Vegetable and Bean Tostadas(From The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen)

I love Mexican inspired dishes. This vegetable and bean tostada recipe was a simple recipe that called for a few ingredients and it came together well. I liked this dish, but next time I know to add more flavor.

There are a couple layers involved in this dish, so I will mention every part of the dish by its layer. The first layer was the corn tortilla and it was very easy. I sprayed the tortillas with cooking spray and put them in the oven until they became golden and crisp. I topped the tortilla with pinto beans that I had mashed with their canning liquid, pickled jalapenos, and jalapeno brine. The next layer was a layer of sauteed green peppers and onions that was stirred together with a bit of lime juice and salt and pepper. The coleslaw came next. The coleslaw was very simple as it was a premade mix, liquid from the jalapenos in a jar, salt, and pepper. Lastly, the tostada was topped with a lime sour cream and cilantro.

I thought the corn tortilla was done well. I liked the pinto beans and the sauteed vegetables. I loved the addition of a lime sour cream and the cilantro. The only part of the dish that I thought was lacking was the coleslaw. Personally, I would have omitted the jalapeno brine and used lime juice instead. I would have also added a bit of mayo (or something creamy), cilantro, and diced fresh jalapenos. The lime juice would have added a really nice flavor and would have helped the dish come together better.

Overall, I was satisfied with the dish, but I do think there could have been some improvement. I did like how filling the dish was without being too heavy and it was satisfying. This dish could easily be converted vegan by using vegan sour cream or it could be easily converted to include shredded pork or small chicken strips.

Taste: 8/10-The coleslaw was a little boring the way it was written.

Level of difficulty: 1/5

Notes for next time: This needed additional flavor like I mentioned above.