Avocado-Black Bean Tostadas

By David Tanis

Updated September 22, 2025

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes, plus chilling and cooling time
Rating
5(270)
Comments
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Great for a snack or served as an appetizer with drinks, tostadas can be dainty, made with small tortillas and a dab of savory mashed beans and queso fresco, or they can be hefty, like an over-stuffed sandwich. Though you can buy tostada shells in packages, homemade ones are more delicious, and making them is as simple as rubbing tortillas with oil and crisping them in the oven. The better the tortilla, the better the tostada shell. This recipe calls for canned refried beans, seasoned to taste, but by all means use homemade if you are able. Avocados that are ripe but still firm, dressed with lime juice and salt, are key. If you wish, make the pickled vegetables a day in advance.  

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Ingredients

Yield:6 tostadas

FOR THE PICKLED VEGETABLES

  • 1 medium red onion, sliced

  • 1 or 2 jalapeños, sliced

  • 1 cup cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • A few black peppercorns

  • 1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick

  • 1 bay leaf

FOR THE TOSTADAS

  • 6 corn tortillas

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 ½ cups black refried beans, from 1 (15-ounce) can, seasoned to taste with ground cumin, garlic and salt

  • 3 small firm-ripe avocados 

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste

  • Crumbled queso fresco, to taste

  • 4 to 6 red radishes, slivered

  • Cilantro sprigs, epazote leaves (optional), and crema, sour cream or crème fraîche (optional), for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

34 grams carbs; 340 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 12 grams fiber; 612 milligrams sodium; 7 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Make the pickled vegetables: Put sliced onions and jalapeños in a small stainless-steel pot. Add vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns, cinnamon and bay leaf. Add water to barely cover.

  3. Step 3

    Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer briskly for 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn off heat and let the vegetables cool in the brine. (The pickled vegetables are ready to eat, but they will keep, refrigerated, for a month. The onions will be fairly piquant.)

  5. Step 5

    Make the tostadas: Rub both sides of the tortillas liberally with the oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip tortillas and bake for another 5 or so minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove and cool to room temperature. While the tostadas cool, cut avocados into cubes and place in a bowl. Warm the refried beans in the microwave, heating in 30-second bursts, or on the stovetop over medium heat.

  6. Step 6

    Build the tostadas: Spread each toasted tortilla with refried beans. Season avocados with salt and lime juice, then spoon onto refried beans. Top with pickled onion and jalapeño slices.

  7. Step 7

    Sprinkle each tostada with queso fresco and slivered radishes. Roughly chop about 3 tablespoons cilantro and epazote (if using), mixed together. Sprinkle over top. Add a dab of crema, if using. Once assembled, serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
270 user ratings
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Comments

Gale

I do the pickle differently since I find simmering in the brine makes the jalapeño & onion too soft, bordering on mushy. Bring the brine to a boil until salt & sugar (I only use a t spoon) dissolve and pour over the veg since I like a bit more texture. Tostadas are so easy to make & versatile - even here in the ethnic wasteland of Vermont my local supermarket has premade (in Mexico no less) tostadas saving one step. Even easier to put the grilled fish on the top...

turbochef

@Gale Glad you mentioned adding grilled fish. I agree … it’s the missing link.

Joymac

Tostadas are so versatile and healthy. Toppings to your liking! We simmer our beans with onion, garlic, peppers in veg broth before mashing. Also we toast our corn tortillas in the toaster oven just to chewy, eliminating the oil. Grated parm is my go to for cheese and whipped greek yogurt to sub for sour cream

LDB

Made this yesterday but did a few alterations. I added some shredded cabbage to the pickle and did not cook it as long as the recipe suggested. Was delicious. Daughter is a vegetarian but sauteed shrimps would be great with this. Good recipe.

Stephanie

Great recipe! Fast, delicious, and it could be endlessly varied with toppings.

Rob

Kids and adults in our household love the build-your-own aspect of this dish. Everyone gets involved and makes for a great family meal. In addition to the suggested toppings, I always serve with a simple homemade roasted salsa verde - tomatillos, garlic, onion, serrano, and cilantro

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