Pinto Bean Tostadas

(for 96 cents apiece!)

Photo by Tijana Drndarski on Unsplash

This is the first of a set of recipes that will come out once a week, mid-week. I promise to get straight to the recipe (no long intro to scroll through) and provide you with easy-to-understand ingredients, steps, and alternatives.  Additionally, I’ll cost out the recipe so you can see how affordable delicious meals can be!

As I have seen costs of things like chicken skyrocket I’ve transitioned to using less expensive forms of protein — like eggs, beans, tofu, tempeh, and lentils. This is a recipe that could easily work with either pinto or black beans, or even crumbled tempeh. Feel free to add an animal protein if you have it or want to use it: shredded chicken, browned ground beef, or turkey all work well. 

On with the recipe!

Pinto Bean Tostadas

Serves 3-4 (my husband will usually have three for a meal, I’ll have two, and my daughter will have one)

Ingredients:

• 8 corn tortillas 

• 1-2 Tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed)

• 1½ cups cooked pinto beans (from a can of rinsed beans for the quickest option or from a bag of dry beans for the cheapest option)

• Seasoning (I use a mix of ½ tsp chili powder, ½ tsp cumin, and a 1/4 tsp kosher salt, though you can easily substitute “taco seasoning,” just keep in mind that you likely won’t need to add extra salt)

• 1 cup finely shredded lettuce (iceberg, romaine, etc.)

• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija (one of our favorites these days)

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 avocado cut into 8 pieces

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush each side of a corn tortilla with the oil and lay in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the top of each tortilla with a pinch of salt. Bake for 5-10 minutes then flip the tortillas over and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until crispy.

2. Meanwhile, place the beans in a medium saute pan placed over medium-low heat, and add the spices along with a tablespoon or two of water. Take a potato masher (or fork) and mash the beans until they resemble refried beans and heat until warmed through.

3. When the tostada shells are done, top each shell with 3 Tbsp beans, 2 Tbsp lettuce, 1 Tbsp cheese, 1 Tbsp sour cream, and ⅛ of an avocado. 

Cost:

Total: $0.96 per tostada - can you believe it!?!

I hope you enjoy the first of many delicious, budget-friendly recipes to come! Stay tuned for next week’s recipe - Moroccan shrimp with creamy polenta.

What is your favorite budget meal?