When I was a kid my family went to El Chico’s on Wednesday night for the 99 cents special – a plate with an enchilada, tamale, beans and rice, and then all of the chips and salsa and warm corn tortillas one could eat. A family of 7 ate for less than $10!!!! Can you imagine? Through this experience I grew up thinking that this Wednesday night special was real Mexican cuisine.
“Mexican food” at home was when my dad served one of his favorite foods – canned tamales!!!! Believe it or not, I actually liked them, but then I had never tasted a real tamale. Now that I live in the southwest I know what real Mexican food is and, that there is a difference between Mexican, TexMex and New Mexican cuisine. The locally made tamales are NOTHING like those canned tamales, and I now know that Mexican food is more than just cheese, refried beans and a tomato based red sauce – A LOT more!
Today, I’m going to talk a little about the tostada. Very simply, a tostada is a meal on top of a fried corn tortilla. That “meal” can be just about anything from beans (my favorite) to roasted veggies or ground beef to shrimp. In this kitchen, what goes into the “meal” usually depends on what I have in the fridge. Since I cook a pot of beans almost every week, we do eat a lot of bean tostadas with a variety of toppings. This Breakfast Tostada evolved one Sunday morning when I was emptying the fridge of all those little things that needed to be used. The combination of the ingredients I had on hand resulted in a tostada that was quite different than any other I had ever made, and it was delicious! This tostada now have a place of honor on our list of “brunch” options right along side Huevos Rancheros.
Sausage and Egg Tostada Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep and Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
4 corn tortillas
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp. oil
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
1 Kielbasa sausage, sliced, then quartered
¼ to ½ cup roasted, peeled and chopped green chile
4 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. milk or cream
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
½ cup feta cheese crumbled
½ cup chopped tomato
Instructions
- In a small skillet (a little wider than a corn tortilla), heat the canola oil over medium heat. Once hot enough, fry the tortillas, one at a time until crisp. Use tongs to hold the tortilla flat while frying, otherwise, it will curl up. Transfer to a paper bag or paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- In another skillet, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium low heat. Add the onion and corn. Cook, stirring until the onion is soft and corn is done, about 4 minutes.
- Add the green chile and kielbasa. Cook stirring for 1 minute.
- In a mixing bowl, gently beat the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper.
- Pour the eggs into the skillet. Using a heatproof spatula, cook the eggs, gently stirring in the ingredients and folding the eggs until done.
- Divide the egg and sausage mixture between the four tortillas. Top with cilantro, feta cheese and tomatoes.
Kitchen Notes
The sausage – The first couple of times I made this I used Kielbasa because I had a couple of sausages leftover from making Curry and Comfort’s delicious Spicy Kielbasa, Tomato, and Chili Curry. However, you could also use any smoked or spicy sausage such as Andouille or Spanish chorizo. If you use Mexican chorizo (which is fabulous!), add with the onion and corn, and cook until done.
The chile – Use whatever you have that’s spicy. Here are some suggestions:
- roasted, peeled, chopped green chile (this is what I use of course
- jalapeno
- chipotle adobo
- roasted poblano
- green chile sauce
- red chile sauce
- tomatillo salsa
- picante or pico de gallo (click here for recipes from Kitchen Riffs)
If you choose a sauce, use it as a topping once the egg mixture has been transferred to the tostada. If you add sauce to the eggs when cooking, the eggs will be runny.
The cheese – Use feta if you can! Otherwise, whatever you prefer.
Other ingredients – As with any tostada, avocado, lettuce or spinach, and bell pepper are always options as well as anything else you might have in the fridge that needs to be used.
Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, I bet you’ll love this one as well!
Huevos Rancheros – Eggs served on top of corn tortillas with black beans and red chile sauce.
This recipe has been linked to the following blog hops. Be sure to click on the links for more fabulous recipes.
