Quick and delicious Beef Tostadas your family will love. Perfect weeknight meal with easy toppings and bold flavors.
Beef Tostadas are a regular in our weeknight dinner rotation—they’re quick, flavorful, and everyone gets to customize their own.
This recipe makes 8 tostadas, which is perfect for a family dinner or a small get-together. The key is in layering: a base of creamy refried beans, topped with seasoned ground beef, and finished with all your favorite toppings. I love letting my kids pick their own toppings—it’s like a mini taco bar right at our kitchen table.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning + water (follow packet instructions)
- 1 15oz can refried beans
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1-2 Tbsp water
- 8 corn tostada shells
Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, shredded lettuce, hot sauce, diced tomatoes, guacamole, sliced olives
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the red onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in taco seasoning and water, simmer according to packet directions. Drain if needed.
- Meanwhile, heat refried beans in a small saucepan.
- Thin sour cream with 1-2 tablespoons of water so it’s easy to drizzle.
- To assemble, spread beans on tostada shells, top with beef, then add your favorite toppings.
Tip: One tip I’ve learned from making these for years: warm your tostada shells in the oven for just a few minutes before assembling. It keeps them crisp and helps prevent any soggy disasters—a mistake I made way too many times in the past!
Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or hosting a casual taco night with friends, these Beef Tostadas are guaranteed to satisfy. The best part? They’re easy enough to whip up on a busy weeknight but still taste like you spent hours in the kitchen.
Want a few more quick Mexican-inspired meals? Try these Easy Chicken Enchiladas or my Sheet Pan Fajitas. They are perfect weeknight dinners that are deliciously simple to make!
Beef Tostadas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning + water mentioned on the back of the packet
- 1 15 oz can refried beans
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1-2 Tbsp water
- 8 corn tostada shells
For serving: (as desired)
- shredded cheddar cheese
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- hot sauce
- diced tomatoes
- guacamole
- sliced olives
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Saute red onion until softened (about 5 minutes.)
- Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- Add beef and cook, breaking up the meat until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the taco seasoning and water, and simmer according to package directions. Drain, if necessary.
- Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Thin the sour cream to make it easier to drizzle by adding 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- To serve, spread a layer of beans on the tostada shells, then top with beef and desired toppings.
Nutrition
Other Notes
