Tostada shells topped with black beans, pickled carrots and red onion, yellow corn salsa, lime crema, romaine lettuce, and fresh avocado.
In honor of global pride, a rainbow tostada is the perfect meal to eat to promote and celebrate the LGBTQ community. Due to COVID-19, many pride parades and celebrations have been canceled, but we cannot lessen the need to promote equality. Global pride is taking place on June 27th, the day before the stonewall riot anniversary of 1969. The global event will be a series of streaming events, including speeches and performances. I know personally, I will miss the festivities of the San Diego Pride events. This year I will be munching on a rainbow tostada, sipping on a cocktail, and taking the opportunity to promote equality.
Eat the rainbow!
Red- Roma tomatoes are added to the corn salsa for sweet acidic flavor. Tomatoes are filled with lycopene, an antioxidant that has been linked to many health benefits.
Orange- Pickled carrots give a bright crunch and are naturally high in vitamin A.
Yellow- Sweet corn salsa to balance the pickled veggies. Corn has a bad rap these days, but this vegetable (in the whole form) is actually loaded with fiber and numerous vitamins and minerals.
Green- Thinly shredded romaine lettuce, chopped cilantro and creamy avocado slices
Blue/Purple- Pickled onion makes everything better.
How to make tostada shells
There are many different ways to make tostada shells, but I find the oven to be the cleanest and most consistent method. Drizzle the sheet pan with olive oil and lay out tortillas in an even layer. Coat both sides of the tortilla with oil. You may need 2 pans, depending on the size of the tortillas. Cook at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes per side, or until crispy. While the tortillas are still hot, sprinkle with salt.
How to pickle
Pickling is actually very easy and quick. You can store the pickled vegetables in your refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy on sandwiches, salads, or just about anything. Start by simmering the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables in a bowl or glass Tupperware container. With the lid on, allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
How to assemble the tostada
The black beans are the glue for all the other yummy ingredients you are going to stack on top. After the black beans I add in the following order: corn salsa, pickled veggies, shredded romaine lettuce, lime crema, and top with fresh avocado slices and cilantro. Serve with fresh lime slices on the side and a margarita (of course). Some people eat with a fork and knife, but me….I just pick the whole thing up.
Black Bean and Avocado Rainbow Tostadas
Ingredients
- 10 corn tortillas
- olive or vegetable oil
- salt
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 avocado, sliced
Pickled Carrots and Red Onion
- 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 10 baby carrots, julienned (cut lengthwise into 8 slices each)
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
Corn Salsa
- 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (10 oz. bag)
- 3 tbsp red onion, diced
- 1 roma tomato, diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 jalapeno, diced (de-seeded and destemmed)
Lime Crema
- 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- zest from one lime (optional)
Black Beans
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (15oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Instructions
Tostada Shells
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- On a baking sheet drizzle generously with olive oil. Lay out corn tortillas in an even layer and coat both sides with oil. You may need to use 2 pans depending on size of tortillas.
- Bake 5 minutes per side on middle rack, or until crispy. Sprinkle with salt and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
Pickled Onions and Carrots
- Bring the water, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar to a boil in a small pot or microwave. Pour mixture over sliced onions and carrots. Let cool in the refrigerator.
Corn Salsa
- Mix the corn, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and jalapeno in a small bowl.
Crema
- Whisk the yogurt, mayo, lime juice, and lime zest in a small bowl
Black Beans
- In a small pot, saute the garlic in olive or vegetable oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the black beans, water, salt, and pepper and let simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat.
- Smash beans with a potato smasher or fork.
Assembly of Tostadas
- Spread warm black beans on the tostada. Top with corn salsa, crema, shredded romaine lettuce, pickled onion and carrots, avocado slices, and fresh cilantro.
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