Yes, I know. Comfort food has many names and shapes. Yours could be macaroni and cheese or your mother’s famous soup. Mine has a name too: Beef Tostadas; a flat crispy fried corn tortilla with Shredded beef or even with chicken or just plain beans, garnished with lettuce, tomato, onions, and fresh cheese without forgetting a good salsa to enhance the flavors.
Beef Tostadas Recipe
Some days when I find myself feeling the “nostalgia” of missing my home country, is the perfect excuse to prepare these delicious tostadas, listening to one of my favorites romantic Mexican radio stations via the internet. This combination seems to cure all kind of “blues” I may have. And for a moment, everything seems fine. It’s all good! (It will be interesting to know what are some of the comfort foods of other cultures).
Antojitos must be one of the most missed dishes for any Mexican living abroad. Tostadas is just one of the many antojitos that can be prepared with different types of toppings, like chicken, beef, seafood, beans, and pork feet. Yes, pork feet indeed!
Tortillas were sun-dried since the ancient Aztec times, to make them last longer. Still, some years ago, you could find sun-dried tortillas in popular cities, like Toluca in Central Mexico. It took several days to dry the tortillas, depending on the weather. At home, you can use your oven to dry the tortillas, placing them on a baking sheet, brush them with vegetable oil and cover them with your cooling rack to keep them flat.
Then toast at 200 degrees (low temperature) for about 10 minutes. Or, as an alternative, you can deep-fry the tortillas in oil until golden, rigid and crispy. Drain on paper towels. This is the most common method used in Mexico.
Note: A day-old tortillas are better for tostadas since they absorb less oil and laying them on your counter overnight will start the drying process. Place a kitchen towel and remove the tortillas from their plastic packing, layer and cover them with another towel.
Besides beef tostadas, you can also make the tostadas with other toppings like chicken, ground beef, cooked fish, fish ceviche, pork… Well… you get the idea.
How to make Beef Tostadas
You will need 1 pound of Skirt steak, ¼ pc. of a small onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 bay leaf. Place the ingredients in a stock pot filled with water and cook over medium heat. Cooking time will be about 2 hours until meat is tender enough to be shredded. Let it cool, season with salt and pepper.
Now to the assembly process
- Spread a small amount of the refried beans on one side of each tostada. About 2 tablespoons. Then add the shredded meat evenly among the tostadas. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Top the tostada with lettuce, onion, and tomato.
- Sprinkle with the crumbled cheese and avocado. Serve immediately.
And now, let me ask you: What is the name of your favorite comfort food?
¡Buen provecho!
Mely Martinez,
Also, check our popular Tuna Tostadas or Beef in Tomato Sauce with Swiss Chard.
Beef Tostadas
Ingredients
- 6 Corn tostadas
- 1 cup refried beans, warm
- 2 cups cooked and shredded skirt steak or your favorite meat veggie or seafood
- 3 cups Shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 medium size tomato chopped
- ½ small onion diced
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco Feta and Parmesan are a good substitution.
- 1 avocado diced or sliced
- ½ cup Mexican cream or Creme Fraiche
- A good salsa of your choice
For the meat:
- You can use leftover meat from a different cut of meat. Shred it or cut in small bite-size pieces. If you are starting from scratch cook the meat earlier or the day before. I like to cook the meat in the morning and always make enough to freeze and use in other dishes.
- For this recipe, you will need 1 pound of Skirt steak ¼ pc. of a small onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 bay leaf. Place the ingredients in a stock pot filled with water and cook over medium heat. Cooking time will be about 2 hours until meat is tender enough to be shredded. Let it cool, season with salt and pepper. But I always cook more that one pound. Meat cooked this way is great for tacos, sopes sandwiches and much, much more.
Instructions
Now to the assembly process
- Spread a small amount of the refried beans on one side of each tostada. About 2 tablespoons. Then add the shredded meat evenly among the tostadas
- Top the tostada with lettuce, onion, and tomato.
- Sprinkle with the crumbled cheese and avocado. Let your guests or family members add the cream to their liking. Serve immediately.
Velva
I would find these tostadas soul satisfying. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Gloria
Oh these look very tasty and look well plated.yum!
Belinda @zomppa
This looks so delicious!! The crunch - the flavors!
Prieta
Hi Mely,
Tostadas is one of my comfort food too. I like them a lot! But I have to say that nothing gives me more comfort then a good hot caldo de res with warm fresh made tortillas de maíz... yum, my favorite!
Mommy Set Free
Makes my mouth water!
Helga!
Mouth wateringly delicious!!!
Byte64
Mely,
que ricas tostadas!
Pues a mi me encantan las tostadas de ceviche, ya pasaron ocho años, pero me acuerdo muy bien de unas tostadas que comí en la palapa azul en la playa del tecolote (La Paz, BCS).
