crispy bean tostadas with smashed avocado and jicama-cilantro slaw

prep: 25 MINUTES | cook: 10 MINUTES | total: 35 MINUTES | serves 3 TO 6

This simple meal has everything going for it: crispy baked tortillas topped with refried beans, a creamy avocado spread, and a refreshing crunchy slaw. I also top off the tostadas with easy pickled onions—and when I say easy, I mean it! There’s nothing to be intimidated about when it comes to making them and they add major flavor to the tostadas (or salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, tacos—anything!). The boys love the idea of eating big chips for dinner, and we all just dig in with our hands. Sure, things get a little messy, but that’s just how we roll at our house.

PICKLED RED ONIONS

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Pinch of kosher salt

JICAMA-CILANTRO SLAW

2 cups shredded green cabbage

½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup ¼-inch-thick slices peeled jicama

Juice of 1 lime

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

TOSTADAS

6 corn tortillas

Nonstick cooking spray or extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

2 (16-ounce) cans vegetarian refried beans

3 large ripe avocados, pitted and peeled

Juice of 1 lime

½ cup halved grape tomatoes

½ cup crumbled queso fresco

1 Make the pickled onions: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced onions with the lime juice, vinegar, and salt and stir until the onions are well coated. Let the onions sit while you make the slaw and tostadas. The pickled onions can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

2 Make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, cilantro, jicama, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

3 Assemble the tostadas: Preheat the oven to 425°F.

4 Spray both sides of each tortilla generously with nonstick cooking spray or brush with olive oil, season with salt, and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 4 minutes, then flip and bake for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tortillas are crispy.

5 Gently heat the refried beans in the microwave or on the stovetop. In a medium bowl, smash the avocados with a fork. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste.

6 Spread refried beans evenly over each tortilla. Add a layer of smashed avocado and top with the slaw, pickled onions, tomatoes, and queso fresco. Serve immediately.

NOTE: If you want to ensure that these tostadas are vegetarian, make sure you buy vegetarian refried beans. To make them vegan, just skip the queso fresco or use a nondairy version.