Taco Bell Spicy Tostada Baked

As of August 13, 2020 – Taco Bell will be revamping its menu. I was super sad to see two of my favorite items on their “discontinued” list, including my long-time favorite 7 Layer Burrito and Spicy Tostada. I’m sure a lot of us Desis will be able to relate as many of us love the Taco Bell Vegetarian Menu. Thankfully, I already have a recipe for their 7-Layer Burrito on my blog which actually tastes better than the real thing. So now, it’s time to work on the Spicy Tostada.

What is Spicy Tostada?

A crunchy tostada that’s topped with refried beans, lettuce, Taco Bell sauce, cheese, chopped tomatoes, and chipotle sauce. Essentially, these are bean tostadas. The spicy chipotle sauce is what makes this Spicy Tostada so damn delicious. The best part is, it’s only $1. So yeah, before August 13, I’ll be heading to Taco Bell and loading up on the Spicy Tostada.

How to make Baked Tostadas?

For this recipe, I opted to bake my tostadas instead of using the store-bought fried ones for health reasons. Baking tostadas is super simple. All you do is brush both sides of a corn tortilla with avocado oil and bake it on both sides. That’s it. You can always use store-bought fried tostadas, but baking your tostadas is super easy and will save you fat and calories.

Pinto Beans or Black Beans?

Traditionally, you’ll find more recipes on the Taco Bell menu using pinto beans. My suggestion is you use refried pinto beans in this recipe which can easily be found at Trader Joe’s or your local grocery store. Note – I didn’t have pinto beans on hand so I ended up using black beans, however I recommend using pinto.

Can I make Spicy Tostada Vegan?

Yes!

Simply replace the cheddar cheese with vegan cheddar cheese. For the Chipotle Sauce – use vegan sour cream instead of regular sour cream.

That’s it!

Taco Bell Spicy Tostada is:

Copycat Taco Bell Spicy Tostada (discontinued August 13)ScrumptiousBaked, NOT FriedDeliciousCrunchySpicyGluten-Free (use GF tortillas)VegetarianVegan option (replace with vegan cheese/sour cream)

How to make Taco Bell Spicy Tostada recipe step by step?

Make the spicy chipotle sauce

In a food processor, add all the ingredients under Chipotle Sauce.2. Blend. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Prepare the refried beans

Heat up a pot on medium heat, once hot, add oil followed by the remaining onions you chopped up earlier. Saute for about 3 minutes – until the onions are translucent.2. Dump all the refried pinto beans into the pot.3. Stir the beans around.4. Add Taco Bell Mild Sauce (their Hot Sauce works too). Mix.5. Add taco seasoning.6. Let the beans heat up. Once hot, turn off the stove. Your beans are ready.

Bake the Tostadas

Brush corn tortillas with avocado oil on both sides.2. Place tortillas in a toaster oven at 400 degrees. Bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.3. And now you have tostadas.

Build your Tostada

Spread refried beans over the tostada. Note – use refried pinto beans, I used black beans since I didn’t have pinto on hand.2. Top with shredded lettuce.3. Now drizzle 1-2 tbsp of Taco Bell sauce, I prefer hot or mild.4. Top with shredded cheese.5. Finish it off with diced tomatoes and a drizzle of Chipotle Sauce.