Make homemade Tostada Shells in minutes with this easy recipe! They’re so snappy crisp that you’d never guess that they’re baked not fried. And a technique that may surprise you means they are evenly cooked and never have curled edges.
Those tostada shells piled into plastic sacks that you’ll find on grocery store shelves have never appealed to me. How long ago were they fried? But, until now, I’d had mixed results making them at home.
Here’s the trick: You invert an oven-safe wire rack over corn tortillas that are brushed with oil and arranged in a single layer on a baking sheet. The result: flat and perfectly crisp tostada shells. I can’t take credit for the technique, it comes from the clever people at Cooks Illustrated. But I can verify that it works beautifully, though I did need to adjust the recipe.
They called for baking the corn tortillas for 15-18 minutes, which led me to not one, but three batches burned to a crisp (I won’t bore you with the details. 😉 ). These go from heavenly crisp to inedibly burned in a matter of seconds, so you need to keep a vigilant eye. I found that the best method was hot and fast, in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for a total of 8 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
Use these to make Pork Carnitas Tostadas, Chicken Tostadas, or mix and match toppings like Homemade Refried Beans, Carne Asada, Chicken Tinga, Pico de Gallo, and Easy Guacamole. They make a quick and satisfying meal and are a great way to feed a hungry crowd with toppings served family style.
How to Make Tostada Shells
Step 1: Arrange 12 corn tortillas in single layers on 2 baking sheets (6 tortillas per sheet). Brush tortillas on each side with avocado or other high heat oil.
Step 2: Invert an oven-safe wire rack over tortillas in each baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake in the upper and lower thirds of a 450˚F oven for a total of 8 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets after 4 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from oven and let cool. Serve.
Tostada Shells Recipe Video
Tostada Shells
Ingredients
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or other high heat oil
Instructions
- Arrange oven racks to upper and lower-thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 450˚F.
- Arrange corn tortillas in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Brush one tortilla on both sides with oil; repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Invert an oven safe wire rack over the tortillas on each baking sheet. Bake on upper and lower-third oven racks for 4 minutes. Switch and rotate each baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes more, or until crisp and golden brown. (Note that the tortillas will continue to crisp once they're out of the oven so keep a careful eye to not overcook.)
- Remove from oven and let cool. Serve as desired.
Notes
- Use tortilla shells made simply with corn, lime, and salt – no preservatives.
- Store leftover tostada shells at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to one week.
Can’t wait to try… can not find any of those ugly ones in the stores. I have been looking at how to do this… and they are pretty similar. Yours caught my eye… what doe the wire rack inverted over the top do? What am I not seeing?
Hi there, Calene! The inverted rack keeps the tortillas flat as they crisp up. It’s not essential, but definitely makes the tostadas easier to assemble and eat. Hope you love these!
What a fabulous trick, Marissa! I’ve never made tostadas or any kind of flat crispy breads at home before but I love knowing what’s in the food I eat and I swear the kids would love these! Great idea for some weekend baking – thank you!
My pleasure, Katerina! I hope you and your kids love them!
A great technique for perfectly crispy shells! Thank you for trying and trying and trying and trying, and sharing! Brava!!!
It’s so satisfying to finally get it right, lol! Thank you, Annie!
These are fabulous, Marissa! I use lots of tostada shells – I eat them like giant nachos! What an easy and healthy way of making them. Brilliant tip!
Giant nachos!? I love how you think, Kelly. Thank you!
How easy are these tostada shells? Fantastic! And I just got a brand new oven today. Can’t wait to give this technique a go! Homemade is always best isn’t it?
Always fun to get a new oven! I think you’ll love these, Neil!
What a fabulous technique. So easy. I will definitely be trying this. Now I want a tostada! 🙂 ~Valentina
Love to hear that, Valentina. Thank you!
You’re so adventurous! I’ve never baked any kind of tortilla and other thin crispy breads. Well, technically I rarely eat them, but this stack looks so appetizing that It’d disappear in no time, I swear! 🙂
Ha! Love it. Thanks, Ben!
OMG!!! I love this!! I bake corn tortillas all the time to make tostadas, but I’ve never tried the wire rack on top trick!!! This is brilliant!!! You can bet I’ll be doing this next time!!! So so so clever! Thanks for sharing!!
Wish I could take credit for the idea – it really works beautifully! Thanks, Chey!
I’m also never that excited about the ones in bags at the grocery store, Marissa! But now that I know the secret technique, I’m going to be making chicken tostadas pronto! These look fab!
woohoo! You know I love to hear that, Katherine. Thank you!
How simple and easy to make these homemade! Genius idea on how to keep them nice and flat!
Thanks so much, Kevin!
My local markets used to sell tostada shells, but for some reason they stopped carrying them Marissa. Never thought to make them myself. I’m so glad you shared this recipe! Pinned and I’ll be trying for sure!
That’s wonderful, Mary Ann! I hope you and your family love them.
Easy peasy and so crispy! And now I’m craving some tostadas! Heck, I bet I’d eat these all on their own…forget the toppings! Hope you have a lovely weekend ahead, my friend 🙂
Thanks so much, Dawn!
I love tostadas! They’re such a fun way to mix up taco night. And anything (anything!) can be used to top a good tostada. Excellent tip with the wire rack, Marissa. I’ll have to file that one away in the ‘kitchen hacks’ folder in the old noggin. 🙂
Love it, David! Thanks so much.
They turned out fantastic! Your kitchen counter is so tidy while mine so chaotic!
Well it’s tidy when we’re shooting recipe videos anyway. 😉 Thanks, Angie!