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Bean and Cheese Tostadas

Crunchy baked corn tortillas topped with seasoned refried beans, cheddar, and shredded lettuce. A Mexican-inspired staple that regularly tops budget meal lists on Reddit.

vegetarianbeansfastmexican-inspiredgluten-freehigh-fiber

SERVES 4 443 CAL / SERVING 15 min PREP 15 min COOK $12.54 TOTAL

OVERDRAFT KITCHEN

★ ITEMIZED GROCERY RECEIPT ★

Bean and Cheese Tostadas

SERVES 4 · OTTAWA · 2026

8 corn tortillas $0.67

1 can (398 mL) refried beans $1.79

1 can (540 mL) pinto or black beans, drained $1.50

100 g shredded cheddar cheese $1.87

0.5 head romaine or iceberg lettuce, shredded (~200 g) $3.47

2 medium tomatoes, diced $1.00

0.5 cup sour cream $0.75

1 tsp ground cumin $0.05

1 tsp garlic powder $0.05

0.5 tsp chili powder $0.05

1 tbsp vegetable oil (for brushing tortillas) $0.06

to taste hot sauce and salt $0.05

0.5 tsp smoked paprika $0.02

0.5 tsp onion powder $0.02

1 tbsp lime juice (optional) $0.10

0.25 tsp salt for beans $0.01

1 tbsp water (to loosen beans) $0.00

1 tbsp butter (optional, for beans) $0.19

1 clove garlic, minced (optional, for beans) $0.08

0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) $0.01

2 green onions, sliced (optional) $0.66

0.5 tsp black pepper $0.01

1 tsp white vinegar (optional) $0.05

0.5 tsp dried oregano $0.02

0.25 tsp ground coriander $0.01

0.5 tsp chipotle powder (optional) $0.05

optional avocado or guacamole $0.00

optional pickled jalapeños $0.00

SUBTOTAL$12.54

GST / HSTyou've suffered enough

TOTAL$12.54

COST PER SERVING

$3.13

— — — TEAR HERE — — —

8 06420 01254 4

THANK YOU FOR SPENDING LESS

THE METHOD

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Brush both sides of each corn tortilla lightly with oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and lightly golden at the edges. Watch closely — they burn quickly.

While the tortillas bake, combine the refried beans and the drained whole beans in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and a splash of water. Stir until heated through and well-seasoned.

Spread a generous layer of the bean mixture onto each baked tostada.

Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and hot sauce.

Serve immediately — the tostadas go soft quickly once topped.

When the math doesn't work

Corn tortillas are significantly cheaper than flour tortillas and are the correct choice here. A bag of 30 corn tortillas runs about $2.49.

Mixing refried beans with whole beans gives better texture and goes further than using refried beans alone.
Tostadas go soft within minutes of being topped. Assemble just before eating.
If baking the tortillas isn't working, fry them in a shallow layer of oil in a skillet for 1–2 minutes per side.

Nutrition Per Serving

443 Calories

19g Protein

56g Carbs

17g Fat

12g Fiber

590mg Sodium

~20% DV Iron~18% DV Calcium~20% DV Vitamin C

Estimated values per serving.

Gluten-Free

This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free. All other ingredients are as well. Verify the refried beans brand — most are GF but some contain additives.

Pricing updated June 2026 using Ottawa No Frills and Ottawa Walmart averages. Prices verified June 2026. Beans $1.50/540mL can. Garlic $0.08/clove. Butter $1.36/100g. Green onions $1.99/bunch. Romaine lettuce $3.47/head (Walmart); priced as full head per whole-item rule — recipe uses 0.5 head. Corn tortillas, refried beans, cheddar, sour cream estimated from standard shelf prices.