Un abrazo!
Tlaz
Cory
Yummy...tostadas are my favorite, though caldo de queso takes a very close second vote.
Love your site, thanks for sharing.
Anilú
They look amazing. I want to try cooking the meat in the pressure cooker to make it faster.
I have too many comfort foods. A simple beans, ham and cheese torta with bolillos fresh from the bakery, my mom's conchitas soup with Chiapas cream cheese (the one wrapped in wax), enchiladas with minced beef and mole, empanadas with cabbage on top, tamales de masa colada, caldo de barbacoa, so many. You can tell I grew up in Tabasco hahaha.
Thanks for your great blog.
Swathi
Mely,
Tostadas looks delicious. I love to try them with veggie version.If you go to any Indian store you can get sambhar powder ready made packet also asafeotida or if you have to make some in-home.
Yolanda
Those look and sound fabulous! Thank you for the instructions and recipe. 🙂
Yolanda
p.s. My favorite comfort food is a bakes potato with real butter.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hi,
Velva, Belinda and Gloria, thanks for stopping by. Have a great exciting weekend.
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Prieta, Caldo de res is so good to feel close to home in those cold days when we are homesick.
Happy weekend!
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello,
Mommy Set free, Helga and Cory,
I hope you can try the tostadas at home.
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Flavio,
No se te hace interesante como la gastronomia de La Paz, B.C. es tan diferente a otras costas de Mexico. A mi me sorprendio que puedes ir a comer tacos de mariscos en las mananas! Y que hay un monton de puestos en las calles llenos de gente comiendolos. Si alguien me lo contara no lo creeria pero ya que estas ahi le entras a los tacos de mariscos.
🙂
Y porque no haces las tostadas en tu casa?
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Anilu,
Tenia tiempo que no visitabas Todos esas comidas me encantan. Las emoladas delos domingos de carne molida con aceitunas y pasitas. Hhmmmm..
Las empanadas de queso de Chiapas revuelto con azucar. Note creeas aqui seguido las hago pero con queso fresco.
Ahora voy a tener que contactar a alguien en Tabasco para que me envien un quesito de esos ya que de todos los quesos Mexicanos el queso de Chiapas es mi favorito.
Saludos!
Mely
Gracie "Neky White"
me encantan las tostadas! de tinga de pollo.. ummm =p
Byte64
Mely,
tienes toda la razón, hay que intentar a hacer tostadas en casa, la verdad es que en esta casa casi nunca freímos.
Te confieso que las tostadas con chipotle que venden en México me encantan, me comería un sobre entero sin darme cuenta.
Lo bueno es que en dos meses voy a tener chances de hacerlo! 😀
Un abrazo querida Mely.
Tlaz
Lyndsey~The Tiny Skillet~
I could get very comfortable eating this! There is nothing like the smell of good corn tortillas in the making...yum!
Marcella Alyssa
Wow! I have been studying in Santiago, Chile for 4 months (in two months I return to LA!!) and you would be surprised how different Chilean food is from Mexican. I miss this food so much!!!
My comfort food is my mom's sopa. She makes it with little shell pastas, tomato sauce, caldo de pollo, and lots of queso! Perfect for gloomy days 🙂
Julia
Fantástico blog con unas deliciosas recetas. Gracias por compartir con todos nosotros éste hermoso blog.
Te he conocido por casualidad y estoy encantada de haber pasado por aquí y disfrutar con tus recetas.
Un abrazo desde Madrid y buen fin de semana.
encintura
Para mí, una de las más simples y deliciosas recetas mexicanas. Fácil de hacer y apropiada para cualquier momento. ¡Lo tiene todo!
Besos,
Nikk
Jay
looks divine...delicious n tempting...
Heather @girlichef
I have so many favorite comfort foods that I can't name them all...but these would be perfectly comforting to me at any time, I love tostadas. Delicious, Mely.
Karen
I haven't had a good tostada in ages. I'm going to have to make some soon!
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Gracie,
You are right, tostadas de Tinga must be a hit here at home. I also like Tinga in empanadas.
Saludos!
Hola Flavio,
Are you planning to travel to Mexico this summer? If so, enjoy the trip.
Hi Lyndsey
Yes, fried tortilla has an aromatic lure to the kitchen.
Have a great weekend.
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Marcella,
Well, it is jut for 4 months. Enjoy Chile. It’s people and culture. And take many pictures to share in your blog.
Hola Julia,
Que gusto que la casualidad te haya traido aqui. Saludos a Madrid.
Hola Encintura/Nikk,
Me pregunto si ya vende tortillas por alla en tu parte del mundo.
