Black Bean Tostadas with Grilled Corn Avocado Salsa

Creamy smashed black beans and a smoky grilled corn avocado salsa are piled onto these massively flavorful black bean tostadas for an easy vegetarian or vegan meal.

It’s dishes like this that remind me that both vegetarian and vegan dishes can certainly hold their own in the flavor department.

I mean, have you ever seen a more loaded tostada in your life?? I would gladly eat these every day if I could and honestly, who’s to stop me from doing just that.

Black beans are definitely pulling their own here today and lending all their creamy, hearty goodness to these tostadas. And then you have toppers like this incredible grilled corn salsa swooping in and making everything a flavor party.

And wouldn’t you know it, you won’t need to spend very long in the kitchen either to make these! The black bean mixture takes moments to cook up on the stove and the salsa comes together just as fast.

You can even prep both of them ahead of time if you’re looking to keep dinner SUPER simple. Keep reading for all my tips on that!

These Tostadas feature…

• Creamy, flavorful smashed black beans spread on a crunchy tostada shell
• A fresh charred corn avocado salsa piled on top
• Minutes to make and vegetarian + vegan-friendly.

Making the Tostadas

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Sweet corn
• Vegetable oil
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro
• Lime juice
• Black beans
• Yellow onion
• Sweet pepper
• Garlic
• Spices
• Vegetable broth
• Tostadas
• Cotija cheese (optional)

Tips for Perfect Tostadas

1. Grill corn – this adds a smoky element to the salsa that’s so incredible. If you don’t own a grill, feel free to boil the corn instead.
2. Drain and rinse beans – you want to remove as much of the starchy liquid from the beans as possible.
3. Mash beans – use a fork or a potato masher to mash the black beans until creamy. A few chunks are okay!
4. Serve tostadas immediately after assembly – probably goes without saying but you really want to enjoy these tostadas fresh so the shell stays crispy.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these tostadas.

• Use another bean – try pintos, navy beans, chickpeas, or white beans.
• Adjust heat level – as-is, these tostadas are about medium spice level but you can easily dial the heat up or down. Skip the jalapeno and cayenne pepper for a mild version or add more for a spicier flavor.
• Try another topping – you can top tostadas with a regular salsa, fruit salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, or sour cream in place of the corn salsa.
• Add meat – if you want more protein, try adding cooked shredded chicken or ground beef.

Make Ahead Instructions

Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead tips.

• Grill the corn – grill the corn, allow to cool, remove from cobs, and store in refrigerator up to 6 days.
• Assemble the salsa – the salsa stores well in refrigerator up to 4 days.
• Make the black beans – the black bean mixture may be made ahead of time and stored in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat gently in a pan over medium heat or 1-2 minutes in microwave until heated through for assembly of tostadas.
• Assembly – when ready to assemble, spread tostadas with warmed black bean mixture, top with salsa, and any additional toppings.

From first bite of these tostadas down to the last you won’t be missing the meat for a moment here. The creamy black beans are so hearty and that grilled corn salsa provides just the right amount of flavor oomph that knocks these outta the park.

Excuse me while I dive in facefirst.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More black bean-heavy dishes to make next!

• Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad
• Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
• Crispy Black Bean Tacos