Crisp corn tortillas make a sturdy base for warm refried beans, a little cheese and chili-oil fried eggs. Avocado cools the heat, while a squeeze of lime brightens the whole plate.
Keep the crunchy bits from the chili crisp for the finish, so they add texture instead of scorching in the skillet. If you like a soft yolk, use commercially pasteurized shell eggs; a fully cooked yolk is an equally useful option.
Before you begin
You will need: a skillet for the tortillas, a nonstick skillet for the eggs, tongs, spatula, a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, and a draining rack or paper towels. Have the toppings ready before frying the eggs.
Makes 4 tostadas, or 2 hearty breakfast servings of 2 each. Estimated prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes. Total: about 35 minutes, depending on skillet size, tortilla crisping and egg doneness. Serve the tostadas as the eggs finish.
For a soft or runny yolk, choose commercially pasteurized shell eggs and still cook the whites completely. FDA recommends cooking eggs until both whites and yolks are firm and using pasteurized eggs for dishes served undercooked. Fully cooked eggs are the safer choice, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems. Pasteurization does not replace clean handling. See FDA egg safety guidance.
Gather your ingredients
- 4 corn tortillas, about 6 inches across
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, for crisping the tortillas, added as needed
- 4 large eggs; use commercially pasteurized shell eggs if serving with soft or runny yolks
- 1 cup refried beans, canned or safely stored homemade
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces/55 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, using the oil portion rather than a scoop packed with crunchy solids
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: up to 2 teaspoons crunchy chili-crisp solids, added after cooking
- Optional toppings: 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1 thinly sliced radish, or 2 tablespoons sour cream
Let’s make it
- Set out the avocado, lime and optional toppings. Put the beans in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl and heat, stirring, until hot and spreadable. If using refrigerated leftover homemade beans, reheat to 165°F (74°C). Keep warm while preparing the tortillas and eggs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time, approximately 1–2 minutes per side, until crisp and lightly golden, adding the remaining neutral oil as needed between tortillas. Use tongs to turn them and drain on a rack or paper-towel-lined plate. Do not crowd or overlap them.
- In a clean nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon chili oil over medium heat. Use mainly the oil, reserving crunchy garlic or chili solids for the end so they do not scorch. Crack 2 eggs into separate small cups, then slide them into the pan. Cook approximately 3–4 minutes, adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until the whites are fully opaque and set.
- For soft or runny yolks, use commercially pasteurized shell eggs and stop when the whites are fully set and the yolks are still soft. For ordinary unpasteurized eggs, or for a fully cooked option, cover briefly or carefully flip and continue cooking until both whites and yolks are firm. Choose the fully cooked option for people at higher risk of foodborne illness. Timing varies; use the doneness cues, not the timer alone. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon chili oil and 2 eggs.
- Spread 1/4 cup hot beans onto each crisp tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Monterey Jack. The hot beans and egg will soften the cheese. Top each with one freshly cooked egg and one-quarter of the avocado. Assemble and serve the first pair while the second batch of eggs cooks if needed to keep the tortillas crisp.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper, remembering that the beans, cheese and chili oil may already be salty. Add the optional chili-crisp solids and toppings, divide them among the tostadas, and serve immediately with lime wedges.
A few crafty little tips
- Use the listed neutral oil for the tortillas, saving the chili oil for the eggs. This keeps delicate chili and garlic bits away from repeated tortilla-frying batches.
- Heat the beans before the eggs so the eggs can go straight from skillet to tostada.
- Use moderate heat for the eggs and adjust it if the chili oil starts to smoke or the edges brown too quickly.
- Spread the beans close to the edges without piling them up. Each tortilla gets a measured quarter cup.
- Assemble just before serving. Wet toppings soften crisp tortillas if they sit.
Make it your own
For less heat, replace the 2 tablespoons chili oil with the same amount of neutral oil and omit the chili-crisp solids. Cheddar can replace Monterey Jack in the same amount. For a vegetarian version, check that the beans contain no lard and that the cheese and chili oil meet your needs; some chili products contain meat or seafood.
Store it for later
Assembled tostadas are best eaten immediately; the tortilla softens under the toppings. For advance preparation, keep the beans and toppings separate and cook the eggs fresh. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days of their original cooking, including any earlier bean storage. See USDA leftover storage guidance.
Reheat leftover beans or cooked egg components to 165°F (74°C), then assemble with crisp tortillas and fresh avocado. Reheating a leftover egg to that temperature will firm the yolk; do not count on preserving a runny yolk in a make-ahead version. Store chili oil according to its label. See USDA reheating guidance.
Quick questions
Can I use store-bought tostada shells?
