Tostada Grande

Think of this as a tostada that went to a pizza party and decided to stay.

Flour tortillas get layered across a 12-inch pizza pan, overlapping like petals, then loaded up with chunky salsa and cumin-spiced ground beef that’s been simmered with tomatoes until thick and saucy.

Twenty minutes in the oven crisps the tortilla edges and melds everything together. Then out it comes for a blanket of melted Monterey Jack, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and sliced avocado piled on top while it’s still hot.

Cut it into wedges with scissors or a knife and serve it up like Mexican pizza night. Feeds six, impresses everyone, and the whole thing comes together in about an hour.

Kitchen Tips

• Overlap the tortillas neatly so there are no gaps. They’re the crust, and holes mean toppings falling through onto the pan.
• Drain the browned meat well before adding tomatoes. Excess grease will make the tortilla base soggy instead of crispy.
• Add the fresh toppings (lettuce, tomato, avocado) after baking. They stay crisp and cool against the warm, cheesy base, and that contrast is what makes every bite work.

Variations

• Use ground turkey or seasoned black beans for a lighter or vegetarian version.
• Swap Monterey Jack for pepper jack or a Mexican cheese blend.
• Drizzle with Mexican crema or a squeeze of lime juice before serving.