Weekend Potluck, Mix It Up Monday, Breakfast Ideas Monday, Made From Scratch Monday, Fat Tuesday, Frugal Follies, Foodie Friday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Full Plate Thursday
This recipe was featured on Breakfast Ideas Monday!
That’s a super breakfast idea! Nutritious and delicious…my type of breakfast.
99 cent special… heck yea!! I wish we could catch that deal these days.
Actually you are right… true Mexican, Tex Mex and New Mexican cuisine must be totally different than the stuff we thought we were getting in cans and frozen entrees. 
Love the tostadas….. sounds like tomorrows breakfast to me. 
Have a great weekend! ~ Ramona
This is such a great idea MJ. I am going to do this when I am going through the this weekend. Makes a whole meal or even just a snack. I like this. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Yum!!!
Wonderful!! what a great idea, fast ad loaded with flavors..
Sorry for being MIA lately, I am back here and drooling over all goodness.
Welcome back Reem! It’s always could to hear from you! Hope you had a nice break and did something fun!
These look delicious! I haven’t had a tostada in ages, and this would make a totally satisfying breakfast.
My knowledge about the Mexican cuisine is very very poor. I have never had tostada, nor tamales, but I love the rare Mexican dishes I have tasted or made (chili con carne, guacamole, fajitas and enchiladas are the only Mexican or maybe Tex-Mex dishes I know). Your tostada looks gorgeous and so light! I start thinking I should try learning to cook Mexican too.
Sissi – You definitely should try making Mexican food at home. It’s relatively easy to make and tastes and ingredients that you can get addictive to!
Thanks for the comments!
I love tortillas with fresh veggies.. getting perfect corn flour is an issue here..wish I get ready to use tortillas at my place soon. Lovely recipe and a healthy breakfast.
What an innovative brunch idea! I’d love to make these for company…yum!
This does look like a great breakfast! Here in Texas we love everything southwestern and this one looks like it has all that great flavor. Breakfast burritos are so popular, it seems that the thought of making breakfast tostadas was overlooked! Very creative and delicious! Enjoy the weekend!
Thanks Tina! Breakfast burritos is a standard here as well but sometimes I find a burrito too heavy to start the day. These tostadas were a great alternative!
mj, this looks like the perfect weekend brunch.
Holy cow, this would make my weekend complete!
I would love to have Mexican at braekfast, that looks good and definitely would spice up my day.
This sounds so good, I’m wishing I had it for breakfast right now
Growing up, I thought Chi-Chi’s was real Mexican food!! I had no idea what I was missing out on!!!! I am definitely making up for that now!
99 cents does sound hard to believe… for anything, much less wholesome Mexican food! Your breakfast tostada looks delightful MJ. As I’ve shared before, I’m a huge fan a Mexican cuisine and, like you, cook up at least one batch of beans a week (I also love eating beans for breakfast)… But this is a really fun and tasty twist with the sausage – and the cilantro/cream/chopped tomato mixture is ringing my bell
. De.lish!
Oh MJ! Now that’s totally what I want for breakfast! I think its a lovely idea. Its healthy and delicious! And who wouldn’t want mexican food for breakfast!
I’m in love with Mexican food right now, having this for breakfast sounds fantastic!
Your sausage and egg tostada looks very good. I am always looking for new food to have for breakfast. I don’t seem to have much of an appetite so early but I know breakfast is an important meal. I had to smile when you mentioned eating canned tamales. I did the same thing when I was a child. They were one of my favorite things. You have a nice blog with many good recipes. If you join parties, please consider coming to YOUR COZY HOME PARTY each Mon. At 8 pm until Thurs. at 10 pm. Also, on June 17-23 I’m hosting a GRILL, BBB and PICNIC PARTY so come if you can to share your favorite recipes. Thanks so much for the nice visit to my blog.–
Shannon
Shannon – Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I’ll definitely check out your parties! Look like fun!