Yes. Use four ready-to-eat corn tostada shells and warm them according to the package directions. Skip the tortilla-frying step and its neutral oil; that also shortens the preparation time.
Is chili crisp the same as chili oil?
Chili crisp contains crunchy solids as well as oil. Spoon off the oil portion for frying and reserve a little of the solids to add after cooking. Follow your jar’s storage directions and check its ingredients for allergens.
Can I keep the yolks runny?
Use commercially pasteurized shell eggs for that variation, and cook the whites completely. If those eggs are unavailable, cook ordinary eggs until both whites and yolks are firm. Choose firm yolks for higher-risk diners, following the egg safety note above.
Can I prep these for a brunch table?
Prepare the toppings and warm the beans, but fry the eggs and assemble the tostadas close to serving. Keep cold toppings refrigerated until needed and do not leave perishable food out beyond the storage limits above.
Bring the tostadas to the table while the tortillas are crisp and the eggs are hot, with lime wedges ready to squeeze over the top.
Chili Oil Fried Egg Breakfast Tostadas
Crisp corn tortillas layered with warm refried beans, Monterey Jack, chili-oil fried eggs and fresh avocado, served with lime.
Ingredients
- 4 corn tortillas, about 6 inches across
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, for crisping the tortillas, added as needed
- 4 large eggs; use commercially pasteurized shell eggs if serving with soft or runny yolks
- 1 cup refried beans, canned or safely stored homemade
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces/55 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, using the oil portion rather than a scoop packed with crunchy solids
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: up to 2 teaspoons crunchy chili-crisp solids, added after cooking
- Optional toppings: 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1 thinly sliced radish, or 2 tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
- Set out the avocado, lime and optional toppings. Put the beans in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl and heat, stirring, until hot and spreadable. If using refrigerated leftover homemade beans, reheat to 165°F (74°C). Keep warm while preparing the tortillas and eggs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time, approximately 1–2 minutes per side, until crisp and lightly golden, adding the remaining neutral oil as needed between tortillas. Use tongs to turn them and drain on a rack or paper-towel-lined plate. Do not crowd or overlap them.
- In a clean nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon chili oil over medium heat. Use mainly the oil, reserving crunchy garlic or chili solids for the end so they do not scorch. Crack 2 eggs into separate small cups, then slide them into the pan. Cook approximately 3–4 minutes, adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until the whites are fully opaque and set.
- For soft or runny yolks, use commercially pasteurized shell eggs and stop when the whites are fully set and the yolks are still soft. For ordinary unpasteurized eggs, or for a fully cooked option, cover briefly or carefully flip and continue cooking until both whites and yolks are firm. Choose the fully cooked option for people at higher risk of foodborne illness. Timing varies; use the doneness cues, not the timer alone. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon chili oil and 2 eggs.
- Spread 1/4 cup hot beans onto each crisp tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Monterey Jack. The hot beans and egg will soften the cheese. Top each with one freshly cooked egg and one-quarter of the avocado. Assemble and serve the first pair while the second batch of eggs cooks if needed to keep the tortillas crisp.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper, remembering that the beans, cheese and chili oil may already be salty. Add the optional chili-crisp solids and toppings, divide them among the tostadas, and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Notes
Makes 4 tostadas, or 2 hearty breakfast servings of 2 each. Estimated prep: 10 minutes. Cook: 25 minutes. Total: about 35 minutes, depending on skillet size, tortilla crisping and egg doneness. Serve the tostadas as the eggs finish.
Neutral oil is for tortillas; chili oil is for eggs. Reserve chunky chili-crisp solids for finishing so garlic does not burn in the pan. This recipe does not give instructions for homemade garlic-in-oil storage. Pasteurized shell eggs are needed for the stated soft-yolk variation; ordinary eggs should be cooked until whites and yolks are firm. For vegetarian preparation, check beans for lard, cheese suitability and chili-oil ingredients.
For a soft or runny yolk, choose commercially pasteurized shell eggs and still cook the whites completely. FDA recommends cooking eggs until both whites and yolks are firm and using pasteurized eggs for dishes served undercooked. Fully cooked eggs are the safer choice, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems. Pasteurization does not replace clean handling. See FDA egg safety guidance.
Assembled tostadas are best eaten immediately; the tortilla softens under the toppings. For advance preparation, keep the beans and toppings separate and cook the eggs fresh. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days of their original cooking, including any earlier bean storage. See USDA leftover storage guidance.
Reheat leftover beans or cooked egg components to 165°F (74°C), then assemble with crisp tortillas and fresh avocado. Reheating a leftover egg to that temperature will firm the yolk; do not count on preserving a runny yolk in a make-ahead version. Store chili oil according to its label. See USDA reheating guidance.
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