Smashed Black Bean & Beef Tostadas

🥘 Ingredients

• black beans
  15 oz
• butter
  1 tbsp
• cilantro
  1 c
• cooking oil
  2 tbsp
• flour tortillas
  4 units
• ground beef
  8 oz
• lime
  2 units
• long green pepper
  1 unit
• mexican cheese blend
  1 c
• olive oil
  1 tbsp
• pico de gallo
  1 c
• sour cream
  ¼ cup
• southwest spice blend
  1 unit
• tex-mex paste
  1 unit
• yellow onion
  1 unit

🍳 Cookware

• small bowl
• large pan
• baking sheet

1. 

   1

   Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. Quarter lime . Halve, core, and thinly slice long green pepper into strips. Halve, peel, and thinly slice yellow onion . Drain and rinse black beans . Roughly chop cilantro . In a small bowl , combine sour cream with a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

   lime: 2 units, long green pepper: 1 unit, yellow onion: 1 unit, black beans: 15 oz, cilantro: 1 c, sour cream: ¼ cup
2. 

   2

   Heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, onion, and half the southwest spice blend . Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and softened, ⏱️ 5 minutes . Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate.

   cooking oil: 2 tbsp, southwest spice blend: 1 unit
3. 

   3

   Heat pan used for veggies over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, ⏱️ 5 minutes . Drain excess fat if needed. Add beans, tex-mex paste , remaining southwest spice blend, and ¼%cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has mostly evaporated, ⏱️ 3 minutes . Remove from heat; gently mash beans with a potato masher or back of a spoon. Stir in butter until melted. If mixture is too thick, stir in a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper.

   ground beef: 8 oz, tex-mex paste: 1 unit, butter: 1 tbsp
4. 

   4

   Drizzle flour tortillas with olive oil ; brush or rub to coat all over. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Gently prick each tortilla in a few places with a fork. Bake on top rack, flipping halfway through, until lightly golden, ⏱️ 4 minutes per side. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

   flour tortillas: 4 units, olive oil: 1 tbsp
5. 

   5

   Once tortillas are toasted, remove sheet from oven. Carefully spread each tortilla with smashed bean and beef mixture, then top with veggies and mexican cheese blend . Return to top rack until cheese melts, ⏱️ 2 minutes .

   mexican cheese blend: 1 c
6. 

   6

   Divide tostadas between plates. Top with pico de gallo , lime crema, and as much cilantro as you like. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

   pico de gallo: 1 c