I'll show you how to make tostada shells with corn tortillas, avocado oil, and flaky salt. They're baked in the oven until golden and crispy, and it only takes minutes! Afterward, load these crispy tortillas with toppings to make your favorite Mexican tostadas for an easy dinner.
If you haven't made your own tostadas at home, you're in for a treat. Tostadas are a Mexican dish made with a toasted corn tortilla as the base, served open-faced and loaded with toppings. This quick guide on how to make tostada shells sets you up to make the best golden, crunchy tostadas from scratch! Once you know how to make the shells (with just three ingredients), the possibilities for dinner are pretty endless. Use homemade tostadas to make salmon tostadas or top them with refried beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and more.
Why It’s Worth It to Make Your Own Tostada Shells
Some things, *ahem* most things, are better from scratch! Here's why I love making tostada shells, and why I think you will, too.
- Only 3 ingredients. All you need are gluten-free tortillas, cooking oil, and salt. Tostada shells are traditionally corn tortillas, but you could follow this tutorial using homemade gluten-free flour tortillas or quinoa tortillas and they'd still come out great!
- Ready in 10 minutes. Making tostada shells takes minutes, so it's quicker than driving to the store.
- Less oil. I bake my homemade tostada shells in the oven rather than fry them, so they're toasty and crispy with a fraction of the oil.
Ingredients for Tostada Shells
You only need three super simple ingredients for this recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the exact amounts needed for each.
- Corn tortillas – You can also use flour if you prefer. You'll want the small 3-inch tortillas.
- Oil – I recommend using a spray oil like olive or avocado for a uniform coating. Otherwise, a basting brush can be used to evenly coat the tortillas, too.
- Sea salt – The big, flaky salt adds a nice layer of crunch and texture.
How to Make Tostada Shells at Home
Baking in the oven gets these shells super crispy and golden. Once I realized how easy it is to make tostada shells at home, I haven't bought from the store since!
- Prep the tortillas. Start by arranging the tortillas on a baking sheet. Spray them evenly with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Place a metal wire rack on top of the tortillas to keep the tortillas flat in the oven.
- Bake. Bake the tortillas for 8 to 10 minutes, until they're golden brown and crispy. And yes, that's it! You can enjoy your tostadas hot out of the oven or let them cool on a wire rack. They'll get crispier as they cool.
Toppings for Homemade Tostadas
Once you have these crispy and golden tostada shells, you can add your favorite toppings. Tostadas are similar to an open-faced taco, and just about anything you'd add to a taco, you can add to a tostada. Here are some of my favorites:
- Instant Pot refried beans or black beans
- Pork carnitas
- Salsa chicken
- Grilled shrimp
- Mango guacamole
- Pico de gallo, salsa roja, or peach salsa
- Mexican crema or cilantro lime sauce
FAQs
In a way, yes. Tostada shells are baked or fried like tortilla chips, and are similarly crunchy. The main difference is that tostadas are a whole corn tortilla, used as a base for toppings rather than for scooping.
Both tostadas and tacos use tortillas as shells. Tacos are soft and folded around the toppings, while a tostada is flat, crispy, and open-faced.
Traditionally, tostadas are deep-fried. However, baking is a great alternative that cuts down on the oil.
Storage and Reheating
- Store airtight. Keep any leftover tostada shells in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature. They'll be good to use for 2-3 days.
- Reheat. If you'd like to crisp up these tostada shells again, place them in a warm oven or toaster oven for a few minutes.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
How to Make Tostada Shells
Ingredients
- 6 corn tortillas (flour will also work)
- Avocado oil spray
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Place the tortillas on a rimmed baking sheet and spray with avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Place a stainless steal cooling rack on top of the tortillas, with the bottom facing up.
- Bake the tortillas for 8 – 10 mintutes until they are golden brown and crispy.
Nutrition
