Tostadas de Birria (Crisp Tostadas with Birria Beef)
Crunchy corn tostadas spread with beans and piled with juicy shredded birria, lime crema and pickled red onions.
Made with Lime crema (Mexican soured cream sauce) and Birria adobo and consomme and Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time3 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £4.63 a head
- Oven160°C (140°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Put the beef and salt in a casserole with 400 ml of your ready made birria adobo and consomme (see the base recipe) and the water. Cover and cook for 2 hours 30 minutes until the beef shreds.
150 min - 2
Shred the beef and moisten it with 4 tablespoons of the broth. Keep the rest of the broth to serve in cups.
- 3
Warm the refried beans in a small pan until steaming hot all the way through.
- 4
Spread a layer of beans on each tostada, then pile on the beef.
- 5
Top with shredded lettuce, a spoonful of your ready made lime crema (see the base recipe), pickled red onions, radish and coriander. Eat immediately before the tostadas soften.
Tips
- Spread the beans right to the edge of the tostada. They seal it against the moist beef and help keep it crisp.
- Drain the beef well before piling it on, or the juices will soften the base.
- Heat the tostadas in a dry oven at 180C (160C fan) for 3 minutes if they have lost their crunch.
- Offer the extra consomme in small cups for sipping.
Storing and freezing
Keep the beef in the fridge for up to 3 days and the broth separately. Assemble the tostadas only when serving. Reheat the beef until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Are tostadas gluten free?
Corn tostadas are naturally gluten free, but some brands share a factory with wheat. Check the label if you need a strict gluten free diet. The birria base is gluten free as written.
Can I use leftover birria?
Yes. Use about 400 g of shredded birria beef and skip the braising steps.
Why are my tostadas soggy?
They were assembled too early or the beef was too wet. Drain the beef, spread beans first and serve within minutes of topping.
More made with lime crema (mexican soured cream sauce)
Quesadillas de Pavo y Elote con Crema de Lima (Turkey and Sweetcorn Quesadillas)
EFNFTostadas de Tinga de Setas (Mushroom Tinga Tostadas)
VEFNFBulgogi Sweet Potato Boats with Lime Crema
GFEFNFCrema de Chile Poblano (Creamy Poblano Soup)
VEFNFSee every dish made with lime crema (mexican soured cream sauce)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.