Breakfast tostadas with beans and egg American style Recipe
Crispy tortillas with bean spread, fried egg and fresh toppings are an American take on a hearty Tex-Mex style breakfast. This kind of Mexican–American mash-up often appears on weekend mornings in homes across the southern USA. The dish is colorful, filling and easy to adapt to whatever you have in the fridge.
These breakfast tostadas bring together crunchy tortillas, creamy beans, runny yolks and fresh salsa for a satisfying Tex-Mex style meal. They’re highly customizable and a great way to turn simple pantry staples into something fun and colorful.
Chef's tips
Bake the tortillas just until crisp – if they get too dark, they’ll taste bitter. If you prefer, you can also pan-fry them in a little oil for extra crunch, but remember to drain them on paper towels.
How to serve
Serve each tostada on a warm plate with lime wedges and extra salsa on the side. A side of sautéed peppers or a simple green salad makes the meal even more substantial.
Ingredients
- wheat tortillas small, about 15 cm in diameter - 4 pieces
- canned red beans drained - 200 g
- garlic finely chopped - 1 clove
- ground cumin - 0.5 teaspoons
- egg - 4 pieces
- vegetable oil for frying the tortillas and eggs - 2 tablespoons
- tomato diced finely - 1 piece
- red onion very finely chopped - 0.25 pieces
- fresh coriander chopped; can be replaced with parsley - 2 tablespoons
- yellow cheese grated, preferably cheddar - 40 g
- lime juice or lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- hot salsa or chili sauce optional, for serving - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C with top and bottom heat. Brush the tortillas lightly with 1 tablespoon of oil on both sides, place on a baking tray and bake for 5–7 minutes, until they become firm and lightly golden at the edges. Set aside.
- In a small pot or pan, place the drained beans, add the garlic, cumin, a pinch of salt and pepper and 2–3 tablespoons of water. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring and mashing the beans with a fork until you get a thick paste.
- In a bowl, mix the tomato, red onion and coriander with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Heat the remaining oil in a 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 soft, as you prefer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the warm bean paste over each crispy tortilla. Sprinkle with grated cheese and top with a fried egg.
- Add a spoonful of the tomato and onion salsa to each tostada. Drizzle with a little hot salsa or chili sauce if you like spicy flavors, and serve immediately before the tortilla softens.
Storage
Store leftover components separately: keep the bean paste and salsa in the fridge, and crisp up fresh tortillas just before serving. Fried eggs are best cooked to order rather than stored.
I like to add a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream on top when I’m in the mood for something extra creamy, and I often swap coriander for parsley when cooking for people who aren’t fans of coriander.
