These Charro Bean Tostadas have been my lunch for the past four days. And I'm still not tired of them 🙂 Keep some Charro Beans in the fridge and meals like this will come together in a matter of minutes. And they taste better than all the takeout options near me. And they are significantly cheaper. Sound too good to be true?! Here's how to make them....
The key, of course, is to make a big batch of Charro Beans. It's super easy and these are some of the most satisfying frijoles you'll ever taste. I use bacon to create their unique heartiness, but you're also welcome to add in some chorizo or ham if that's what you have available. Start by roasting 4-5 plum tomatoes in the oven at 400F.
Then chop up 1/2 lb. of bacon and cook it in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the bacon has browned add a finely chopped 1/2 onion. Cook for a few minutes and then add 2 minced garlic cloves.
Then we'll add the remaining ingredients to the pan: the roasted tomatoes 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups stock (or water) 3 minced chipotles in adobo 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly cracked black pepper
Bring this mixture up to a simmer and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, covered. Be sure to give a final taste for seasoning as beans are hypersensitive to salt. I added another generous pinch after the simmer, so that is a heaping teaspoon total for this batch.
Blending some of the beans into a puree works great for Tostadas so let's do that. I usually blend about half of the pot and leave the other half as is. Simply add half of the beans to a blender along with a few spoonfuls of broth. Combine well. If the mixture isn't combining readily just add a few more splashes of the broth.
Now it's just a matter of spreading the Charro Bean awesomeness on a warm Tostada shell. I added some Pickled Jalapenos to this batch as well.
And topped with: Queso Fresco freshly chopped cilantro a squeeze of lime And they were dee-licious. Like....off the charts dee-licious :)
Okay, I hope you try out these Charro Bean Tostadas! It's such a simple, satisfying meal and I come back to it on a regular basis. Let me know if you have any questions about it. Click the 'Get the recipe!' button below to see the full instructions. Enjoy!!