Tostadas de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Tostadas with Chipotle)
Tart, chewy hibiscus flowers cooked in smoky chipotle on crisp tostadas with creamy guacamole, a favourite vegan filling.
Made with Classic guacamole and Chipotle in adobo sauce (homemade) and Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.06 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
Rinse the hibiscus flowers well under cold water. Put them in a pan with the water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft.
11 min - 2
Drain, keeping the liquid for a cold drink if you like. Press the flowers in a sieve to squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then chop roughly.
- 3
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
6 min - 4
Add the hibiscus, the chipotle sauce (see the base recipe), lime juice and salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until dry, sticky and glossy.
6 min - 5
Warm the tostadas (see the tostadas and totopos base recipe) in a 160°C (140°C fan) oven for 3 minutes if they have lost their snap. Spread each with guacamole (see the base recipe) and pile on the hibiscus.
- 6
Finish with coriander and serve straight away.
Tips
- Squeeze the cooked flowers well. Wet hibiscus dilutes the sauce and makes the tostadas soggy.
- Hibiscus is naturally tart, so the chipotle and lime need salt to balance it. Taste and add a pinch more if needed.
- Dried hibiscus flowers are sold in Mexican, Caribbean and health food shops, and online.
- The cooking liquid makes a tart drink when chilled and sweetened, as in agua de jamaica.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours and keep the cooked hibiscus in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan until steaming hot all the way through. Assemble on fresh tostadas only when serving.
Questions
What do hibiscus tostadas taste like?
The flowers are tart and slightly fruity with a chewy, shredded texture, rather like slow cooked meat once cooked in chipotle. They are a popular vegan taco and tostada filling in Mexico.
Where can I buy dried hibiscus flowers?
Look for flor de jamaica in Mexican or Latin shops, Caribbean markets, health food shops and online. Choose whole dried flowers rather than powder.
Is it vegan and gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free corn tostadas. Hibiscus, chipotle sauce, guacamole and oil contain no animal products, gluten, egg or nuts.
More made with classic guacamole
Tostadas de Jaca al Pastor (Vegan Jackfruit Pastor Tostadas)
GFDFEFHamburguesas Mexicanas con Frijoles y Chipotle (Mexican Beef Burgers with Refried Beans)
NFFlautas de Pastor (Crispy Rolled Pastor Pork Tacos)
GFDFEFTacos de Camarón al Ajillo (Garlic Prawn Tacos)
GFDFEFDouble 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.