VegetarianMalia Howe

Black Bean Tostada Pizzas with Cilantro Sauce

VegetarianMalia Howe
Black Bean Tostada Pizzas with Cilantro Sauce

Black Bean Tostada Pizzas with Cilantro Sauce

-adapted from tastykitchen.com

  • 2 cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • ¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper or chipotle chili powder (I used the chipotle. Love that smokiness!)
  • ¼ cups Water (you won't need all of this)
  • 1 cup Packed Cilantro Leaves
  • 1 1/3 cups Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 2 cloves of garlic (if large, just use one. Raw garlic is really potent.)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher Salt
  • 4 whole Flour Tortillas (I used soft-taco size)
  • Toppings as desired (I used chopped cherry tomatoes, shredded colby jack cheese, and diced avocado. Olives would be awesome, but I had none in the pantry)
  • 2 cups Shredded Lettuce (I was fresh out of lettuce, but lucky me, had some red cabbage. The crunch was fantastic and the color made me happy--I'd consider it a better choice than lettuce, but that is just me...)


In a food processor or blender, whirl up the cilantro, salt, garlic, and Greek yogurt and pour into a small bowl. I used less salt than called for, but I am afraid of over-salting a dish. Add what you think you'd like, you can always add more. Next (I'd recommend rinsing out your food processor bowl first) do the same with the black beans, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and water. Start with a couple tablespoons of water, and add more if needed to get the consistency you desire in your beans. I left mine with a bit of texture. You can do both of these things far ahead of time (a day or even 2). When you are ready to eat, preheat your broiler and then broil the tortillas on a baking sheet until browned and crisp. Watch them closely, and then flip to do the other side when the crispiness is to your satisfaction. Don't freak out if your tortillas bubble up in this process. You can punch the bubbles with a fork and all will be fine, I promise. Let the tortillas cool a minute so you can handle them, then spread with bean mixture, toppings of choice, and finally a drizzle of the cilantro sauce. Cut into wedges and serve. When I made my leftover lunch tostada, I spread my toasted tortilla with beans, topped with cheese, broiled until cheese was melted/beans heated, and then proceeded to add the rest of my toppings.