Cheesy Plant-Based Protein Tostadas
Protein that tastes like meat (without the meat)
- Soy
- Wheat
- Milk
Can’t decide between the mouthwatering flavors of your favorite taco and the satisfying crunch-factor of a plate of nachos? Enter: the tostada, aka the perfect marriage of the two. Here, you’ll oven-toast your tortillas for a flat, golden base. Then, you’ll layer on all your toppings—think Mexican cheese blend, zesty spiced ground plant-based protein, sautéed green pepper and onion, homemade pico de gallo, smoky crema, and hot sauce. Crispy goodness awaits!
Ingredients
1 unit
Red Onion
1 unit
Tomato
¼ ounce
Cilantro
1 unit
Lime
1 unit
Long Green Pepper
8 ounce
Tex-Mex Ground Plant-Based Protein
1 teaspoon
Chili Powder
6 unit
Flour Tortillas
(Contains: Soy, Wheat)
½ cup
Mexican Cheese Blend
(Contains: Milk)
1.5 tablespoon
Crema
(Contains: Milk)
1 teaspoon
Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon
Hot Sauce
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoon
Cooking Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Halve and peel onion; thinly slice one half. Finely chop remaining onion until you have 2 TBSP. (For 4, thinly slice whole onion; finely chop a few slices until you have 3 TBSP). Dice tomato. Roughly chop cilantro. Quarter lime. Halve, core, and thinly slice green pepper into strips.
• In a small bowl, combine chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, juice from half the lime, and a pinch of salt and pepper. • In a separate small bowl, combine crema and paprika. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add plant-based protein*. Using a spatula, press into an even layer; cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom, 3-4 minutes. • Break up protein into pieces and cook until browned all over and warmed through, 3-4 minutes more. • Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 5-7 minutes. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper. • Return plant-based protein to pan; stir to combine. Stir in ¼ cup water (½ cup for 4 servings). Cook until mixture is thickened and saucy, 1-2 minutes. TIP: If mixture seems dry, add another splash of water.
• Meanwhile, drizzle tortillas with 1 TBSP oil (2 TBSP for 4 servings); brush or rub to coat all over. • Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Gently prick each tortilla in a few places with a fork. (For 4, divide between 2 baking sheets; toast on top and middle racks, flipping tortillas and swapping baking sheet positions halfway through toasting.) • Toast on top rack, carefully flipping tortillas halfway through, until lightly golden, 4-5 minutes per side. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.
• Divide tortillas between plates; evenly sprinkle with Mexican cheese blend. Top with plant-based protein mixture, pico de gallo, and smoky crema. • Drizzle with hot sauce to taste. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.
Plant-based protein is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Many loved the plant-based protein's taste, with some unable to tell it wasn't meat; others found it too spicy or salty 🌶️.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to make, though some found the plant protein messy to cook as it splatters easily.
- Suggestions: Consider reducing chili powder for less heat; try as soft tacos or nachos for easier eating.
- Portions: Some wanted more toppings, especially cheese and crema; adding beans could bulk up the meal.
- Texture: Toasting tortillas added great crunch, but some preferred them soft to prevent breaking while eating.
Reviews from our home cooks
Very nice recipe! I wish there was a little more of the plant based protein- I wanted to be more heavy handed with the portions but had to pull back. More plant based protein options in general would be a nice addition, even for 'customizable protein' recipes
Cooking the plant-based protein was very messy, splattered and splashed on the stove top a lot. I'm guessing the heat was too high. Does it really need to cook or just heat through. I loved the flavor of it. I'll try it again.
The texture of the plant protein was similar to very broken up ground beef, but the flavor wasn't the same. I know they are different, but it was strange in flavor. Not bad, not great, but alright. I would probably cook the dish again with regular ground beef.
I was skeptical about trying plant-based protein but I couldn't have been anymore satisfied with this beef-like taste and feel of the meat replacement. Very tasty. Will order again.
Plant-based protein was just slightly oversalted. Crema would probably have been better the usual HelloFresh way, mixed with a little water for drizzling all over instead of concentrated in a single thick dollop in the center. Otherwise really enjoyed this and will most likely be reordering. :)
These were super delicious and easy to make. I didn't toast the tortillas and ate them like a soft taco (my preference generally). While it says the meat was spicy it was a gentle spice not overwhelming and with all the seeds out so was the long green pepper. I did not use the chili powder because a lot of heat is not my thing but there is definitely room to kick it up and still not be too spicy.
Another delicious dish from Hello Fresh I had 2 timers going at the same time and didn't remember which for what and my tostadas were a bit too crispy, my fault. I have trouble with spicy foods but I was able to cut down on the chili and not use the hot sauce. I Will make them again.
The plant protein substitute for hamburger was really pretty good. After adding the seasonings, and the onions and peppers, you couldn't really tell that it wasn't meat. The meal was enjoyable and filling
I got this because we are trying to reduce our meat consumption. My whole family liked it and were surprised that it wasn't actually ground beef. The tostada part totally didn't work though - I did more than prick gently after the first ones puffed up and they still puffed up. My son ended up putting his filling inside one of the pockets on his tortilla.
I love this dish because of the plant based meat that comes with it. Typically, i will create a taco bowl instead of the tostadas. If i could add black beans to the order, white or brown rice, etc. that would be awesome!!!
