Tostadas de Camarón con Frijoles (Prawn and Bean Tostadas)
Crisp tostadas spread with warm refried beans, then piled with garlicky chilli prawns, avocado and lime.
Made with Classic guacamole and Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips) and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.90 a head
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
Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper and toss them with the ancho chilli, garlic, half the olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- 2
Warm your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe) in a small pan over a low heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through. Keep them loose and spreadable.
4 min - 3
Heat the rest of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Cook the prawns for 1 to 2 minutes each side until pink, curled and opaque all the way through. Squeeze over the juice of one lime and take off the heat.
4 min - 4
Warm the tostadas for 2 minutes in a low oven or a dry pan so they are crisp. Spread each with a thick layer of the warm beans, right to the edges, so the topping sticks.
2 min - 5
Spoon your ready made guacamole (see the base recipe) over the beans, then top with the prawns, lettuce, radishes, queso fresco and coriander.
- 6
Serve at once with lime wedges. Tostadas go soggy fast, so build them just before eating.
Tips
- Spread the beans right to the edge of each tostada. They act as glue and a moisture barrier, so the topping stays put and the base stays crisp longer.
- Do not crowd the pan or the prawns will steam and turn rubbery. Cook in two batches if your pan is small.
- Cooked prawns are ready when they are pink, curled into a loose C and opaque with no grey or glassy patches. A tight O shape means overcooked.
- If you cannot find queso fresco, crumbled feta rinsed of its brine is the usual UK swap.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Keep the cooked prawns, beans and guacamole separately in the fridge for up to 1 day, and rebuild the tostadas fresh. Reheat prawns only until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use cooked prawns?
Yes. Use 400 g of cooked peeled prawns and just warm them for 1 minute in the garlic and chilli oil with the lime juice. Overheating cooked prawns makes them tough, so keep it brief.
Are these tostadas gluten free?
Yes, if your tostadas are made from corn only. Prawns, beans, avocado and lime contain no gluten. The queso fresco makes it contain dairy, so leave it off or use sliced avocado for a dairy free version.
Can I make them ahead for a party?
Prepare the beans, prawns and guacamole ahead and keep them chilled. Assemble each tostada just before serving, because once the toppings are on they soften within about 10 minutes.
More made with classic guacamole
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.