I love these Black Bean Tostadas with Roasted Tomato Salsa. These would be great made with my Homemade Corn Tortillas
If you haven’t noticed yet, I’m pretty obsessed with Mexican food. My husband and I have visited Mexico many times now and besides the beautiful weather, friendly people, and beautiful ocean my most favorite thing about Mexico is the food! Some of the best food we have had on our trips has been from the little roadside stands and family-run joints. You can seriously find some delicious and inexpensive treats if you venture out of your comfort zone.
These Black Bean Tostadas with Roasted Tomato Salsa are a great vegetarian option if you switch up the oil when you cook your beans. If you want to add some meat, some shredded chicken or pork are great on tostadas. If you don’t have time to cook your beans from scratch, you can sub in canned black beans if you wish.
FOR THE BEANS (This makes about 4-5 cups of beans total):
INGREDIENTS:
– 2 Tbsp of Oil (I use bacon fat)
– 2 cloves garlic
– a handful of cilantro
– salt to taste
– 1 900 gram package black beans
– 1 whole white onion, plus 1/2 cup diced onion
– 1 fresh jalapeno, stem removed, diced, seeds left intact
The night before soaking the black beans in a large bowl in lots of cold water. Let them sit overnight.
Place your soaked beans in a large saucepan with lots of water to cover. Add in a whole white onion (quartered) for extra flavor. Bring the beans to a boil and lower to a simmer and let cook for about an hour and 15 minutes or until the beans are tender. Add more water if needed during the cooking process. At the last 15 minutes of cooking add in a bit of chopped cilantro and about 1 tbsp of salt to taste. Save some of the cooking liquid (about 1 cup) and place the beans into a blender with the liquid and blend until smooth.
Heat up a couple of tbsp of Bacon Fat or other oil of choice in a large pan. Add in about 1/2 a cup of diced white onions and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in a couple of cloves of minced garlic and 1 fresh jalapeno diced (stem removed). Cook those up until fragrant and add back in your pureed beans and cook up for a little bit until thickened. Taste and adjust salt if need be.
FOR THE ROASTED TOMATO SALSA:
– 3-4 medium to large tomatoes
– 2 jalapeno peppers
– about 1/2 small white onion diced
– a handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
– 2 garlic cloves minced
– salt to taste
Heat up your broiler. On a sheet pan put about 3-4 medium to large-sized tomatoes and 2 jalapeno peppers with stems removed. Place these under the broiler turning once until charred and roasted (about 5-6 minutes). Remove from the broiler and add to your blender with about 1 tsp of salt and minced garlic cloves. Blend up a little (you can leave a bit chunky if you like). Pour the salsa into a bowl and mix with some diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
FOR THE TOSTADAS:
– Corn Tortillas (however many you wish to serve) – preferably homemade
– vegetable oil for frying
Heat up a little vegetable oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Once the oil is hot (check it by putting the back of a wooden spoon in, once it bubbles it is good). Fry up your corn tortillas one at a time, flipping once during frying, until crispy. This only takes a couple of minutes. Remove from oil and let drain on a paper towel.
ADDITIONAL GARNISHES TO TOP YOUR TOSTADAS:
– Finely sliced radish
– Onion slices (I like to let them sit in some fresh lime juice and a little salt first)
– Avocado
– Finely chopped lettuce
– Cilantro
– Queso Fresco or Feta
– Fresh Limes and Hot Sauce to taste
TO SERVE:
Spread a little of your bean mixture on the bottom of you Tostada, top with your selected garnishes, and drizzle on a little of your roasted tomato salsa. These are best served right away while your tostadas are nice and crispy. Enjoy!
If you like this recipe you should try: Spicy Chipotle Shrimp
