 minutes.

And that’s what I like about this recipe: the whole family can make their own to their tastes. My boys don’t like all of the toppings. I don’t like a lot of onion. Justin doesn’t put sour cream on his. It would be a perfect recipe to make into a DIY tostada bar when having friends over. 

We like to serve ours with a refreshing drink such as Strawberry Mojitos or Spiked Agua Fresca. They have also become our go-to for a quick and easy Cinco de Mayo dinner, especially if we have friends over.

Ingredient Variations & Flavor Boosts

If you want to switch things up, try using refried black beans instead of pinto beans — they lend a deeper, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with tangy toppings like pico de gallo. For extra depth, stir a pinch of smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or ground cumin into your beans as you warm them. You can also sweat a small diced onion and garlic before adding beans to unlock more savory notes. On the cheese front, experiment with queso asadero, Oaxaca cheese, or crumbled cotija for more authentic Mexican character. For a spicy kick, you can fold in chopped pickled jalapeños or a dash of your favorite hot sauce before layering.

Meal Prep & Make-Ahead Planning

To streamline dinners, you can make the refried beans up to 3 to 4 days ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to assemble, reheat gently over low heat, stirring in a splash of warm water or broth to loosen the texture. The components like pico de gallo, pickled onions, chopped lettuce, and crema can all be prepped a day ahead and stored in separate containers. Just before serving, crisp the tostada shells in the oven and assemble, so the shells stay crunchy and toppings remain vibrant.

Keeping Your Tostadas Crispy & Avoiding Sogginess

One of the biggest challenges is keeping the shells crisp under moist toppings. A few strategies help:

• Use extra-thin coats of beans (just enough to cover) so moisture doesn’t pool.
• Preheat the baking sheet before placing shells; crisp the shells on it for 2–3 minutes before assembly.
• After spreading beans and cheese, bake until cheese melts, then remove and immediately top — this minimizes steam build-up.
• Serve tostadas just after assembly rather than letting them sit too long.
• If leftovers are unavoidable, store beans separate from shells and assemble only at serving time.

Dietary & Style Adaptations

If you are cooking for dietary preferences, try these variants:

• Vegan version: Use plant-based refried beans and swap in vegan melting cheese or omit cheese and increase toppings like guacamole, sliced radish, and salsa verde.
• High-protein version: Add cooked, shredded chicken, crumbled grilled tofu, or cooked tempeh strips to your bean layer for additional protein.
• Gluten-free adaptation: Stick with corn tostada shells (always verify they’re labeled gluten-free).
• Lower sodium / low-fat twist: Use reduced-fat cheese, rinse canned beans before puréeing, and use plain beans plus seasoning rather than salted refried beans.

Serving Ideas, Sides & Pairings

Here are some tasty companions to round out the meal:

• Serve with a cool jicama–cucumber slaw dressed in lime and cilantro for contrast.
• Pair with a Mexican street corn salad (elote style or esquites).
• Offer a choice of salsas — roasted tomato salsa, tomatillo salsa verde, or a pineapple habanero salsa.
• For drinks, consider agua fresca (like hibiscus or tamarind), Mexican horchata, or light beer / light margaritas if appropriate for your audience.
• Desserts that complement: churro bites, lime sorbet, or Mexican chocolate mousse.

A Brief History of Tostadas

Tostadas (Spanish for “toasted ones”) are believed to have originated in Mexico as a creative way to repurpose tortilla leftovers: lightly fried or toasted tortillas became a crispy base for beans, meats, and toppings. Over time, regional variations emerged across Mexico, with coastal versions topped with seafood, Yucatán styles using cochinita pibil or habanero salsas, and northern versions favoring beef or beans. The flat, crunchy platform allows you to pile textures and flavors in appealing contrast — creamy beans, crisp shell, bright garnishes.

Topping Options

There are so many topping options for a tostada. I like refried beans and melty cheese, but you can add other types of beans or your favorite toppings. 

