Crispy Beef and Cheese Tostadas with Green Pepper Salsa and Spicy Crema

Forget taco kits-these homemade tostadas take Tex-Mex to the next level. Crispy baked tortillas provide the perfect base for a mountain of toppings: warmly spiced ground beef, sautéed green peppers and onions, melty Mexican cheese, fresh tomato salsa and a tangy hot sauce crema.

This recipe is all about texture and flavor. The crunch of the tostada contrasts with the savory beef and creamy crema, while the salsa adds brightness. It’s a fun, customizable dinner that comes together quickly.

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Ingredients

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to top position (top and middle for 4 servings) and preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry produce. Dice tomato. Roughly chop cilantro. Halve and peel onion; thinly slice one half. Finely chop remaining onion until you have 2 tablespoons. Quarter lime. Halve, core and thinly slice green pepper into strips.
2. In a medium bowl, combine tomato, cilantro, chopped onion, juice from half the lime and a pinch of salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine sour cream with hot sauce to taste. Stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time until drizzling consistency. Season with salt.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, Southwest Spice, chili powder and a few big pinches of salt. Cook, breaking up meat, until browned, 4-5 minutes (it will finish cooking later).
4. Add green pepper, sliced onion and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender and beef is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Add stock concentrate and ¼ cup water (½ cup for 4 servings). Simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt. Remove from heat.
5. Drizzle tortillas with 1 tablespoon olive oil (2 tablespoons for 4 servings); brush or rub to coat both sides. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer (use two sheets for 4). Gently prick each tortilla a few times with a fork. Bake on top rack, flipping halfway, until lightly golden, 4-5 minutes per side. (For 4, bake on top and middle racks; flip and swap rack positions halfway.) Watch carefully-tortillas brown fast!
6. Divide tortillas among plates; sprinkle evenly with Mexican cheese. Top with beef mixture, salsa and crema. Serve with remaining lime wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, corn tortillas work well. They are smaller and crisp up nicely. Adjust baking time as needed.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately: beef mixture in the fridge, salsa and crema in sealed containers. Assemble just before eating to keep tostadas crispy.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Absolutely! Substitute the ground beef with crumbled tofu or a plant-based meat alternative and use vegetable stock concentrate.