Crispy Oven Beef-and-Bean Tostadas

A healthier way to make tostadas and better tasting. The simple secret to making crispy tostadas is baking the corn tortillas instead of frying.

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon garlic salt
• 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 pound ground beef
• 0.5 cup chopped sweet onion, or more to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 corn tortillas
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups refried beans
• 2 cups shredded lettuce, or as desired
• 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato, diced

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Mix garlic salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper together in a small bowl.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, onion, and garlic in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Keep warm while preparing tostada shells.
4. Brush oil over both sides of tortillas and arrange on a baking sheet.
5. Bake tortillas in preheated oven until crisped on top, about 5 minutes. Flip tortillas and continue baking until other side crisps, 2 to 3 minutes more.
6. Heat refried beans in a saucepan over medium-low, stirring regularly until hot, about 5 minutes (see Cook's Note).
7. Divide refried beans between tostadas and spread over one side of each; spoon ground beef mixture over the beans. Top each tostada with lettuce, Cheddar cheese, and diced tomato.