Crispy Black Bean and Corn Tostadas with Pickled Shallot and Creamy Jalapeño Crema

These crispy tostadas are a fiesta of textures and flavors. A crunchy baked tortilla base is topped with smoky mashed black beans, sweet charred corn, juicy diced tomato, tangy pickled shallot and a drizzle of creamy jalapeño-lime crema. Every bite delivers a perfect balance of savory, spicy and fresh.

Inspired by classic Mexican tostadas, this recipe is easy to customize-adjust the jalapeño to your heat preference or add extra toppings like avocado or hot sauce. Serve them as a fun weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

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Ingredients

1 unit Corn on the CobView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce Black BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon White Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and dry all produce. Cut corn kernels from the cob. Finely dice the tomato. Drain the black beans, reserving the liquid. Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Zest ½ tsp zest from the lime, then cut the lime into quarters. Roughly chop the cilantro. Thinly slice the jalapeño (remove ribs and seeds for less heat).
2. In a small bowl, toss the sliced shallot with the white wine vinegar and ½ tsp sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to pickle. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan over high heat. Add the corn kernels and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly charred, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Place the tortillas on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a big pinch of salt. Using tongs, turn the tortillas to coat evenly, then spread them in a single layer. Bake for 6 minutes, flip and continue baking until golden-brown, 4-6 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the drained black beans and half the fry seasoning. Cook until beans are slightly soft, 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the reserved bean liquid and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Mash with a potato masher or fork until mostly smooth.
5. In a small bowl, combine the charred corn, juice from one lime quarter, 1 tbsp sour cream, the Monterey Jack cheese and the remaining fry seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, the lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice and 1 tbsp water. Season with salt and pepper to make the crema.
6. Divide the crispy tortillas among plates. Spread each with a layer of mashed black beans. Top with diced tomato, the corn-cheese mixture and pickled shallot. Drizzle with the crema. Garnish with remaining cilantro and sliced jalapeño to taste. Serve immediately.

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 since they may cook faster.

How do I store leftover tostada components?

Store the beans, corn mixture and crema separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the crispy tortillas in a sealed bag at room temperature. Assemble just before serving to maintain crunch.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Absolutely. Use a dairy-free sour cream and cheese alternative or omit the cheese and crema and top with avocado slices instead.