Crispy Black Bean Tostada Salad Bowls

Tostada means toasted in Spanish, and these bowls celebrate that shatter-crisp corn tortilla base. Spiced black beans, lime, and creamy avocado pile on for a fresh Mexican-inspired lunch without the fuss.

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 15 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 510 cal
• 18g protein
• 54g carbs
• 26g fat
• 13g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 8 small corn tortillas
• 3 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
• 2 (15-oz) cans canned black beans
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp total kosher salt
• 2 lime
• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 ripe avocado
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• to taste hot sauce
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños

Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of the corn tortillas lightly with oil and arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt.
2. 2Bake 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden and shatter-crisp; watch closely in the last minutes so they do not burn. Cool on a rack—they will crisp further.
3. 3Drain and rinse black beans. Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat; add beans, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
4. 4Cook 4–5 minutes, mashing half the beans with a fork and adding a splash of water if needed, until thick, steamy, and slightly crispy at the edges. Squeeze in juice of half a lime.
5. 5Chop romaine into bite-size pieces, halve cherry tomatoes, dice avocados, and roughly chop cilantro. Toss lettuce with a squeeze of lime and tiny pinch of salt.
6. 6Stir Greek yogurt with juice of half a lime, salt, and hot sauce to taste for a quick crema.
7. 7To assemble, place two crispy tortillas in each shallow bowl. Spread a generous layer of warm spiced black beans on each tortilla.
8. 8Pile on dressed romaine, tomatoes, avocado, cotija, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños. Drizzle with lime crema and finish with remaining lime wedges.
9. 9Serve immediately so the tostadas stay crunchy. For meal prep, pack beans, toppings, and tortillas separately and assemble at lunchtime.
10. 10Leftover beans keep 4 days refrigerated and reheat beautifully in a skillet.