Featured Recipe
Egg Tostadas with Black Beans
By Kate
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Black bean mash spread on corn tostadas topped with fried eggs, creamy avocado, crumbly cheese, and fresh cherry tomato-corn salsa. Simple ingredients twisted with smoky roasted peppers and lime sweetness. Garlic softened in oil, cumin warmed in black beans for depth. Eggs cooked sunny side with lightly crisped edges. Salsa mixed first, resting to meld flavors. Layers of textures and vibrant colors. Quick to prepare, mostly hands-on for fresher results. Variations possible by swapping feta with cotija, or lime juice with lemon zest for a brighter note.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
50 min
Serves:
4 servings
tostadas
breakfast
healthy meals
Mexican-inspired
Introduction
Black beans mashed with garlic and cumin. Spread thick on crunchy corn tostadas. Eggs fried sunny side with crispy edges. Creamy avocado diced brightens. Fresh salsa of tangy cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, grilled peppers, lively onion. Lime juice wakes the whole plate up. You want texture clash—smooth beans, crisp corn, runny yolk, smooth cheese. Easy cooking. Mostly quick, attentive frying and some mashing. Salsa marinating while eggs cook. Color, flavor, heat variation with cumin and lime. No fuss but flavor layers stacked high. Good for fast lunches, casual dinners. Swap feta for cotija or queso fresco for variation. Lime juice can shift to lemon zest for softer citrus tone. The key: timing so tostadas don’t get soggy—serve fast.
Ingredients
Salsa
- 100 g (3/4 cup) cherry tomatoes quartered
- 80 g (1/2 cup) thawed corn kernels
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 jar 180 ml roasted red peppers, drained and diced
- 50 ml (3 1/2 tbsp) fresh lime juice
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 20 ml (1 1/3 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1 can 540 ml black beans rinsed and drained
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) water
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) ground cumin
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 40 ml (2 2/3 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 8 large eggs
- 8 corn tostadas
- 110 g (3 1/2 oz) queso fresco crumbled
- 1 firm ripe avocado diced
- Fresh cilantro leaves to garnish
Black Bean Mash
Tostadas
About the ingredients
Roasted red peppers swapped for jarred grilled peppers to add smoky sweetness replacing fresh. Quantity of lime juice bumped to 50 ml for tang punch complementing sweetness of sugar. Garlic increased slightly to 4 cloves for deeper aroma. Oil slightly upped to 40 ml for frying and sautéing. Sugar bumped to 3 ml to balance acidity without being too sweet. Cheese changed to queso fresco for a milder crumble replacing feta. Water quantity in bean mash adjusted to 150 ml to keep mash spreadable but thick. Black beans rinsed thoroughly to reduce excess sodium and improve texture. Salsa ingredients sliced into bite-sized, quarter tomatoes for balance with other crunchy bits like corn and onion. Avocado just diced firm not too soft—gives texture without slipping.
Method
Salsa
- 1. Mix cherry tomatoes, corn, red onion, roasted peppers, lime juice, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Let sit to marinate, stirring occasionally. Drain before serving to avoid sogginess.
- 2. Warm oil in small pan over medium heat. Add garlic and gently cook until soft but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 3. Remove pan from heat. Add black beans, cumin, and water. Return to medium heat. Mash beans with potato masher until chunky smooth. Bring to low boil, simmer 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick and spreadable. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- 4. Heat half the oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack in 4 eggs gently. Fry sunny side up 3 to 4 minutes until whites set with lightly crisp edges. Season with salt and pepper. Place on plate, keep warm.
- 5. Repeat with remaining oil and eggs.
- 6. Spread black bean mash evenly on tostadas. Sprinkle queso fresco over beans. Place one fried egg atop each tostada.
- 7. Add spoonful of salsa (well drained) on eggs. Scatter diced avocado and cilantro leaves over all. Serve immediately.
Black Bean Mash
Tostadas
Technique Tips
Start salsa first to macerate, stir and taste for balance before assembly. Garlic softened low and slow, no browning to avoid bitterness. Mashing beans chunky, not puree, keeps texture contrast. Simmer bean mash slowly, stirring avoids stick and builds flavor depth. Fried eggs cracked carefully avoiding broken yolks. Cook sunny side only 3-4 minutes for whites set, yolk runny or slightly thickened, edges crisp lightly. Use 2-step frying to avoid overcrowding pan and uneven cooking. Spread bean mash generously, not too thin. Cheese crumbled evenly over warm mash so it softens slightly. Serve assembly fast to avoid tostada sogginess—drain salsa well just before topping. Fresh cilantro scattered last for color and fresh herbal note. Timing scaled to 50 minutes total, allowing prep, resting salsa, cooking and plating without rush.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start with salsa. Mix tomatoes, corn, onion. Let it all sit. Flavor deepens as it rests. Drain salsa before serving. Avoid sogginess.
- 💡 Garlic in black bean mash. Cook gently in oil. Soft but no browning. Mashed beans should stay chunky. Keep texture varied. Cumin adds warmth.
- 💡 Fry eggs with care. Medium-high heat is key. Crack gently, avoid broken yolks. 3 to 4 minutes for sunny side up. Whites should be set.
- 💡 Spread bean mash thickly. Don’t skimp. Tostadas should be crunchy. Layer on queso fresco while warm. It softens on contact. Great with beans.
- 💡 Cilantro as garnish. Adds freshness and color. Scatter just before serving. Quick assembly matters. Serve fast to keep tostadas crispy.
Kitchen Wisdom
Best way to store leftovers?
Refrigerate components separately. Soggy tostadas not good. Mash and salsa last well chilled. Consume in 3 days.
Can variations be added?
Yes, swap cheeses. Cotija instead of queso fresco. Lemon zest in salsa for a twist. Explore your flavor palette.
What if bean mash is too thick?
Add a bit more water. Mix well. Should be spreadable, not runny. Keep mashing a little longer if needed.
How to prevent tostadas from getting soggy?
Spread bean mash just before serving. Drain salsa well. Assemble quickly right before eating.