• Black beans
• Pinto beans
• Cheddar cheese
• Hot sauce
• Cayenne pepper
• Romaine lettuce
• Cherry tomatoes

Tostada Simple Ingredients

Flour Tortilla Shells

Flour tortillas make an easy flat taco for this meal, but you can substitute with crispy corn tortilla shells if you prefer those for a healthier option. For a crunchy tortilla, bake the shells for a few minutes before adding the toppings. 

Refried Beans

Canned refried beans work perfectly well for this recipe, or you can try making homemade beans. When using the canned beans, you may need to warm them slightly as warm refried beans will spread more easily on the crispy tortillas. I tried making my own refried beans once and it was an epic fail, so I like to get the Old El Paso brand of beans whenever I need them. But don’t buy the fat-free ones, they have no flavor!

Cumin & Chili Powder

Both of these seasonings are perfect for Mexican food. Cumin tastes very similar to store-bought taco seasoning and the chili powder gives it just a slight kick. 

Cilantro

You can purchase fresh cilantro from the grocery store to add to these or use dried cilantro. Both will add flavor to the tostadas. 

Monterey Jack Cheese

Purchase a block of Monterey Jack cheese to shred yourself when you can. The cheese will taste fresher and melt better. Otherwise, you can buy shredded cheese from the store. 

Lime Juice

Fresh lime juice will always have more flavor than a bottle of lime juice, so I highly suggest squeezing and juicing limes when possible. 

Onion

Adding some chopped onion gives the homemade tostadas a bit of a crunch. Since they are added on at the end, the onions won’t get soft. We’ve made these with both white onion and red onion. They are both good but give a slightly different flavor so you can decide which you would rather have.

Avocado

A slice of avocado is a perfect creamy addition to the tostadas. This can be skipped if you don’t like avocado, but I highly suggest it for this recipe. 

Sour Cream

A dollop of sour cream goes a long way in adding flavor to the recipe. Again, if you don’t care for sour cream you can leave it off. 

Bean and Cheese Tostadas FAQ

Bean and Cheese Tostadas Step by Step

Ingredients

• 12 flour tortilla shells (small)
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
• 2 tsp Lime juice
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
• 3 avocados (diced)
• 2 tbsp sour cream

Preparation

You’ll want the oven at a high temperature so preheat it to 400F. Place the tortillas on a lightly greased baking sheet or baking stone and spread some refried beans on each. I use about a spoonful or two for each tortilla, depending on the size of the tortillas and how many I am making.

Sprinkle some of the seasonings on top of the beans. Add a squirt of lime juice to each tostada.

Cover with cheese.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Remove the tostadas from the oven and top with onion, avocados, and sour cream as desired.

Bean and Cheese Tostadas Leftovers

Storage: Store these in airtight containers and refrigerator for 1-2 days. The tortilla shells will get soggy quickly, so I don’t recommend keeping them for long. 

Reheating: The best way to reheat tostadas is to place them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 5-10 minutes until everything is warm again. 

Recipe

Bean and Cheese Tostadas

Tostadas are similar to bean burritos, but cooked open-face under a broiler rather than rolled up. Try bean and cheese tostadas for a delicious, easy meal!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

|

Mexican

Diet

Vegetarian

Keyword:

beans

|

cheese

|

meatless

|

refried beans

|

tacos

|

texmex

|

tortilla shells

|

vegetarian

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Nut-Free

Servings: 12 each

5 from 9 votes

Ingredients

• 12 flour tortilla shells (small)
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese (shredded)
• 2 tsp Lime juice
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
• 3 avocados (diced)
• 2 tbsp sour cream

Recommended Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Box Grater

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Place tortillas on lightly greased baking sheet
• Spread each tortilla with beans
• Sprinkle seasonings on beans, as desired
• Top with cheese and a small amount of lime juice
• Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted
• Add additional toppings, such as onion, avocado, sour cream, etc.
• Serve warm

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Nutrition Facts

Bean and Cheese Tostadas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 244 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Cholesterol 13mg4%

Sodium 410mg17%

Potassium 315mg9%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 5g20%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 280IU6%

Vitamin C 5.6mg7%

Calcium 155mg16%

Iron 1.7mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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