Saludos,
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hi Jay,
I hope you are tempted to make them. ☺
Hola Heather,
I bet you have a long list of favorites as comfort food.
Karen,
Maybe now is the best time to cook some tostadas for dinner.
Glad you all stop by.
Un abrazo,
Mely
Pily Guzman
O sea que tú haces desde las tostada? wow!!! sí que eres virtuosa eh? qué bárbara !!
Lo que describes de tu nostalgia por tu país, me hace imaginarte perfecto, como en película, escuchando TU música y haciendo TU comida.. qué lindo y no sé siento nostalgia al pensar en tí... pero qué bien que sabes hacer tantas rica comida mexicana.. por que por ese lado no le sufres nada Melyy.
Rica receta, me encantan las tostadas, yo esta semana también hice, de pollo y jamón, fácil y rico , ah!! fresco !
un beso querida amiga
Amanda- Eating in Winnipeg
Happy weekend! Don't forget to come over and share a recipe at Savory Sunday!!
Mexico in my kitchen
@Yes, Amanda. i will be there for sure.
@Pily, te envio un abrazo amiga.
Mely
Nammi
hi Mely, this looks perfect!!, can i have one to go please? 🙂 hope you had a nice week end
NORMA RUIZ
Woooooo que ricoooo, yo quiero una no mejor dos me haz hecho agua la boca que ricas tostadas, gracias por compartirnos tu rica receta, besos lindo domingo
oysterCulture
I've loved tostadas from that first bite, so I know these will be brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Maria Ontiveros
On tostada days, my mom would fry the corn tortillas early in the day, stack them sideways with paper towels between them, and then store them in a blue speckled enamel pot in the lower oven. So we could prepare them easily ourselves. We only used fresh refried beans (no cans) and no meat. Thanks for bringing back that fantastic memory.
Rinda
Karen from Globetrotter Diaries
I love tostadas, and these look great! I want to bite into one... mmm.. some of my favorite comfort foods are dishes my mom made for me when I was little, for example her stewed oxtail. I think comfort foods are directly linked to personal experiences!
Mexico in my kitchen
@Nammi
Of course you can have more that one. Hugs to the little ones.
@Hola Norma,
Que alegria verte publicar de nuevo. Un beso para ti tambien.
@OysterCulture,
You are right, it is love at first bite.
@Maria Ontiveos,
Wise woman your mother. Those instructions should be in any tostada recipe. This is a meal that need to be well planned to avoid any rush at dinner time. Thanks for that useful tip.
@Karen from Globetrotter Diaries,
Oxtail Soup! Please, share your mother's recipe. Oxtail is well loved here at home in stew during winter time.
Hugs,
Mely
Amanda- Eating in Winnipeg
This look wonderful! Thanks for linking up to savory sunday!
If you are interested in doing a guest post some time I would LOVE to have you!! Let me know 🙂
Mexico in my kitchen
Amanda- Eating in Winnipeg
It is fun to visit the links to this past Savory Sunday.
Amanda, thanks for the invitation, you are very kind.
I will love to do a guest post anytime.
Mely
Carmen
Deveras que las tostadas es un platillo que te saca de apuros. Qué vienen los cuates de tu marido, pues tostadas, que vamos de día de campo, tostadas, que vamos a ver que picamos tostadas.
Y sabes qué Mely? Que me doy cuenta que desde que estoy aquí no me he comido tostadas porque antes las compraba en el mercado de la Guerrero, y son ma-ra-vi-llo-sas, son super sabrosas, no están grasosas, están salitas y sabe el maíz tan rico. Incluso le compro a mi amiga que vive en Francia y se las lleva y se la pasa tostando antes de comerlas y vuelven a estar crujintes y frescas. Ahora que vuelva me voy a comprar mis tostadas. Son muy frescas con este caloron
Un beso
Mexico in my kitchen
Carmen
Hola Carmen,
Aqui venden de las ya tostadas pero la calidad deja mucho que desear.
Muy buen punto eso que mencionas. Son tan practicas y versatiles que hasta con frijolitos frios se antojan.
Un abrazo,
Mely
Gabriela, clavo y canela
Hola querida Mely!! quien dice que la comida mexicana no es sana porque tiene mucha grasa? claro que con imaginación se pueden hacer delicias como éstas... sano y delicioso!
Me diste un super antojo, además está especial para el clima de estos dias
besitos
Ziho
Hola Mely
Creo que yo también me uno a los antojados jejeje pues me encantan las tostadas y es lo que preparo para la cena para salir del apuro, fácil y rápido y qué mejor que con una buena salsa picosa!
Las tostadas me gusta freirlas... ya sé mucha grasa! pero les saco más sabor que las deshidratadas de bolsa. Haré la técnica en casa a ver qué tal pues uno tmb las puede sazonar con lo que quieras!
