Quick and easy pork tostadas with green chilies, black beans and cheese on baked, crispy corn tostadas are a delicious dinner that’s ready in about 15 minutes!
This post is sponsored by the National Pork Board. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
We were supposed to be camping in the mountains this past weekend, but the weather just got too cold. The kids were so sad, but we tried to do a make-up of sorts at home.
We ate dinner outside on Friday night, followed by a fire pit and s'mores. We set up their inside tent and sleeping bags in the playroom and they slept in there that night.
Then on Saturday, we drove to a nearby mountain for a hike. ⛰We didn't realize it was going to be 5.5 miles round-trip or require so much climbing over rocks and boulders, but the kids -- and our 10-year-old lab Dixie -- were such troopers! It was a gorgeous day and we had such a fun time. Not at all the same as a big camping weekend, but it was pretty great. ❤️
Today I’m excited to share yet another simple, healthy, delicious and fast dinner with you — these quick and easy pork tostadas.
This recipe features tender, juicy strips of pork that are seasoned and quickly seared in a pan. They are mixed with green chilies and black beans then piled onto baked crispy tostadas and sprinkled with cheese.
Then they are baked off for just a couple of minutes to get warm and melty and then are ready to serve! (But don’t forget the toppings! More on those below.)
And y’all, these are just 6 main ingredients and they are ready in about 15 minutes.
So it’s a really fast but also healthy and fresh dinner to get on the table. That’s a serious win in my book!
(Oh, and they are naturally gluten-free as well.)
I will say though, these are a bit messy to eat. Tostadas just are.
You can go in full force and just pick them up and go at it, breaking the tostado up as you go.
Or you can get a knife and cut your tostados into halves or quarters to make it a little easier to pick up and bite into.
You will probably be so excited to chow down that you don’t even care about the mess.
I’m really happy to be partnering with the National Pork Board on this post.
I was fortunate enough to travel with them last month to Illinois to learn all about pigs and pork. (You may have seen my photos on social media or read about it with my recent pig farming post.)
A few quick pork highlights:
- Pork can be a great healthy choice for a protein. Both pork loin and sirloin are considered lean and are designated as heart-healthy by the American Heart Association. Pork tenderloin is considered very lean and is actually as lean as a skinless chicken breast.
- Pork is an excellent source of protein, vitamin B6, thiamin, phosphorus and niacin. It’s also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, riboflavin and zinc.
- Pork is also a really budget-friendly protein source. For instance, this recipe uses just one pound of pork and it gets sliced and stretched to cover a family of four. That’s a steal!
If you want other shopping and preparation tips about pork, check out my earlier post and some of the cool graphics. (Or visit pork.org/cooking for lots more info.)
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make easy pork tostadas. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
First of all...
What are tostadas?
Tostada is a Spanish word meaning "toasted.” It usually refers to a flat or bowl-shaped tortilla that has been fried or toasted.
Corn or flour tortillas can be used to make tostadas and various sizes can be used.
Baked tostadas use little or no oil and get crispy from baking in the oven, rather than frying in oil.
Tostadas can be topped with any number of things - pork, chicken, turkey, beef, or just beans and veggies.
And of course, you can personalize these by using all kinds of fun toppings. (Keep reading for my list of topping ideas.)
Here we’re using pork, chilies and beans, but even with that combination, there’s plenty of wiggle room so you can customize them to suit your tastes.
Notes on easy pork tostadas:
- I use boneless thin cut pork loin chops, which are available at many grocery stores. You could also substitute a thin boneless pork chop or a larger one that’s cut in half horizontally and then sliced. (You want to get down to smaller strips that are more bite size.)
- The recipe calls for black beans but you could also use pinto beans. Or you can spread refried beans on the tostada shells and top with the pork mixture.
- I usually use a can of mild green chilies for my kids’ sake, but you can spice these up a bit with a can of hot green chilies. (Or leave them out if you’re not a fan.)
- Homemade taco seasoning is awesome (and takes just 5 minutes to mix up) but store-bought is of course fine to use here too.
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese would work here. Or you can use a Mexican-style cheese blend.
Lots of ways to switch these up to make your family happy.
What else makes everyone happy?
Toppings. Lots of toppings. ALL the toppings. (Surely I’m not the only topping junkie, right?!)
Topping ideas for tostadas:
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage
- Salsa or chopped fresh tomatoes
- Avocado slices or dollop of guacamole
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños
- Hot sauce or sriracha
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Fresh lime juice
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Next time you need a quick and easy pork dinner, I hope you give these tasty tostadas a try.
Enjoy and happy cooking!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. I have another tostada recipe coming up in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned!
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Quick and easy pork tostadas
Ingredients
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 lb. boneless thin cut pork loin chops, cut into ½ inch strips
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chilies (mild or hot)
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Optional toppings:
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage, salsa or chopped tomatoes, avocado or guac, pickled red onions, pickled or fresh jalapeños, hot sauce or sriracha, Greek yogurt or sour cream, fresh lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Place tortillas in a single layer on two ungreased baking sheets. (You can line with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy clean-up.)
- Bake tortillas for 7-8 minutes, until crispy and slightly browned. (You can brush with some olive oil if you prefer, but it’s not necessary.)
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the pork strips with the taco seasoning. Add pork strips and cook for 4-5 minutes, until just cooked through, stirring regularly.
- Add the green chilies and black beans and stir to warm through.
- Layer the tortillas with the pork mixture and top each tortilla with ¼ cup shredded cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake for 2-3 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Add desired toppings and serve hot!
Notes
Nutrition
Katrina
Hi do you toss the pork strips with the taco seasoning prior to cooking? Or while warming with the other ingredients? I see it listed in the ingredients but not in the recipe steps. Thanks!
Kathryn Doherty
Hi! You season the pork with the taco seasoning first and then sear it in the pan. I've updated the recipe card to make that more clear - thanks so much for pointing it out! Hope you enjoy these tostadas! 😊