Mexican beef tostadasare a classic dish that are full of a wide variety of flavors and textures. This dish starts with a crispy corn tortilla base, refried beans, cheese, and juicy carnitas, then can be modified with all of your favorite toppings!

Mexican beef tostado on a round white plate with limes and cilantro.

Mexican beef tostadas is one meal that I don’t think I will ever get sick of having! This dish is the perfect combination of textures and flavors that is delicious every time. I love that you can switch up the toppings and customize these tostadas however you’d like.

The star of the show here would have to be the carnitas! I tend to cook mine in the slow cooker so that it becomes juicy and flavorful, which takes these tostadas to the next level. This is a great meal if you are planning on feeding a crowd, because it makes a lot of food with minimal effort. You will not regret making these tasty tostadas!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Your tostadas can be assembled in under 30 minutes.
Topping options for your tostadas are limitless!
These tostadas are full of flavor and great for picky eaters!

Recipe Ingredients

portion bowls each with raw ingredients to make Mexican beef tostado recipe.

Carnitas—My favorite kind of beef to use for tostadas!
Corn Tortillas—You can use white or yellow corn tortillas.
Cooking Oil—To deep fry your tortillas and give them a nice crunch.
Toppings—We like to use lettuce, cheese, refried beans, salsa, sour cream, tomatos, limes, and cilantro.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Mexican Beef Tostada

cast iron frying the tortilla for Mexican beef tostados

Step #1.Prepare all the necessary ingredients for making beef tostadas.

Step #2.In a small skillet, add enough oil to fill the bottom about half an inch. Allow the oil to heat up. When the oil is hot, carefully place one corn tortilla in the hot oil. Use tongs or forks to flip the tortilla.

Mexican beef tostado on a round white plate in progress.

Step #3.Once both sides are cooked, let the tortillas drain on paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Spread refried beans on a tostada shell and sprinkle with cheese. Place the shell in a warm oven to melt the cheese.

Step #4.Add another tostada shell on top of the melted cheese. Add a layer of steak carnitas meat and top with your favorite toppings. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

What oil is best for frying?

Honestly any type of oil will work, as long as it is neutral flavored and has a high smoke point! This will prevent any change in flavor of your tortillas, which you do not want. Make sure that the oil is hot enough before you start frying for the best results. I would recommend canola, corn, avocado, or vegetable oil, and try to stay away from olive oil for this recipe as it can have a heavy flavor.

How can I tell when the tortillas are done cooking?

It should be fairly easy to tell when the tortillas are done cooking as long as you keep an eye on them. You will notice that they turn a beautiful, light golden brown color and that is how you will know they are ready. Allow each side to cook for about 2-3 minutes so that they are crispy enough for your tostada! Be careful not to overcook them or else they will become too brittle and almost dry.

What is a tostada?

The word tostada is a Spanish word that means “toasted” and is a dish that has a fried or baked corn tortilla base. Typically, a corn tortilla will be baked or deep fried and then topped with a variety of different ingredients that usually include beans, cheese, meat, and salsa. This is a classic Mexican dish, and is almost like a flat taco!

beef piled high with cilantro on top to make Mexican beef tostados.

Best Mexican Beef Tostada Toppings

Practically anything you like on a taco, you will enjoy on a tostada! You can switch up the flavor profile to be spicy or mild, depending on your preferences. The possibilities are truly endless, but here are some of our favorite toppings to get you started:

Cheese—We usually use cheddar, but you can switch things up by using Colby Jack, Monterey, and pepper Jack.
Vegetables—Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, corn, and sliced jalapeños are all great veggie options for your tostada.
Sauces—Sauce things up by adding sour cream, hot sauce,chunky fresh salsa,chipotle sauce, queso, orguacamoleto the top of your tostada.

Expert Tips

Using the refried beans as the base will keep the tortillas from becoming soggyand also help the two tortillas stick together!
You will have to make your carnitas beforehand, andI recommend using a chuck roast for the best flavor and most tender meat,and cooking it in the crockpot.
To help the excess grease drain from the tortillas,it is easiest to line a plate with paper towels and then dab the top of the tortillas as they come out of the oil.
I like to try toavoid having any leftovers since the tostadas will get a little soggy in the fridge. If you really want to save them then you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat them in the microwave for 45-60 seconds.