These Veggie-Packed Tostadas Are a Dinner Everyone Will Love

These Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tostadas are a lesson in how to build texture within a recipe. Oven-crisp tostadas are topped with layer upon layer of flavors, starting with the well-seasoned antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes that become slightly caramelized and sweeter from roasting. Then come fiber-rich black beans, which are creamy and flavorful thanks to the addition of onion, garlic and taco seasoning. The homemade pico de gallo brings a fresh crunch and flavor that is balanced by a drizzle of crema Mexicana. These tostadas are perfect for meatless Mondays or days when you want to take a break from meat. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to save time in the kitchen.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• To maximize the flavor of the black bean mash, start with a base of aromatic garlic and onion. Make sure to dry-bloom your spices before adding the wet beans and broth—this technique will help you extract the most flavor from your spices.
• If you’re short on time, you can use canned refried black beans labeled “no-salt-added” and season them as directed.
• To enhance the flavor of the tostadas even further, consider sprinkling on an additional ¼ teaspoon of no-salt-added taco seasoning before baking.
• You can substitute other beans, such as red beans or pinto beans.

Nutrition Notes

• Sweet potatoes bring their A-game to these tostadas in the form of antioxidants and vitamin A. The fiber in sweet potatoes will make your beneficial gut bacteria happy and healthy as they nosh on it. Plus, that fiber will help you poop and keep you regular.
• Black beans up the antioxidant and fiber quotient of this dish. The fiber in black beans (and sweet potatoes) will also help stabilize your blood sugar, helping to stave off that “hangry” feeling.
• Pico de gallo is made here from tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, lime juice and black pepper. All of these ingredients pile on more nutrients, including antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C—providing the final ta-da for these tostadas.