Grilled Vegetable and Black Bean Tostadas with Avocado Crema

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

Charred mixed vegetables and seasoned black beans layered on crunchy tostadas, topped with a smooth avocado crema for a fresh vegetarian street food. This mexican-inspired street food (vegetarian) ready in about 35 minutes pairs corn tostadas, zucchini, red bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 8 corn tostadas
• 1 medium, sliced into 1/4-inch thick half-moons zucchini
• 1 large, cut into strips red bell pepper
• 1 medium, sliced into 1/4-inch thick half-moons yellow squash
• 1 small, sliced into rings red onion
• 1 1/2 cups cooked or canned, drained and rinsed black beans
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 3 tbsp, divided olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large avocado
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 small, minced garlic clove
• 2 tbsp chopped, for garnish fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
2. Step 2: In a bowl, toss 1 medium sliced zucchini, 1 large cut red bell pepper, 1 medium sliced yellow squash, and 1 small sliced red onion with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Grill the vegetables for 3-4 minutes per side until nicely charred and tender, then remove and set aside.
4. Step 4: In a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 1/2 cups drained and rinsed black beans, 1 tsp cumin powder, and 1 tsp chili powder. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated through and fragrant.
5. Step 5: In a blender, combine 1 large avocado, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, and 1 small minced garlic clove. Blend until smooth to create the avocado crema.
6. Step 6: Spread a spoonful of the black bean mixture on each of the 8 corn tostadas.
7. Step 7: Top the beans with the grilled vegetables, then drizzle each with 1-2 tbsp avocado crema.
8. Step 8: Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.