Ingredients:

8 tostadas

2½ cups refried beans homemade or 2 (14oz.) cans

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup pico de gallo homemade or store-bought

¼ cup guacamole homemade or store-bought

½-1 cup shredded lettuce

Optional Toppings

sour cream, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeno, hot sauce

Instructions:

Step 1:

Prepare refried beans ahead of time using easy recipe for Instant Pot Refried beans.

Alternatively, use 2 cans of refried beans, and warm them in a sauce pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Adjust seasoning based on your liking.

Step 2:

Prepare pico de gallo, guacamole and other ingredients and toppings including shredded cheese, sour cream etc.

Step 3:

Spoon and spread a layer of refried beans on the tostadas, leaving ½-inch around the edges.

Top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheese.

Step 4:

Add pico de gallo, guacamole, and other toppings of your choice of toppings.

Step 5:

Top with shredded lettuce and serve immediately.

Notes:

Tostadas: For an authentic taste use yellow corn tostadas. Buy store-ready tostadas from your nearest supermarket or make your own by baking or deep frying yellow corn tortillas per the instructions above.

Refried beans: If you can, make the refried beans at home. It is an easy recipe that has more flavor than canned refried beans.

Toppings: Pick your favorite toppings and customize these tostadas to taste. Anything that goes in a taco is a good option for tostadas.

Serve Immediately: Tostadas are best served immediately otherwise they get soggy. If planning a tostada bar, prepare all the ingredients, store them separately, and assemble them before serving.

Make it Vegan: Use vegan cheese, or skip it altogether to make this recipe vegan. Check the label of store-bought ingredients to ensure they’re vegan.