Breakfast tostada with egg and American-style beans Recipe
A breakfast tostada is a crispy tortilla base with toppings that appears on the menus of many diners and tex-mex bars in the US. It’s something between toast and a mini pizza, only on a corn base. It’s perfect for weekends when you want something more substantial than a sandwich, but still in a breakfast mood.
This breakfast tostada combines the crunch of baked tortillas with creamy, spiced beans, melted cheese and a runny-yolk fried egg. It brings classic American diner and tex-mex flavors into a simple, weekend-friendly dish that feels more exciting than a regular sandwich.
Chef's tips
Bake the tortillas only until just crisp so they stay crunchy but don’t become too hard to cut. Adjust the amount of chili to your heat tolerance and don’t skip the cumin—it gives the beans their characteristic tex-mex aroma. If you’re cooking for more people, keep the baked tortillas warm in a low oven while you fry the eggs in batches.
How to serve
Serve the tostadas immediately with avocado slices, lime wedges and fresh coriander on the table so everyone can customize their plate. They pair nicely with a simple green salad or a side of fresh tomato salsa. For brunch, add a pot of coffee and a jug of freshly squeezed juice.
Ingredients
- tortilla - 4 pieces
- egg - 4 pieces
- red beans drained - 200 g
- yellow cheese grated - 60 g
- chopped tomatoes canned - 100 g
- onion - 0.5 pieces
- chili pepper - 0.5 pieces
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- ground cumin - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt
- black pepper
- coriander fresh, chopped - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Place the tortillas on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 5–7 minutes, until they become dry and crispy but not yet deeply browned.
- Peel the onion and cut it into a small dice. Finely chop the chili pepper, removing the seeds if you want a milder version.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until it softens and turns slightly translucent but does not brown. Add the chili and fry for 1 more minute.
- Add the drained beans and canned tomatoes. Sprinkle in the cumin, a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly. If you like, gently mash some of the beans with a fork so the mixture becomes creamier.
- Grate the cheese on a coarse grater. Rinse and chop the coriander.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a second frying pan. Crack in the eggs and fry for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, until the whites are fully set and the yolks remain runny (or longer if you prefer them set). Season the eggs with salt and pepper at the end of frying.
- Spoon a portion of the hot beans with tomatoes onto each crispy tortilla and spread almost to the edges. Sprinkle with grated cheese so it sticks to the warm beans.
- Place one fried egg on top of each tostada. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve immediately, before the tortilla softens from the topping.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like to slightly mash the beans so they don’t roll off the tortilla and to grate the cheese very coarsely so it melts in soft strands over the hot topping. If you’re short on time in the morning, prepare the bean mixture the day before and just reheat it while the tortillas bake and the eggs fry.
