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    Home » Main Dishes » Easy Vegan Tostadas

    Easy Vegan Tostadas

    Published: Mar 4, 2025 by Marlena Luna · This post may contain affiliate links. · 3 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin SaveSaved!
    A crispy corn tortilla topped with refried beans, tofu meat crumble, vegan cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, a dollop of dairy-free sour cream and freshly chopped cilantro.
    Two images of tacos with toppings on them

    Vegan tostadas are versatile, easy to make, and a great choice when you're in the mood for Mexican cuisine. Serve them with a side of Spanish rice for a quick and simple weeknight dinner.

    Vegan bean and tofu ground beef tostada topped with lettuce, sour cream, and diced tomatoes.

    In as little as 20 minutes, you can enjoy these vegan tostadas. They start with crisp tostada shells, or soft corn tortillas, which you can easily bake or fry.

    Load them up with refried beans, tofu ground beef, vegan cheese, and fresh veggies. Add a dollop of dairy-free sour cream or a squeeze of lime juice on top for an extra kick.

    These tostadas are not only customizable, but they're also packed with flavor, making them a delicious lunch or dinner.

    Ingredients You'll Need

    You'll need 4 simple ingredients, some seasonings (or salsa), and your favorite toppings for these vegan tostadas.

    Tostada shells, fresh cilantro, refried beans in a bowl, vegan tofu meat in a bowl, and vegan cheese in a red bowl.

    Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

    • Tostada shells – Any store-bought tostada shells are fine. You can also bake or pan-fry soft corn tortillas, see below for instructions.
    • Refried beans – Use your favorite brand of refried beans. You can add the seasonings listed below or a few scoops of salsa to enhance the flavor or the beans.
    • Vegan meat crumble – My tofu ground beef is my go-to for these vegan tostadas. It's quick and easy to prepare. Feel free to use store-bought crumbles as a substitute.
    • Vegan cheese – I used packaged vegan cheddar cheese shreds. Use your favorite vegan cheese or drizzle on some vegan nacho cheese.
    • Toppings (not shown) – To make them 7-layer tostadas, add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, a dollop of sour cream, and finely chopped cilantro. Other topping options include fresh salsa, diced avocado, sliced onion, taco sauce, or my BBQ ranch dressing.
    • Seasonings (not shown) – If you are using canned refried beans, adding some seasonings will boost their flavor. I like to add onion powder, garlic powder, a chili powder mix, cumin, sea salt, and paprika. I also like to add a few splashes of plant milk to thin them out a bit.
      Another flavor option is to add a few spoonfuls of store-bought fruit salsa (or your favorite salsa). Recently, I've been loving the pineapple peach salsa from Target and skipping the extra seasonings altogether.
    Three vegan tostadas with beans, tofu meat crumble, lettuce, cilantro, and tomatoes.

    How To Make Vegan Tostadas

    These tostadas come together in a few simple steps.

    Vegan meat crumble - Make the tofu meat crumble or your vegan meat crumble of choice. Then, gather and prepare your veggies and toppings and set aside.

    Refried beans - Add the beans and seasonings (or salsa) to a medium saucepan. Mix and heat over medium-low until the beans are warm. If they are too thick, add plant milk to thin them out.

    Tostada shells - To warm up store-bought tostada shells, pop them in the oven at 350ºF for about a minute. Watch them closely since they can brown fast.

    If you are making your tostada shells, cook the soft corn tortillas until they are crispy. You can bake them in the oven or fry them in a pan.

    For baking, lay the tortillas on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated oven at 400ºF for about 10-15 minutes, or until they’re nice and crispy. Flip them halfway through.

    To pan-fry corn tortillas, heat about an inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the tortillas one at a time, frying them for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until they reach your desired crispiness.

    To assemble 7-layer vegan tostadas - Top your tostada shells with refried beans, tofu crumble, vegan cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, dairy-free sour cream, and freshly chopped cilantro.

    Now that's lunch in 20 min!

    Tostada shell topped with refried beans, tofu crumble, vegan cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, dairy-free sour cream, and finely chopped cilantro.

    Other Topping Ideas

    In addition to what I used, consider adding sliced avocado, diced onions, black olives, purple cabbage, or jalapeños for a spicy kick.

    To finish off your tostadas, top them with fresh salsa or mango pico de gallo for a burst of flavor. You can also add a dollop of guacamole or drizzle on some BBQ ranch dressing for creaminess.

