Friday, March 11, 2011

Vegetable and Bean Tostadas


Any Mexican meal is sure to be a hit with everyone in my house, so I'm always on the lookout for new recipes.  I especially keep my eyes peeled for vegetarian meals, since I try to incorporate at least 2-3 vegetarian dinners into my meal plan each week.  These tostadas met both of these criteria, so I was excited to try them.  They are also relatively healthy, which is also a huge plus.

You start with a crispy baked corn tortilla, then top it with a lightly spiced bean mixture, sauteed peppers and onions, cheese, and a light salad.  The crunchy tortilla with the spicy beans, fresh veggies, and crisp slaw make for a great great dinner.  I served these with the Mexican cherry tomato salad, and we all thoroughly enjoyed dinner. 

Since these tostadas have a few components, this isn't the fastest meal to put together, but none of the components are especially difficult or time-consuming.  I made a few small changes along the way based on our preferences and what I had on hand, so my changes are reflected below. 


Vegetable and Bean Tostadas
adapted from Cook's Illustrated, Light and Healthy
serves 6
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • cooking spray
  • 2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
  • 2 onions, halved and sliced thin
  • 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 2 Tbs canola oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 4 Tbs fresh lime juice
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans - do not drain
  • 1 Tbs finely chopped jarred picked jalapenos, plus 1/4 cup jalapeno brine
  • 1 (10-ounce) bag coleslaw mix
  • 4 ounces pepperjack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbs minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 Tbs minced fresh scallion
  • lime wedges, for serving
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange half the tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet and lightly coat both sides with the cooking spray.  bake 8-10 minutes, until they are lightly browned and crisp.  Remove from oven and repeat with remaining tortillas.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the peppers, onions, and jalapenos, and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Stir to combine, cover, and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes.  Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer.

Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice.  Transfer the vegetables to bowl and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the beans with their canning liquid, pickled jalapenos, and 1 tablespoon of the brine.  Cook, mashing the beans with a potato masher or fork, until the mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.

Toss the coleslaw mix with the remaining 3 tablespoons of jalapeno brine, sour cream, remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the tostadas, spread the bean mixture evenly over the crisp tortillas, then top with cheese, vegetables, and slaw.  Serve with additional lime wedges.


5 comments:

Hannah said...

Whenever we make tacos my better half likes the corn tortillas super crispy, and eats them like a tostada, much like this. But I love the addition of the julienned veggies, and pickled jalapenos to the refried beans! It's so smart!

Sara said...

I love this! I will definitely make these soon!

Annie said...

Bookmarked! These look so wonderful, especially since I've been eating less and less meat these days. Totally trying them soon.

Vanessa Fortich said...

You eat so sensibly. How long have you been incorporating vegetarian dinners into your meal plans? Your determination makes me excited to try that too. I like the idea. Thanks. Vanessa

Kelli H said...

I made these for dinner last night. They were so tasty! I'll definitely be making them again.

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