Vegetarian Bean Tostadas

Vegetarian Bean Tostadas with a savory medley of beans, cheese, and veggies. Easily vegan-ized and deliciously gluten-free, pile these tasty tostadas mile high with all your favorite toppings!

Have we taken a moment to talk about Mexican pizzas yet?

They’ve been drive-thru indulgence of choice for more years than I care to confess.  Though I’d always order them sans beef, they were still far from healthy.  Regardless, I insisted that I did not, under any circumstances, want to know what was in them…

Sand.  There’s freaking sand in the tortillas.

It’s actually silica, to be more exact, which is supposed to make the tortillas crispier or prevent caking or breakage or who-cares-what.

If you’re partial to sand-free Mex pizzas as well, I whipped up a healthy alternative for lunch the other day!

I had a few heaping cups of leftover filling from my triple-bean flautas as well as a pile of corn tortillas that were just begging to be reintroduced to my face.  It was no-brainer, really.

Crispy Vegetarian Bean Tostadas

There are two different ways you can introduce these tasty tostadas to your face.

The first method would be tostada-style where you place a layer of flavorful bean-y goodness atop the crispy tortilla and assault it with cheese and toppings galore.

The second method involves layering the tortillas with hot melty cheese and beans between each layer.  Of course you’ll want to plaster them in toppings too, so the main question you’ll want to ask yourself is if you want a single or double?  I went with a triple, because I like to live dangerously.

By live dangerously, I mean it was simply more fun to photograph that way!  When I’m not trying to impress anyone and plan on simply stuffing my face while standing in the kitchen, wearing a baby, and simultaneously trying to clean up after myself WHILE eating, well then I just make a double and call it a day.  Extra cheese and toppings on mine, please and thank you.

Ooh!  Before I forget, if you use the scaled down version of the triple-bean fillng above you’ll still have a little bit left over.  You can store it in the fridge to make another tostada or two for lunch the next day or slap it in a taco or quesadilla and enjoy a quick meal with it!  The recipe above makes four mini pizzas.

5 from 4 votes

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Crispy Baked Vegetarian Bean Tostadas

Vegetarian Bean Tostadas with a savory medley of beans, cheese, and veggies. Pile these tasty tostadas mile high with all your favorite taco toppings!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Vegetarian Mexican Pizza Tostadas

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 159 kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover triple bean flauta filling or use the scaled down recipe below
• 1/2-1 cup refried beans
• 8 small yellow corn tortillas
• a few tablespoons of your favorite taco/enchilada sauce
• your favorite toppings from the list below

TRIPLE BEAN FILLING

• 1/2 cup onion
• 1/2 TBSP avocado oil or coconut oil
• 1/2 large bell pepper (diced)
• 1 cup  black beans
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1/2 cup cannellini or pinto beans
• 1/4 cup salsa verde
• 1/2 TBSP chili powder
• 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
• 1/2 TBSP cumin
• a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika
• a pinch of oregano
• fresh chopped cilantro, to taste
• salt, to taste

TASTY TOPPINGS

• freshly grated cheese
• fresh cilantro
• chopped green onion
• tomatoes
• jalapeños
• salsa
• pico de gallo
• guacamole 
• sour cream or greek yogurt
• shredded lettuce

Instructions

1. Combine two cups of flauta filling or the bean and veggie recipe above (simply saute the onions in oil, drain and rinse the beans, and then combine with remaining ingredients) with a half to full cup of refried beans and heat in a sauce pot on the stove on medium-low until hot.
2. While it cooks, chop and grate your toppings and set aside.  I went with freshly grated gouda and white cheddar cheeses, fresh jalapenos, cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and red pepper flakes.  I also used an all-natural enchilada sauce to add a little extra oomph at the end.
3. For the tortillas, preheat your oven or toaster oven to 400 F.  Wrap 4 tortillas in moderately damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds on high.  If you’re making 8, only nuke four at a time so they properly steam.
4. Rub each tortilla with olive or coconut oil and place directly on the rack so that both edges are supported enough to lay each tortilla completely flat.  I used a toaster oven so this was easy, if you’re using your oven you might want to employ a wire cooling rack [like this] to prevent them from falling to their doom.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, turning over at the halfway point, until golden brown.
6. Remember when I told you to choose between two options earlier?  Well it’s crunch time — literally!  Whichever method you go with, you’ll essentially be doing the same thing.  Spread the crunchy tortilla with the beans, drizzle with taco sauce, enchilada sauce, or even hot sauce and top with freshly grated cheese.  Lots of it.  Then either stack it or return it by it’s lonesome to the oven/toaster atop a sheet of foil or a baking pan to melt the cheeses.  Once you’ve achieved melty perfection, pile on as many toppings as you can  physically muster and commence faceplant.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on toppings chosen and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Baked Vegetarian Bean Tostadas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 159 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 189mg8%

Potassium 281mg8%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 438IU9%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 54mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

so . . . how were they!?

Better than the original! I’ve been making these with plain ole refried beans for a while now but they were always a wee bit boring. The triple-bean filling provided the flavor punch that took these to the next level.

The top level.

Super-posh penthouse, even!

more taco night favorites

• Shrimp Tostadas with easy blender guacamole
• Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
• Chicken Taquitos from Dinner at the Zoo
• Sheet Pan Nachos with Homemade Queso
• Avocado Salsa Verde

If you get a chance to try these tasty Vegetarian Bean Tostadas, let me know!

You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!