- Tostadas are baked or fried corn tortillas that add satisfying crunch to leftovers.
- You can find them for about $3 a bag in most grocery stores.
- Spread them with any dip or top them with your choice of protein and vegetables for an easy weeknight dinner.
Leftovers are a practical mealtime, but they’re not always the most tempting. Especially if you’ve reheated a slice of the same meatloaf every night this week or just can’t bring yourself to look forward to another scoop of veggie sheet tray fajitas, it may be time to reinvigorate your leftover routine.
Why tostadas are the ultimate leftover upgrade
I’ve never quite gotten the hang of a weekly meal prep routine, but as a recipe developer (and chronic over-orderer from restaurants) my fridge is always full of leftovers. Add to that my love of hosting, paired with my fear of underfeeding people, and I end up with a lot of second- or third-time-around meals to reheat.
While making sandwiches, frittatas, or fried rice can upgrade things in the fridge, I’ve been enjoying an easy short that’s as simple as opening a package: tostadas. In Mexican cooking especially, this crisp tortilla is a classic vehicle for a variety of toppings. Think: leftover beans, shredded meats, or vegetables.
What is a tostada?
Tostadas are corn tortillas that have been fried or baked until crisp and flat, similar to a large tortilla chip. You can make them yourself or buy them in stacked packages at the supermarket. From there, it’s just seconds until you have a brand-new meal that adds texture and heft to potentially soggy leftovers, particularly proteins and vegetables.
Popular Tostada Brands
How to use tostadas with leftovers
Top it straight from the fridge: Recently, I put leftover roasted fish and its sauce right onto a tostada and loved that I didn’t have to reheat the seafood, which would have overcooked it. The tostada added just enough contrast and crunch to make it feel like a new dish.
Add a flavorful “glue”: I’ve spread tostadas with mashed avocado and various condiments, either leftover from cooking or pulled from my fridge (like pesto, ricotta, or hummus), to add another layer of texture and help toppings stay put.
Layer for balance and texture: Grilled vegetables don’t slip off hummus or tzatziki as easily, and something fatty, like avocado, adds richness to lean proteins like grilled chicken or leftover turkey breast. Mashed sweet potatoes work well as a base, too, topped with seeds and chiles for even more crunch.
Why it works
The tostada is a blank, eager slate for all your leftover creations, turning mismatched odds and ends into cohesive, craveable meals with plenty of crunch.
A package of tostadas that’s been properly sealed can last for weeks in the pantry, making them a great way to prevent food waste and pull together a quick, satisfying meal at a moment’s notice.
