Sticky, Sweet Mango-Chipotle Ground Beef Tostadas (New Recipe!)

Mostly, I usually feel pretty good about a recipe I decide I want to test and develop.

But every once in a while I think, this could be a really big miss. Or mess. Or both.

And I did think that with this recipe…

And yet! I’m here to report these Mango-Chipotle Ground Beef Tostadas were a raging success…I’m talking follow-me-into-my-dreams, can’t-wait-for-leftovers success!

Why was I so unsure about this recipe?

First, I wanted to use ingredients I had on hand and needed to use up. I had chipotle peppers in adobo from my Crispy Chicken Tacos recipe and I had tahini leftover from my Mediterranean Flatbread recipe.

I also had a mango that was on the verge of going bad and if Jeremy asked me one more time, “Do we have plans for this mango?” I was going to ascend into another realm never to be seen again.

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My favorite part of this dish (besides how insanely delicious it is) is the magic trick!!!

Fresh, sliced mango DISSOLVES into the beef mixture and gives it this sticky sweet texture and taste while the chipotles add that perfect balance of savoriness.

(Please note, at this time we will be ignoring the splatter on my stovetop. That was from another dish that will remain unidentified.)

After we make the ground beef mixture we’re really just assembling!

Refried beans (STORE BOUGHT IS FINE!), mango sticky ground beef, tomatoes, cheese.

Add any other toppings you love like fresh cilantro and limes. Put it on a platter (seriously I’ve been using this platter all summer long for summer eats).

You can make the tahini crema and drizzle it on (I was shocked how yummy this was, like a lime crema but with a little more depth) or just do a drizzle of sour cream!

• This affordable non-stick, ceramic pan is just like the one I used for my ground beef (but it is way more affordable)!

• As mentioned above I love my baking slab to serve this dish in because it can go from oven to table (I heated the tostadas on it and then assembled them from there). This is also such a great baking slab that is also much more affordable!

• This is what I put my tahini drizzle in to get the perfect drizzle! I am very obsessed with the perfect drizzle when I put any sauce on my food😅

• This lays-flat citrus press is so amazing I now travel with it! Perfect to get the juice out of any and all citrus!

• I’ve been using this meat crumbler for YEARS! It perfectly crumbles ground beef every time! No notes!

Get the printable recipe here.

For the Beef

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (80/20)

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 mango, diced (fresh or thawed frozen)

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, diced

• 1 Tbsp adobo sauce (from the can)

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp kosher salt

For the Tahini Crema

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 3 Tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed

• 2 Tbsp water

To Serve

• 8 tostada shells (2 per person)

• 1 (14 oz) can refried beans

• 1/2 cup cotija cheese or shredded Mexican cheese, crumbled

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Make the Tahini Crema

(I made this because I had tahini on hand to use, you can also just make a lime crema with sour cream and lime juice!)

1. Whisk together ¼ cup tahini, ¼ cup sour cream, 3 Tbsp lime juice, and 2 Tbsp water until silky smooth. (It may seize up at first, but just keep whisking. It’ll get there!). Season with a pinch of salt and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble. (It thickens as it sits, so whisk in a splash more water before serving if needed.)

Sauté the Onion

2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and just golden at the edges.

Brown the Beef

3. Add 1½ lbs ground beef to the skillet and break it up with a wooden spoon or meat masher. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Season with 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp smoked paprika.

4. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the smell of garlic hits your nose!

Build the Mango-Chipotle Glaze

5. Add the diced mango, 2 diced chipotle peppers, 1 Tbsp adobo sauce, and 1 Tbsp honey to the skillet. Stir everything together and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the mango softens and breaks down, coating every piece of beef in a sticky, sweet-smoky glaze. (The mango will almost melt into the meat, that’s exactly what you want! Taste here and add more adobo sauce if you want more heat.)

Warm the Beans

6. While the beef finishes, warm the can of refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring until smooth and spreadable.

Build Your Tostadas

7. Spread a generous spoonful of warm refried beans onto each tostada shell. Add a scoop of the mango-chipotle beef, then top with cheese. Drizzle the tahini crema over the top, then finish with a confetti of fresh cilantro. Serve immediately so the shells stay crispy!

The best part about this recipe? It is on the meal plan for tonight and hundreds of you will be making it!!!

I send out a meal plan every week that includes:

• early access to new recipes (like this one!)

• the downloadable grocery list for the week

• links + prep ahead tips to that week’s meal plan

The August meal plan is going out later this week and if you want to have your meals all planned out for you just as back-to-school season is starting up, you can sign up here!