Creo que prepararé esto para cenar!
Gracias
Rebecca from Chow and Chatter
this looks so delicious and cute post my hubby cooks with Indian music on
Ziho
Jajaja que risa con Pily pero pues sí Mely, no le sufres nadita y qué mejor que tú para promover la verdadera comida Mexicana!
Al menos apacientas tu nostalgia con tu música y tu comida!
Besos
Mexico in my kitchen
Ziho
Si Ziho,
Ahi me veras escuchando a Alejandro fernandez y comiendo tostadas. 🙂
Aparte me gusta esuchar los anuncios en la radio.
Saluditos,
Mely
Candace
The colors are just beautiful, Mely! They look absolutely delicious. What I wouldn't give for some of those today! I may have to change my plans and make Mexican food for tonight. It might be an emergency. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your recipes! I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Candace
Nokriss
Me gustan mucho! pero me da flojera freirlas yo misma. Yo las compro =)
Saludos Mely
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen
I might not be able to stop with just one. Look sooo good. Thanks for the tip about drying out the tostado overnight. I didn't know that.
Sam
greengagirl
Oh, this makes me miss Mexico so, so much.
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Grrengagirl,
I am so glad you stopped by. Thanks fro your comment and hope you have a wonderful trip to Mexico.
Mely
La Dama
Ay Mely,
yo que segun me puse a dieta,me andas tantiando con esas ricas tostadas.yo tambien la extrane.
gracias por tu comentario, I was glued to the William Levy novela. esta bien buena la novela asta Buddy was following it everyday.
fijate que quiero vivir aqui un tiempo,pero es muy dificil estar tan lejos de mi familia, pues aver que pasa en el futuro.
Kristen
Hi there, I just found your site via Girlichef and I'm absolutely loving it! Thank you so much for posting these recipes. I could spend all day reading them.
Mexico in my kitchen
Kristen
Hello Kristen,
Thanks to you for leaving such a kind comment.
Welcome to my kitchen.
Mely
Al Dente Gourmet
Tostadas...Please count me in! I love-love tostadas and I could imagine the whole
flavors mixed together, DELICIOSO 🙂 This goes straight into my to try list.
Que delicia, Mely! Yo le daria un buen mordisco a estas tostadas tan ricas que hiciste:)
Abrazotes,
Aldy.
Pily Guzman
Querida Mely: ya sabes que me desconecto de este mundo blogueril por un ratito, pero no me voy sin antes decirte que ha sido hermoso conocerte y tenerte de amiga, gracias por todo, gracias por tus comentarios y ánimo, gracias por tus mails y tu apoyo siempre...
Seguimos en contacto y gracias
PILY
Mexico in my kitchen
Pily Guzman
Que pases unas felices vacaciones Pily.
No te pierdas,
Un abrazo,
Mely
Amanda-The Sweet Details
oh yum! this looks wonderful! don't forget to link up at savory sundays and i got a new blog url so i'd love you to come on over and follow me at my new blog!
Prieta
Mely, tu actualización dice que tienes tortas ahogadas pero no las puedo ver. Porque?!
Mexico in my kitchen
Prieta
Hola Prieta, te deje una nota en tu blog.
Un abrazo,
Mely
Marysol
Se vé tan delicioso. I think, with all its wonderful components, Tostadas could be easily enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Patricia P
I love tostadas... so easy to prepare... such a simple yummy summer meal 🙂
Anonymous
Try adding more beans and skipping the meat; OR
Try skipping the beans and meat and use guacomole as substitute.
Have a meat, bean and guacomole tostado trio for dinner!
Mely
Thanks for sharing you tostadas combination. I love the beans and fresh cheese combination.
Happy cooking.
Rebecca Subbiah
looks delicious
Martha E. Trevino
Mom always made refried beans-and-chorizo, tacos, machacado-and-egg tacos, bacon-and-egg tacos, papas-a-la-mejicana-tacos, frijoles with freshly-made red salsa, beans refried in bacon drippings or potato-and-egg tacos for breakfast, but since we loved snacking on them at all times, she would make a lot of the filler and we would just run over to the stove, grab a freshly-made flour tortilla, fill it up with whatever was in the pan and eat to our hearts' content. Those were some great times. She would also prepare a gallon of freshly-brewed Nestea, squeeze tons of limes into it, sweeten it and left it in the refrigerator so we could enjoy with our scrumptious tacos. Those were such great times!
Rene
Thank you for explaining how to dry, oil and bake or fry tostadas from leftover tortillas. I finely chopped a veggie burger and used it on top of retried bean tostadas. You do an excellent job of showing the authentic recipes. I then try to adapt it to a vegetarian form.