Stop buying stale tostadas, you can make your own tostada shells at home. Fresh from the oven, warm and crispy. You are just 10 minutes away from the perfect tostada shells.
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A tostada is a round crispy tortilla that is topped with either beans or shredded meat and loaded with fresh veggies and all your favorite Mexican toppings. It is simple to make your own tostadas from soft corn tortillas.
You can even cut the tortillas into wedges and turn them into oven-baked tortilla chips.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
Homemade tostadas are a great way to change up your taco game. You can use all the same fillings but in a fun new way. Plus you can get more toppings on a tostada than in a taco shell.
Baked Not Fried- No messy oil, and significantly quicker. I recommend the baking method over the frying. These baked tostadas are made with a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes of your time.
Gluten Free- This recipe is gluten-free when 100% corn tortillas are used.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Corn Tortillas- You can use white corn tortillas or yellow corn tortillas in this recipe. Tostadas are typically around 6 inches in diameter.
Oil- I use olive oil but any neutral oil like avocado oil or a high-quality vegetable oil cooking spray works as well.
Seasoning Mix- This part is optional but I think a light seasoning elevates the flavor of the shells. I used salt, chili powder, and cumin because they are often found in Mexican food. Use can also use plain sea salt or a little bit of taco seasoning.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
⏲️How to Make Homemade Tostada Shells
Start by preheating your oven. Because we are not frying the tortillas you need to have the oven totally preheat in order to get the crispy tostadas you dream of.
Step 1- Prep
Lightly brush both sides of the soft tortillas with your oil. You don't want them soppy. You can sprinkle them with seasoning now or when they come out of the oven.
Place the tortillas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Depending on the size of the baking pan you can get 3 to 4 tortillas on a sheet.
Step 2 - Bake
Bake the tortillas for 3 to 4 minutes, flip them over, and bake for 4 to 5 minutes more. They should begin to get large bubbles, the layers of the dough puffing up, and golden brown.
Remove from the oven when they are still slightly pliable. Move them to a wire rack and cool.
🥗How To Use Tostada Shells
There are so many ways to top tostada shells, any of your favorite toppings will work, but here are a few ideas.
I always use these shells to make my BBQ chicken nachos to ensure every chip has the perfect amount of toppings. I learned this trick when I worked in a Mexican restaurant!
Leftover taco meat or ground beef from my nachos supreme recipe with shredded lettuce, pico de Gallo, and sour cream is a classic. I like to add fresh sliced avocado or avocado crema to them as well.
You can also use them to make a Mexican pizza.
Tostadas are great for a work-from-home lunch, quick snack, or easy dinner.
More Topping Ideas
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
Don't throw out your leftover tostadas. You can reheat them in the oven to crisp them back up. Or chop them up and use them as croutons in salads, or toppings for casseroles, the possibilities are endless!
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover shells in an airtight container or ziptop bag and store them at room temperature for up to a week. Storing them in the refrigerator will result in limp and soggy shells. Not great.
💬Frequently Asked Questions
Are tostada shells hard or soft?
Tostada shells are harder than soft corn or flour tortillas but not as brittle as deep-fried taco shells.
Are tostada shells healthy?
How healthy tostadas are is based on how they were made. These baked tostadas are your best option if you are looking to keep things healthy, they will have fewer calories than the deep-fried version.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
How to Make Tostada Shells
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder optional
- ½ teaspoon cumin optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush both sides of the tortillas lightly with oil using a pastry brush.8 corn tortillas, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Bake for 3 to 4 minutes, flip bake for 4 to 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Top as desired.¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin
Notes
- Store any leftover shells in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to a week.
- Do not store them in the refrigerator, the shells will become soft and soggy.
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