Shredded beef tostadas are the best and most delicious meal for a busy weeknight! This quick dinner is made with leftover slow cooker shredded beef, refried beans, shredded cheddar cheese and all of your favorite toppings like sour cream and pico de gallo salsa. It's always a great choice when there isn't much time to spare or you just don't feel like spending lots of time in the kitchen.
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I love having protein prepped and ready to go, and making a big batch of shredded beef is super easy!
Simply season a 2-3lb beef chuck roast with salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Place your roast in a large crock pot atop onion slices, beef broth and lime juice.
Cook meat on low for 8 hours and then pull apart. There you have it, a large batch of shredded beef to use in all kinds of recipes! For a more detailed guide, see this post: Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef.
More Shredded Beef Recipes
Try these fantastic Shredded Beef Enchiladas or substitute pulled beef for chicken in this Taco Salad Recipe. You can also make some very heavenly beef tacos!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tostada shells: purchase shells at the grocery store (they're usually located near the tortillas)! Or, you can make your own tostada shells.
- Refried beans: pinto or black beans.
- Shredded beef: leftover Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef. Delicious, savory and super flavorful.
- Cheese: I prefer shredded cheddar cheese. Queso fresco or cotija cheese are also great options.
- Pico de gallo: or sub your favorite type of salsa.
- Shredded iceberg lettuce: a touch of fresh greens.
- Sour cream: no tostada is complete without this classic topping!
- More optional toppings: black olives, jalapenos, red onion, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, baja sauce, healthy queso or poblano sauce!
How To Make Shredded Beef Tostadas
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
- Gather all ingredients and toppings!
- Heat refried beans in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat (or warm in the microwave if preferred). If you choose to microwave your beans, be sure to cover with paper towels as they tend to spatter a lot.
- Heat leftover shredded beef. This can also be done via stovetop or microwave.
- Cover tostada shells with a thin layer of refried beans.
- Add a layer of shredded lettuce and beef.
- Finally, add all desired toppings and enjoy!
Hot tip: I would highly recommend serving your tostadas "bar style." Simply line up your shells, beans, meat and toppings so everyone can assemble they're own. This is a fun way to save some extra time!
Making Homemade Tostada Shells
If desired, you can make your own tostada shells, rather than using store-bought.
Start by preheating the oven to 400°F.
Line corn tortillas on a baking sheet and spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray. You can also use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of oil if you don't have spray.
Sprinkle tortillas with salt (I like to use a large grain kosher or sea salt, but regular will work fine). The tortillas are prone to warping and curling as they bake, to prevent this you can cover them with a wire rack.
Bake at 400°F for 6-7 minutes. Flip and bake 6-7 more, until golden brown. Remove shells from the oven and allow them to cool.
More Mexican Food
- Chicken Tinga Enchiladas
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Cheesy Chorizo Quesadillas
- Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos
- Beef Taco Stuffed Peppers
- Low Carb Taco Casserole
- Shredded Chicken Taco Salad
- Tasty Shrimp Tostadas
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Stupendous Shredded Beef Tostadas
Ingredients
- 18 tostada shells *see note below
- 1 16 oz can refried pinto beans *refried black beans will also work!
- 2 cups shredded beef *see note below
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce *shredded
- 1 cup pico salsa
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup light sour cream *see note below
Recipe Notes
Tostada shells: To make your own tostada shells (rather than using store-bought), line corn tortillas on a baking sheet. Coat both sides with olive oil cooking spray (or use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of oil) and sprinkle with salt. Weigh tortillas down with a wire rack if you want to keep them flat, without weight they will curl and warp a bit. Bake at 400°F for 6-7 minutes. Flip and bake 6-7 more, until golden brown. Remove shells from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Shredded beef: If you don't have leftover shredded beef to use up, it's super easy to make some! Season a 2-3lb beef chuck pot roast with salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Place your roast in a large crock pot atop onion slices. Add beef broth and lime juice and cook on low for 8 hours before shredding. There you have it, a large batch of beef to use in all kinds of recipes! For a more detailed guide, see this post: Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef. Light sour cream: I like using a light sour cream to cut down on calories a bit. Greek yogurt tastes a lot like sour cream and is an even healthier option!Instructions
- Gather all ingredients and toppings!
- Place a medium sized sauce pan on the stovetop. Add refried beans and turn heat to medium, cook for 5-10 minutes until bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside. (*note: you can also heat beans in the microwave, just be sure to cover them with a paper towel as they spatter a lot).
- Heat leftover shredded beef in a separate saucepan over medium heat, or microwave in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Spoon 3 tablespoons of warm, refried beans onto your tostada shell and spread evenly.
- Add a layer of shredded lettuce and beef.
- Finally, add a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese, pico de gallo (or preferred salsa) and sour cream.
- Enjoy!
Hot tip:
- I highly recommend serving your tostadas "bar style." Simply line up your shells, beans, meat and toppings so everyone can assemble they're own. This is a big time saver for the chef.
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Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?!
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Anna says
I can’t recall if I commented on this post but it never hurts to leave more than one comment. Another fabulous recipe. Shredded beef is the best!
Tammy says
Pinning this recipe, Stacey! It looks so delicious.