    Each tostada can be customized to suit your taste, making them a versatile and fun lunch or dinner.

    So get creative with your toppings!

    We'd love to hear from you!

    If you enjoyed this vegan recipe, please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and share your thoughts in the comments below.

    Also, if you snap a photo, share it with us! We love to see your creations!! You can find us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

    Or, get the links to new recipes delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.  

    See ya there!

    Recipe

    Tostada shell topped with refried beans, tofu ground beef, vegan cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and dairy-free sour cream.

    Vegan Tostadas

    prep time: 5 minutes minutes
    cook time: 15 minutes minutes
    total time: 20 minutes minutes
    servings: 8 Tostadas
    Vegan tostadas are simple to prepare, packed with flavor, and the perfect lunch or dinner option when you're in the mood for Mexican food. You can easily customize the toppings to your liking or the ingredients you have on hand.
    5 stars (2 reviews)
    Print Pin SaveSaved!

    Ingredients

    Tostadas

    • 8 tostada shells, see notes to make your own
    • 1 batch vegan tofu crumble, or vegan crumble of choice

    Refried Beans

    • 1 14-ounce can refried beans
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder mix
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
    • ⅛ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2-4 Tablespoons unflavored and unsweetened plant milk, optional to thin the beans

    Topping Ideas

    • vegan cheese shreds
    • shredded romaine lettuce
    • diced tomatoes
    • freshly chopped cilantro
    • dairy-free sour cream
    • diced avocado
    • BBQ ranch dressing
    • freshly squeezed lime juice
    • fresh salsa
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Start by making the vegan meat crumble. Use my tofu ground beef recipe or your favorite packaged vegan crumble.
      While that cooks, gather and prepare your veggie toppings.
    • Now, mix the refried beans and seasonings in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low until the beans are hot. If they are too thick, add almond milk to thin them out.
    • Warm the tostada shells in the oven at 350ºF for about a minute. Watch them closely since they can brown fast.
    • To assemble the tostadas, layer them with beans, vegan meat, vegan cheese and your favorite toppings.

    Notes

    If you have soft corn tortillas, you can make tostada shells using one of these methods:
    • Baking corn tortillas - Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Place the corn tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 min, or until crispy. Flip the tortillas halfway through baking.
      The cooking time for the tortillas may vary. If you notice some browning faster than others, remove them from the oven and allow the others to finish cooking.
    • Pan frying corn tortillas - Heat about an inch of oil over medium-high. Once the oil is hot (about 350ºF) lower the heat. Carefully place a corn tortilla in the hot oil using tongs. Fry for 3-4 minutes, flipping the tortilla halfway through. Once crispy, use your tongs to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
     
    Seasoning the refried beans - Recently I've been adding pineapple salsa to the beans and skipping the extra seasonings altogether. It adds moisture and enhances the flavor.
    See the post above for more topping ideas.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 tostada | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 92mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g

    **Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**

    course: Appetizers, Main Dishes
    cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
    author: Marlena Luna
    Did you make this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

    This recipe was originally published in December of 2015. It has since been updated with new photos and more detailed information.

    More Vegan Mexican Dishes

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      Vegan Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
    • Vegan Mexican Quinoa Bowl
    • A vegan tamale with a jackfruit filling on a corn husk.
      Vegan Jackfruit Tamales
    • Pineapple Black Bean Salad

    Where You Get Your Protein is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Where You Get Your Protein will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

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      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Nicole

      March 17, 2017 at 12:24 pm

      Has anyone tried using soy or rice milk instead of almond? If so, how was the flavour (nut allergy)?

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        March 17, 2017 at 6:34 pm

        I would suggest trying a soy milk over rice milk since rice milk is thinner. Using an unsweetened plain soy milk shouldn't affect the flavor at all. Enjoy! :)

        Reply
    2. andrea

      December 12, 2015 at 5:10 am

      nice recipe, i can feel the spices in my mouth! I do something similar using black beans and tahini, i love the touch of cilantro on the top! Nice graphic post. Bless
      andrea

      Reply

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    Marlena Luna in a pink sweater holding a coffee mug.

    Hi, I’m Marlena the recipe creator behind Where You Get Your Protein! I love spending time in the kitchen cookin’ up delicious vegan comfort foods! Most of the ingredients I use are easy-to-find or pantry staples. Stick around and enjoy some amazing vegan food!

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