Mexican Charred-Corn Black Bean Tostada Salads

In Mexican kitchens, tostadas turn sturdy corn tortillas into crisp platforms for vibrant toppings. Charred sweet corn and black beans meet avocado, heirloom tomatoes, and lime for a fresh lunch salad.

Serves 4 · 15 min prep · 10 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 445 cal
• 14g protein
• 52g carbs
• 22g fat

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
• 1 can (15 oz) canned black beans
• 1 lb heirloom tomatoes
• 1 large avocado
• 0.5 small red onion
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 lime
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 0.75 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 8 corn tostada shells
• 0.5 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 0.25 cup sour cream or Mexican crema

Instructions

1. 1Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add the corn kernels in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir and continue until deeply charred in spots, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl.
2. 2Drain and rinse the black beans thoroughly. Dice the heirloom tomatoes and avocado into ½-inch pieces. Finely dice the red onion and roughly chop the cilantro.
3. 3In a large bowl combine the warm charred corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.
4. 4Zest one lime and juice both limes. Whisk the lime zest and juice with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, and salt to make a bright dressing.
5. 5Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently so the avocado stays mostly intact. Let it sit 5 minutes for flavors to marry.
6. 6Arrange two tostada shells on each plate. Spoon a heaping mound of the corn-bean salad onto each shell.
7. 7Dollop small spoons of sour cream or crema over the tops and finish with a generous sprinkle of cotija.
8. 8Serve immediately while the shells are still crisp; leftovers of the salad keep well refrigerated for next-day lunches without the shells.