These Black Bean and Guacamole Tostadas are the perfect example of Mexican cuisine’s generous reward-to-effort ratio. You get so much in return here for doing so little work.
And not only that, you’ll probably have black bean puree leftovers, which means for the next few days you can whip up killer insta-meals whenever you get the craving.
The black bean puree has so much flavor it will instantly have you dreaming up other ways to use it. It’s the same delight that I keep mentioning again, and again, and again.
Start by cooking 1/2 an onion and 2 garlic cloves in some oil over medium heat. All of this will be going in the blender eventually so you can chop roughly.
After the onion softens up (5 minutes or so) add:
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper
splash of water
Let this simmer for 5 minutes or so and then combine it well in a blender or food processor.
And now the important part: take a taste! The amount of sodium in canned beans varies widely, so if you feel you need another pinch of salt then now is the time to add it. It’s surprising how much the flavor of this puree can change just by getting the salt level to your liking.
Tastes good eh? But don’t eat it all yet! You’ve still got some Basic Guacamole to make. You’re an expert at making this Guac by now but I’ll put instructions for it in the recipe box below.
Technically, a tostada is a fully crisped up corn tortilla. But we are cheating here a bit to make it a lighter meal, and faster 🙂
So instead of submerging the tortilla in oil, we are simply adding a thin sheen of oil to the pan, probably 1/4 teaspoon or so to start with. This is enough to make the tortilla slightly crispy and it still gives you that recognizable flavor of fried corn. You might need to replenish the oil as you continue to cook the tostadas, but start small as it’s surprising how little oil you need to give it that familiar crunch.
Adding a little weight will help the tortilla crisp up, so I usually cook them with a layer of the bean puree and plenty of cheese. It’ll need 1-2 minutes depending on your skillet. When you’ve got some heavy brown spots forming on the underside then it’s chowtime.
Top with Guacamole, cilantro, and a few drops of hot sauce. Of course, if you’ve got some leftover homemade Salsa in the fridge then by all means use that!
Tomatoes, onion, Cotija and Crema are all worthy options to help create your own personal tostada delight.
These are best eaten within moments of coming off the skillet, so don’t let them cool off too much before chowing down!
And in addition to this satiating meal, your fridge now has some otherworldly black bean puree officially on standby. That is a gamechanger 🙂
The recipe box is below. And since this is the last recipe in the Module, click on ‘Express Recipes — Quiz!’ down below to take the Quiz.
Spicy Black Bean and Guacamole Tostadas
Ingredients
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup cheese
- cilantro (for garnish)
- oil
- hot sauce
For the Black Bean Puree:
- 1 can black beans
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 chipotles in adobo
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- splash of water
For the Guacamole:
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
Instructions
- For the black bean puree, roughly chop 1/2 an onion and peel 2 garlic cloves. Saute the onion and garlic in a dollop of oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
- Drain and rinse one can of black beans. Add the black beans to the onion mixture along with 2 chipotles in adobo, 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, and a splash of water. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through.
- Combine the bean mixture in a blender or food processor. Salt to taste (I added another pinch to this batch).
- For the Guacamole, finely chop 2-3 tablespoons of onion. Use the back of a fork to smoosh the onion until it turns translucent. Add onion to a bowl along with the avocado flesh, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the juice of a half lime. Mush and mix well. Taste for salt level and keep adding tiny dashes of salt (and lime) until it tastes right to you.
- Add a thin sheen of oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add a layer of beans and cheese to each tortilla and cook them in the skillet for 1-2 minutes or until they have brown spots on the underside.
- Top with guacamole, cilantro, hot sauce, and any other toppings you want. Serve immediately.
Notes