Ground Turkey Tostadas

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The best Turkey Tostadas made with ground turkey and refried beans piled high on baked tostada shells with all the best toppings. Easy, filling, and ready in 20 minutes.

457 CAL 49g CARBS 12g FAT 41g PROTEIN
1 Comment

Ground Turkey Tostadas are easy to make, loaded with healthy ingredients, and bursting with bold flavors. Ready in under 20 minutes, this flavorful dish makes the ultimate lunch or dinner for any day of the week.

With so many incredible dishes constantly calling my name, I truly don’t think I could ever get tired of Tex Mex. Whether I’m enjoying nachos, enchiladas, fajitas, or tostadas; there will always be one thought running through my mind: how many more can I eat before I explode? Kidding. Kind of.

Living in Southern California, there is certainly no shortage of mouthwatering Mexican and Tex Mex food all around me. However, in an effort to save money and cut back on calories, I have taught myself how to make my favorite Mexican-inspired dishes at home. While it may not be ~quite~ the same as dining out at your favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint, these Ground Turkey Tostadas are still darn good.

This is already a pretty quick meal to make, but there are plenty of ways to make it even quicker. You can prep your veggies the night before, use store-bought salsa instead of making your own, and buy crispy tostada shells instead of baking them yourself.

If I know I’m going to be busy before dinner, sometimes I will cook my turkey meat and prep my veggies a few hours beforehand. A little bit of prep work goes a long way in making your life easier at dinnertime, trust me!

Whether you’re serving lunch for the family or hosting a dinner party for friends, these Ground Turkey Tostadas make the ideal main course. Serve them up alongside a green salad and Cilantro Lime Rice for a complete meal that is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser on any occasion.

Ingredients for ground turkey tostadas including cilantro, salsa, taco seasoning, beans, cheese, and more.

What You’ll Need For Turkey Tostadas

To bring this vibrant recipe to life, you will need the following key ingredients:

  • Corn tortillas: We are going to bake these to perfection to make our crispy tostada shells.
  • Ground turkey: I like to use the 93% lean kind, but you can use any kind you like.
  • Veggies: For this recipe, you will need onions, green bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado. Technically tomatoes and avocados are fruits, but we’re going to lump them in with the veggies anyway!
  • Taco seasoning: You can use a packet of your favorite taco seasoning or make your own from scratch; whichever you prefer.
  • Salsa: Homemade or store-bought will work. I tend to opt for store-bought salsa to keep this recipe nice and quick.
  • Fresh herbs: I like to use fresh cilantro to give the tostadas an extra pop of vibrant and refreshing flavor. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley instead.

Tostada Variations

This delicious dish is super versatile, so there are a ton of different changes you can make depending on what you have at home and what you’re in the mood for. Here are some easy swaps you can make if you’re looking to switch up this recipe:

  • Swap out the meat: Instead of ground turkey, you can try ground chicken or lean ground beef.
  • Swap out the avocado: To add more flavor, try using guacamole instead of fresh avocado. You can make your own or use a pre-packaged version from the store.
  • Change up the beans: Not a fan of refried beans? Try using black or pinto beans instead. For added flavor, you can toss them with some of your taco seasoning.
  • Use a different herb: While this recipe calls for fresh cilantro, you can easily swap this out for another bright herb like parsley if you don’t like cilantro.
  • Add some acidity: For a touch of acidity, squeeze some lime juice over the tostadas or sprinkle fresh lime zest on top of them.
  • Switch up the veggies: You can toss in any veggies you have laying around for this recipe. Some good options include zucchini, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
  • Make it vegetarian: Looking for a new Meatless Monday recipe? No problem. Try swapping out the ground turkey for lentils, quinoa, or tempeh.
  • Change up the cheese: Instead of using shredded cheese, you can switch this out for a different cheese like cotija, feta, or queso.
  • Make it a salad: Double up on the lettuce and leave out the tostada shells for a delicious taco salad.

How to Store Tostadas

Because there are so many components to this dish, it can be a bit tricky to store. I highly recommend packing the tostada shells, tostada turkey meat, and veggies separately before storing them. The veggies will keep well for up to 2 days, I typically toss them into a taco salad the next day and eat it for lunch.

To store the tostada shells, seal them up in an airtight bag or container and keep them in the pantry for up to 3 days. I’ve found that this is the best way to keep them crispy. As for the turkey meat, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.

Turkey tostada with ground turkey, salsa, avocado, refried beans, and cilantro on a crispy corn tortilla.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about this dish:

What should I serve with this dish?

I like to serve this dish with a side of rice or quinoa and a refreshing beverage, like one of my Skinny Margaritas.

How long can you store tostada meat?

The cooked ground turkey mixture can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.

How should you cook tostadas?

You can cook tostada shells by frying them on the stove, baking them in the oven, or crisping them up in the microwave. There’s no one cooking method that’s necessarily better than the others, but my personal favorite way to cook tostadas is in the oven. It produces healthier results than fried tostadas and crispier results than microwaved tostadas. It’s also great for cooking large batches of tostada shells.

Tostada with ground turkey, refried beans, salsa, avocado, lettuce, and shredded cheese.

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The Recipe
Ground turkey tostadas with refried beans, ground turkey, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and shredded cheese.

Ground Turkey Tostadas

457 CAL 49g CARBS 12g FAT 41g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 20 Min
1 Comment
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 lb. 99% lean ground turkey
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning (or homemade, more to taste)
  • 1/4 cup salsa (homemade or store bought)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 14 oz canned refried beans
  • 2 cups shredded lettuce
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced

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Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the tortillas directly on the oven rack and cook for 8-10 minutes until crisp to create the tostada shells.

Homemade crispy tostada shells stakced in a pile.
2

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the pepper and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the turkey and taco seasoning. Cook for 6-8 minutes until almost full cooked.

Ground turkey cooked with pepeprs, onions, and taco seasoning.
3

Stir in salsa and cook for 2-3 minutes until fully cooked. Taste and season as needed.

Sala adding to ground turkey meat with peppers and onions.
4

Heat the refried beans in a pan or the microwave. Build the tostadas by spreading a thin layer of beans on the corn tortillas. Then add the ground turkey. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, and salsa.

Ground turkey tostadas with refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 tostadas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 457
Calories from Fat 109
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12g
19%
Saturated Fat 3g
14%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 66mg
22%
Sodium 1040mg
45%
Total Carbohydrate 49g
16%
Dietary Fiber 13g
48%
Sugars 5g
Protein 41g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
1 Comment
On Ground Turkey Tostadas
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Andrea L.
October 17, 2022 - 13:22
Add a Rating:
5
Loved these! So easy to make and my family loved them. Added green salsa since it's what I had at home and they were so so good!
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