Tostada Nachos With Beef — Crispy, Loaded & Easy
Tostadas are my guilty pleasure. When I'm having a bad day, I eat one to make myself feel better. And today, I'm sharing this tostada nachos with beef that you'll like for sure!
Equipment
Large skillet (12-inch / 30cm)
Large deep-sided skillet or heavy pot for frying
Rimmed baking sheet
Mixing bowl (medium)
Spider strainer or slotted spoon
Mini offset spatula or butter knife
Instant-read thermometer (for monitoring fry oil temperature)
Ingredients
Beef Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil - 15ml
1 pound ground beef (minced beef) - lean, minced beef, about 450g
½ medium yellow onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tablespoon chili powder - chilli powder in British English
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium chipotle chili - in adobo sauce, minced
¾ cup salsa - 190g- 1 teaspoon masa harina
1 pinch kosher salt - to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
Guacamole Ingredients
1 medium avocado - peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 medium jalapeño - seeded if desired, and minced
2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander) - chopped, also known as coriander- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 1 pinch cumin
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 pinch kosher salt - to taste
Nacho Ingredients
2 cups vegetable oil - or canola oil ; for frying, approximately 480ml — enough for 1 inch / 2.5cm depth in your skillet
6 medium corn tortillas- 1 pinch kosher salt - for seasoning fried tortillas
15 ounces refried beans - one standard can, about 425g
3 tablespoons water - as needed, for thinning refried beans
8 ounces cheddar cheese - shredded, about 225g
½ cup sour cream - 120g- 1 medium jalapeño - pickled and sliced
- 1 cup salsa - for serving, optional, about 250g
Instructions
Cook the Beef
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the beef and cook, crumbling it as you go until no traces of pink remain.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
- Add the onion and cook until the onion has softened and is translucent, stirring often.½ medium yellow onion
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and chipotle. Stir to thoroughly coat the beef and onion with the spices and cook out the garlic for about 1 minute.2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 medium chipotle chili
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the salsa. Stir to combine and thicken a little. It will come together very quickly. Now quickly stir in the masa harina, salt and pepper to taste, and the lime juice. Shut off the heat.¾ cup salsa, 1 teaspoon masa harina, 1 pinch kosher salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon lime juice
Make the Guacamole
- Add the avocado to a mixing bowl, then add the jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, cumin, lime juice, and salt.1 medium avocado, 1 medium jalapeño, 2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander), 1 clove garlic, 1 pinch cumin, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 pinch kosher salt
- Using a fork, mash it all together to your desired consistency. I like mine to stay a little chunky.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If not using right away, cover with plastic wrap and make sure the plastic wrap is directly touching the top of the guacamole.
Assemble and Bake
- Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Heat about 1 inch (2.5cm) of vegetable or canola oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F / 175°C. Cut each tortilla in half so you have a total of 12 half-moons.2 cups vegetable oil, 6 medium corn tortillas
- When the oil is ready, fry the tortilla halves, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and crispy. You'll know it's about there when the bubbles start subsiding.
- Remove the tortillas with a spider or slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Let them cool until you can handle them.1 pinch kosher salt
- Transfer the refried beans to a small mixing bowl and thin with a bit of water, just enough so they can be stirred easily with a spoon. Get a mini offset spatula or butter knife to spread each tortilla half with a nice amount of refried beans.15 ounces refried beans, 3 tablespoons water
- Line all the bean-topped tortilla halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon the beef generously onto each nacho and lightly press it into the beans so it stays put during baking. Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the nachos.8 ounces cheddar cheese
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling at the edges. Remove from the oven.
- Dollop each nacho with guacamole and sour cream, add a few pickled jalapeño slices, and dot with salsa if desired. Serve immediately — these do not hold well once assembled.1/2 cup sour cream, 1 medium jalapeño, 1 cup salsa
Notes
Storage: Keep the beef topping in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water. Do not refrigerate assembled nachos — they go soggy.
Freezer: The beef topping freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-Ahead: Fry the tortilla halves up to 2 days ahead and store in a paper-bag-lined container at room temperature. Make the guacamole fresh, or press cling film directly onto the surface and use within 24 hours.
Substitution: No chipotle in adobo? Use ½ teaspoon smoked paprika plus an extra pinch of cayenne — you lose some vinegary depth but the smokiness carries through.
Pro Tip: The masa harina absorbs excess moisture from the salsa and binds the beef into a cohesive topping. Do not skip it — without it the meat slides off the tortillas.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 1868kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 44gFat: 169gSaturated Fat: 41gPolyunsaturated Fat: 66gMonounsaturated Fat: 48gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 1900mgPotassium: 1115mgFiber: 14gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2215IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 590mgIron: 6mg
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