Black Bean Tostadas are Perfect for Meatless Mondays

Black Bean Tostadas are a great meatless dinner option for Mexican food lovers. Whether you have a vegetarian in the family, or you just want a less expensive entree to keep your grocery budget within reason, this recipe will be one of your go-to dinner ideas.

My family loves Mexican food. It’s one of the few things we all agree on.

In fact, two of our favorite dinners are both Mexican dishes – Chicken Tostadas and Chicken Taco Bowls. That’s why, when I decided to incorporate more meatless recipes into our dinner menu, I considered Mexican dishes first.

Why Meatless Mondays?

Though my oldest son is away at college, I still have two teenage boys at home. Anyone who has (or has ever been) a teenage boy, knows how much they can eat!

Of course, they need those calories to fuel their final growth spurt – the one that transforms our little boys into men. This also means they need plenty of protein for muscle development during this time.

Those of us who buy the groceries know exactly how pricey most protein sources are. Meat is expensive!

That’s why an occasional meatless meal can help you keep your grocery budget under control. But Meatless Mondays aren’t just for keeping your food costs down.

High-meat diets can actually be bad for you, especially if you’re eating a disproportionate amount relative to fruits and vegetables. Enjoying a meatless meal once a week can actually help reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Read more about the Meatless Monday movement.

Benefits of Black Beans

Black beans are a good source of lots of important nutrients including (according to OrganicFacts.com): fiber, protein, vitamin A, calcium, iron, manganese, flavonoids, and omega-3s.

As a result, black beans help strengthen your bones, lower your blood pressure, and reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition, according to Medical News Today, several of the ingredients in black beans work together to prevent cancer.

Like other superfoods, black beans are loaded with powerful nutrients in each serving. More nutrition, fewer calories — this is the reason black beans are a pantry staple in my home.

How to Make Black Bean Tostadas

Aside from being inexpensive and healthy, another reason I love these black bean tostadas is that they are so easy to make! You just need these traditional Mexican dish ingredients:

There’s actually very little “cooking” in this recipe. You simply heat the beans in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Then add hot sauce and cream cheese and mix well.

Lay tostada shells on parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Top each tostada shell with a thick layer of the bean mixture and top with queso fresco or feta cheese.

Now you just need to place the tostadas under a broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese and crisp the tostada shells.

While they are broiling, mix together avocado, tomato, onion and lime juice in a small bowl. I also add cilantro but you can omit it if you don’t like it.

When the tostadas are ready, remove them from the oven, top with the fresh vegetable mixture and a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately.

Ready to rock Meatless Monday with these Black Bean Tostadas? Here are the exact measurements and detailed instructions.

📋 Recipe