I remember those canned tamales! Not too bad, really, although nothing like the real thing. The sauce they were packed in had a peculiar tang. Not bad but not really good, either. Anyway, your Tostada is much better! Nice recipe that’s easy to adapt – my favorite kind! Truly nice – thanks.
Thanks! I think it was the sauce that made them palatable!
Out of curiosity I’d like to find some of those canned tamales just to check them out again and see how they were or weren’t. Well, maybe not. 
Such a great breakfast idea, it’s going on my list!
So fresh and clean looking! Our kind of breakfast or lunch for that matter.
What a fab idea Mj. I look forward to trying this out. This is right up our alley!
As Sissi mentioned above – the knowledge of many Europeans about Mexican food isn’t that good… rare is the person who’s tried a tamale. It’s a real shame because I absolutely love Mexican cuisine.
This looks like a delicious dish – a wonderfully different breakfast… love the vibrant colours too in the pic
Thanks Charles! I guess your exposure to Mexican food it like my exposure to real French food or German food. I know we have a couple of French restaurants in town, but I can’t think of a German one. I can’t imagine not having Mexican food! What would I eat?!?!
This is a true feast MJ, I love it!
it sounds like a blast of flavors and a great way to start the day
What a good old days! $10 for a family meal! I wonder 99c is how much it would be right now… your breakfast tostada sounds very nice. I’d love that for my breakfast and really delicious that you added feta on top. I love good breakfast in the morning and this will keep me going (to keep up with my kids. =) ).
This looks so delicious – i’d eat this breakfast tostada for dinner
Used to go to El Chico’s all the time … These look great
I’m looking at the goodies that is on top of that tortilla. Wow, that is one delicious bite, MJ. I love how you took the photo with that nice outdoor background.
What a beautiful breakfast tortilla MJ! Lots of great stuff happening on that tortilla which has just the right curve to keep things on top! I was surprised …but delighted to see the feta. I love that tangy, crumbly cheese. And I am always amazed at your photography, MJ….especially how you always seem to capture the perfect light. Really lovely!
So light and flavorful! I need to try this out soon.
I would SO eat this for breakfast. I absolutely love tostadas and they are pretty much my favorite thing to order when we eat at a Mexican restaurant. Not the giant formed shell type, the flat, crispy type like this. Fantastic idea to make it with breakfast ingredients. Love it!
What a great story. It’s amazing what a family of 4 these days cost just for lunch. In fact I would bet you couldn’t even eat for under $10 at McDonalds. As for the tamales in a can – back in the 70s that’s what we did. Of course now most people I believe try to eat fresh food instead of canned
You breakfast tostadas look wonderful and loaded with so many delicious ingredients. It would be a nice addition to any brunch or breakfast.
Thanks Vicki! I bet you also remember asparagus in a can as well! I really can’t think of anything I like less than canned asparagus! I still remember the first time I had fresh asparagus. It was a life changing experience!
What a great breakfast idea! I have had breakfast burritos but never tostadas, will have to try this
I love making breakfast tostadas, my kids inhale them… gotta check out the green chile sauce, yum!
I’m always looking for good breakfast recipes. Will have to try this.
Kielbasa and feta I think it could work well.. really interesting flavors in this dish. I hope you will be sharing it on foodie friday today.
This looks terrific! Would love to have this with andouille. Great way to use all those bits of this and that.
You’ve been featured in this week’s Breakfast Ideas Monday – http://www.yummyinspirations.net/2012/06/healthy-breakfast-fry-up-breakfast.html. Thanks for sharing this yummy Breakfast – a perfect, nutritious start to the day!
I love this! And I too remember El Chico’s
Great article with excellent idea! I appreciate your post. Thanks so much and let keep on sharing your stuffs keep it up.
I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest!
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays recipe party! See you next Friday! Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Hi MJ,
I love the idea of the Breakfast Tostada and the combination of flavor is very interesting. I will sure give this a try. Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen