Potato Tostadas – A Vegetarian Snack

Refried beans and shredded chicken are two of the best known ingredients for filling or topping crisped tortillas, called tostadas.  In other posts, I have used potatoes in quesadillas, as well as a filling for crispy “drowned” tacos; in this recipe, they are used as an excellent topping alternative for tostadas.

Potato Tostadas – Tostadas de papa

Printable recipe – Potato Tostadas

Ingredients (for 6 pieces)

6 tostadas (crisped corn tortillas; packaged or homemade*)
1 lb (454 g) potatoes; scrubbed and rinsed
½ white onion; peeled and chopped
2 tbsp oil
Salt, to taste
1 cup greens, such as shredded lettuce or cabbage, sprouts, etc.; washed
1 cup unripened cheese, such as panela, Mexican añejo, or light feta; crumbled
½ cup Mexican cream; or sour cream mixed with a little milk
½ cup Mexican sauce, to taste (homemade, such as cooked green, salsa macha, etc. or from jar)

* NOTE:  I used packaged tostadas, and baked them in the oven at 400°F (205°C) for about one minute to restore freshness (watch carefully, they burn fast).  * For homemade tostadas: brush day-old corn tortillas with oil on both sides, and bake at 400°F (205°C) just until crispy, or use the original technique of deep-frying them.

Prepare a pot with water; peel and quarter potatoes, immediately placing them in the water, to avoid darkening.   Cook over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender (photo below, left).  Remove from heat, drain, and reserve.  Warm up oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add half the chopped onion (reserve the rest for topping); sauté, stirring constantly (photo below, right):

Once the onions look translucent, add reserved potatoes; stir to coat with the onions and oil (photo below, left).  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for five minutes, then press the potatoes with a fork or a masher, to break up into small bits (photo below, right):

Season with salt, to taste.  Remove from heat and reserve.

To prepare the tostadas, take one tortilla disc and top with smashed potatoes (photo below, left).  Add greens, such as broccoli sprouts (photo below, right):

Top with reserved chopped onions and crumbled cheese (photo below, left), and finish with a drizzle of cream, and some sauce, to taste (photo below, right):

Repeat with the rest of the crisped tortilla discs.  In the photo at the top of this post, and below, a row of tostadas topped with the traditional shredded lettuce at the back, and in the front, one with pea sprouts, and two with broccoli sprouts:

I loved the combination of the seasoned smashed potatoes with the freshness of the toppings, and I thought my homemade broccoli sprouts were an extra-fresh and novel addition:

Potato tostadas are a delicious, crunchy and light snack or meal any time of the year, but may be a special treat if observing a vegetarian regime during the Christian season of  Lent. 

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I am bringing my recipes to Full Plate Thursday #631 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #582, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #475  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

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I am sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #410 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.