tostada

American  

[toh-stah-duh, taws-tah-thah] / toʊˈstɑ də, tɔsˈtɑ ðɑ /

Also tostado

noun

Mexican Cooking.

tostadas plural

1. a tortilla fried until crisp and usually topped with a variety of ingredients, as shredded meat or chicken, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.

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tostada British  

/ tɒˈstɑːdəʊ, tɒˈstɑːdə /

noun

1. a crispy deep-fried tortilla topped with meat, cheese, and refried beans

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• tostadas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tostada

1935–40; < Mexican Spanish, noun use of past participle of Spanish tostar to toast ¹

Example Sentences

For me, this is ideal weeknight cooking: A tostada piled high with ceviche tastes like vacation even when you’re eating it on a Tuesday.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

We started with a Japanese Wagyu tostada, all contrast: crunchy, rich, and deeply satisfying.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Chef Gilberto Cetina Jr. and his brigade of talented line cooks make an uni-topped ceviche tostada that make the finest caviar blinis seem like Cheese Whiz on Ritz crackers.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2025

There was a crunch — at the center of this handheld food-disc lies a tostada.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2023

Bill Koontz was sitting at the counter tapping up tostada crumbs with his middle finger and licking them off when Joe and his people walked in.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols