Crispy Tex-Mex Tostadas with Spiced Beef, Bell Pepper &Amp; Creamy Hot Sauce Crema

Take your Tex-Mex night to the next level with these loaded crispy tostadas. A flat tortilla is baked until golden and crisp, creating the perfect base for piling on savory spiced beef, tender bell peppers and onions and a tangy tomato salsa. A drizzle of hot sauce crema adds a cool, spicy finish that ties everything together.

This recipe is all about big flavors and satisfying crunch. The ground beef is seasoned with a southwest spice blend and chili powder, then simmered with beef stock concentrate for extra richness. Top with melty Mexican cheese and fresh cilantro for a dinner that’s both quick and impressive.

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Ingredients

1 unit Green Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven 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 bell 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 as much hot sauce as you like. Stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef, Southwest Spice Blend, chili powder and a few big pinches of salt. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned, 4-5 minutes (it’ll finish cooking in the next step).
4. Once beef is browned, add bell pepper, sliced onion and a pinch of salt to pan. Cook, stirring, until veggies are tender and beef is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Add stock concentrate and ¼ cup water (½ cup water for 4 servings). Simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt; remove pan from heat and set aside.
5. Drizzle tortillas with 1 tablespoon olive oil (2 tablespoons for 4 servings); brush or rub to coat all over. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer (divide between two sheets for 4). Gently prick each tortilla in a few places with a fork. Bake on top rack, flipping halfway through, until lightly golden, 4-5 minutes per side. (For 4, bake on top and middle racks; flip tortillas and swap rack positions halfway through baking.) Watch carefully-tortillas brown fast!
6. Divide tortillas between plates; evenly sprinkle with Mexican cheese blend. Top with beef mixture, salsa and crema. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, corn tortillas work well. They may be smaller and crisp up faster, so adjust baking time accordingly.

How do I store leftovers?

Store components separately in the fridge. Reheat tortillas in the oven to restore crispness.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Absolutely! Substitute the ground beef with plant-based crumbles or black beans and use vegetable stock concentrate.