Avocado-Black Bean Tostadas

By David Tanis

Updated Sept. 23, 2025

Avocado-Black Bean Tostadas
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
40 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes, plus chilling and cooling time
Rating
5(136)
Comments
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Great for a snack or served as an appetizer with drinks, tostadas can be dainty, made with small tortillas and a dab of savory mashed beans and queso fresco, or they can be hefty, like an over-stuffed sandwich. Though you can buy tostada shells in packages, homemade ones are more delicious, and making them is as simple as rubbing tortillas with oil and crisping them in the oven. The better the tortilla, the better the tostada shell. This recipe calls for canned refried beans, seasoned to taste, but by all means use homemade if you are able. Avocados that are ripe but still firm, dressed with lime juice and salt, are key. If you wish, make the pickled vegetables a day in advance.  

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Ingredients

Yield:6 tostadas

    For the Pickled Vegetables

    • 1medium red onion, sliced
    • 1 or 2jalapeños, sliced
    • 1cup cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
    • 1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 1tablespoon sugar
    • A few black peppercorns
    • 1(1-inch) cinnamon stick
    • 1bay leaf

    For the Tostadas

    • 6corn tortillas
    • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1½cups black refried beans, from 1 (15-ounce) can, seasoned to taste with ground cumin, garlic and salt
    • 3small firm-ripe avocados 
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste
    • Crumbled queso fresco, to taste
    • 4 to 6red radishes, slivered
    • Cilantro sprigs, epazote leaves (optional), and crema, sour cream or crème fraîche (optional), for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Make the pickled vegetables: Put sliced onions and jalapeños in a small stainless-steel pot. Add vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns, cinnamon and bay leaf. Add water to barely cover.

  3. Step 3

    Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer briskly for 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn off heat and let the vegetables cool in the brine. (The pickled vegetables are ready to eat, but they will keep, refrigerated, for a month. The onions will be fairly piquant.)

  5. Step 5

    Make the tostadas: Rub both sides of the tortillas liberally with the oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip tortillas and bake for another 5 or so minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove and cool to room temperature. While the tostadas cool, cut avocados into cubes and place in a bowl. Warm the refried beans in the microwave, heating in 30-second bursts, or on the stovetop over medium heat.

  6. Step 6

    Build the tostadas: Spread each toasted tortilla with refried beans. Season avocados with salt and lime juice, then spoon onto refried beans. Top with pickled onion and jalapeño slices.

  7. Step 7

    Sprinkle each tostada with queso fresco and slivered radishes. Roughly chop about 3 tablespoons cilantro and epazote (if using), mixed together. Sprinkle over top. Add a dab of crema, if using. Once assembled, serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
136 user ratings
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Comments

Gale

I do the pickle differently since I find simmering in the brine makes the jalapeño & onion too soft, bordering on mushy. Bring the brine to a boil until salt & sugar (I only use a t spoon) dissolve and pour over the veg since I like a bit more texture. Tostadas are so easy to make & versatile - even here in the ethnic wasteland of Vermont my local supermarket has premade (in Mexico no less) tostadas saving one step. Even easier to put the grilled fish on the top...

turbochef

@Gale Glad you mentioned adding grilled fish. I agree … it’s the missing link.

K Smits

I forgot to save the liquid from beans so had to add water. Very tasty and easy recipe. The lime and pickled onions are absolutely essential!

Scottie

Add carrots

Emily

I saw this recipe yesterday and couldn't stop thinking about it, so I just made one for myself close to midnight after my earlier dinner. Yum. Totally worth it.

Janet

The pickled onions and jalapeños made this outstanding. Perfect example of an easy to make condiment that takes an otherwise straightforward dish to the next level and can be used in other dishes. I skipped queso fresco (used a little sharp white cheddar instead) and mashed seasoned and warmed black beans with a little liquid from the can to sub for refried. Ideal quick(ish) lunch.

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