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Breakfast Tostadas layer crispy tortillas with boldly seasoned pinto beans, fluffy eggs, avocado, red onions, and fresh cilantro for a breakfast with the perfect balance of crunch, creaminess, and spice. They’re ready in about 20 minutes and easy enough for weekdays but fun enough for brunch.
Breakfast is Better with a Crispy Tostada
One of my favorite things about breakfast tostadas is that every bite is different. You get a crunchy tortilla, warm spiced beans, fluffy eggs, creamy avocado, red onions, and fresh cilantro all at once.
I also skip the refried beans and use whole pinto beans instead. Once they’re cooked with all the spices, they have so much flavor on their own, and I love the extra texture they bring compared to refried beans.
They’re one of those breakfasts that feel a little more special than scrambled eggs and toast, but don’t actually take much more time.
A few things make this version stand out:
- Every bite has a little bit of everything. The crunchy tortilla, creamy avocado, warm eggs, and fresh toppings all balance each other, so the last bite is just as good as the first.
- The beans aren’t an afterthought. Instead of simply spreading on refried beans, the whole pinto beans are seasoned until they’re smoky, savory, and full of flavor.
- It feels special without being complicated. Most of the ingredients are pantry and refrigerator staples, but layered together they feel like something you’d order at your favorite brunch spot.
- You can make it your own. Scramble the eggs or fry them, add hot sauce or salsa, or pile on extra avocado. It’s one of those breakfasts that’s easy to customize with whatever you’re craving.
Ingredient Notes
Most of the ingredients are simple pantry and refrigerator staples, but here are a few that make these breakfast tostadas especially delicious. The full ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Corn Tortillas. I always use corn tortillas because they crisp up beautifully and hold the toppings much better than flour tortillas. Look for street-size tortillas for the best ratio of crunchy tortilla to toppings.
- Pinto Beans. I prefer pinto beans instead of refried beans because they add more texture to every bite. Be sure to rinse and drain canned beans well before seasoning them.
- Eggs. Scrambled eggs are my favorite because they’re easy to spread across the tostada, but a fried egg with a runny yolk is just as delicious if that’s your style.
- Avocado. A ripe avocado adds the creamy element that balances the toasted tortilla and warm spiced beans. I like slicing it just before serving so it stays fresh.
- Seasonings. The cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder give the beans most of their flavor. Don’t skip them, as the spice blend is what makes the tostadas taste like much more than eggs and beans.
- Fresh Cilantro. I always finish these with plenty of cilantro because it brightens the whole dish. If you’re not a cilantro fan, sliced green onions are a good substitute.
My Favorite Toppings
One of my favorite things about breakfast tostadas is how easy they are to customize. I usually stick with avocado, cilantro, and red onion, but here are a few more toppings I love.
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Hot sauce
- Pickled onions
- Cotija cheese
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Sliced jalapeños
- Avocado crema
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Breakfast sausage or chorizo
- Bacon
How to Make Breakfast Tostadas
Step 1. Cook the seasoned beans. Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drained pinto beans along with the chili powder, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are hot and coated in the spices.
Step 2. Scramble the eggs. While the beans cook, whisk the eggs until smooth. Heat the remaining olive oil in a second skillet over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low once the eggs are added. Gently scramble until they’re just set and still soft.
Step 3. Crisp the tortillas. Transfer the beans to a bowl. If needed, add another small drizzle of oil to the skillet, then cook the tortillas one at a time for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until they’re golden brown and crunchy.
Step 4. Assemble the tostadas. Layer each tortilla with the seasoned beans, scrambled eggs, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and finish with any of your favorite toppings. Serve right away while the tortillas are still crisp.
A Few Simple Tips
- Let the tortillas get truly crispy. A breakfast tostada with eggs is only as good as the tortilla underneath it. Cook each tortilla until it’s golden and sturdy before adding the toppings so it holds up instead of becoming soggy.
- Season the beans well. Don’t rush the beans. Let them cook with the spices for a few minutes so they absorb all of the flavor instead of tasting like plain canned beans.
- Assemble just before serving. Once the warm beans and eggs go on the tortilla, it will begin to soften. I like having all of the toppings ready so I can build and eat them while they’re still nice and crispy.
- Serve them right away. These are their best while the beans and eggs are warm and the tortilla is still crisp.
Make Ahead and Storage
These breakfast tostadas are best assembled fresh, but you can prep most of the components ahead of time to make breakfast even quicker.
- Seasoned Pinto Beans: 3-4 days
- Scrambled Eggs: 2-3 days
- Chop toppings ahead
When you’re ready to eat, simply crisp the tortillas, reheat the beans and eggs, then assemble with the fresh toppings. I don’t recommend crisping the tortillas ahead of time, since they’ll lose their crunch as they sit. Since the tortillas only take a few minutes to cook, I always recommend making them fresh.
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Breakfast Tostadas
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 4 small tortillas
- 1 cup cooked pinto beans, drained (one can)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ cup sliced red onion or pickled onions
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1 avocado sliced
Instructions
- Whisk eggs in a bowl and heat up two separate pans on medium high heat. Add 1/2 oil to each pan. Add pinto beans and add seasonings to one pan. Let the beans cook for a few minutes all the way through, tossing often to be sure they are cooked evenly. About 5 – 8 mi
- Scramble your eggs in the other heated pan. As soon as you place scramble in the pan, turn heat to medium/low. This should take about 5 minutes at the most.
- Place the beans in a bowl to the side. in the same pan as the beans were cooked in, add a tiny bit of oil if needed and place tortillas in one at a time. Keep heat on medium to high heat. Cook each side for about 3 minutes until lightly browned.
- Layer all the toppings on to the tostada, use tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and other items for garnish serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Corn tortillas work best because they crisp up and hold the toppings better than flour tortillas.
- Don’t rush the beans. Let them cook with the spices for 5–8 minutes so they absorb all of the flavor.
- Assemble just before serving to keep the tortillas nice and crispy.
- Customize the toppings with salsa, hot sauce, cotija cheese, or a fried egg instead of scrambled eggs.
-
Pickled Onions:
- 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup apple cider
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup ½ teaspoons salt
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh, man! This was so good! I made it into a quesadilla because the only tortillas I had on-hand were quite large. I topped it with tomatoes and a bit of low fat yogurt that had taco seasoning mixed in.
I’m only giving it 4 stars, though, because while I love a cook who isn’t afraid of seasonings, I felt this was too much. I only used about 2/3 of the seasoning and the beans were much too salty, but that’s just a personal preference. We cut way back on our salt a long time ago so most recipes are too salty for us these days. But even with using 2/3 of the seasoning, the beans were heavily coated so in general, this is just too much.
I made this recipe as is and it was perfect. I loved that it was a quick, easy, and filling breakfast.
Hi Ashley, I am so happy to hear this! Thanks for the feedback.
Most incredible breakfast- love the crunch factor!
This dish was filled with tons of flavor! The ingredients are extremely fresh and healthy- wish is a must at my home.