These easy Vegetable Tostadas made with zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and onions all tossed in a slightly spicy homemade spice blend are the perfect meatless meal all made on the grill. They are a great vegetarian alternative to Chicken Tostadas or Shrimp Tostadas.
When I think of eating veggies during the summer, I want them grilled and that's about it! We eat them in some version almost every night since it is normally too hot to turn on the stove and I get bored with salads pretty quickly. Plus, you can grab just about any veggie and roast it on the grill so no matter what we have on hand, there's usually something to grill up!
While I usually use grilled veggies as a side dish, lately I have been making these simple Grilled Vegetable Tostadas and we have been loving them. No meat needed (but you can add some if you want), you can use any vegetables you have at home, and then you just toss in a simple homemade spice blend to add some flavor. This version doesn't have beans, but you could add a layer of refried black beans or pinto beans as well if you like.
I top these tostadas off with a quick homemade fresh salsa, avocado, and some shredded cheese — all-in-all it's a perfect summer meal!
How do you make Grilled Vegetable Tostadas?
Making these Grilled Vegetable Tostadas couldn't be any easier!
First, toss together the tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and chopped jalapeno for the salsa. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Add the veggies you are grilling to a large bag or bowl with a lid. Toss with olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper.
Grill the veggies right on the rack or use a grill basket if you prefer. They'll only need about 5-8 minutes to cook. Flip them about halfway through to ensure even cooking all the way around.
Next, crisp up the tortillas to make them tostadas. Put them directly on the grill and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are good and crispy. Take them off the grill, and top with the veggies, salsa, avocado, cheese, and any other ingredients you like!
What is the difference between a tostada and a tortilla?
There is one main difference — one is soft and one is grilled (or oftentimes fried) until crispy. A tortilla may also be cut into triangles and then fried to make chips. I grill my soft tortillas to crisp them up myself without using a bunch of oils and fats to make them crispy. You can also purchase tostadas already crisped up in the same aisle as tortillas.
What vegetables go good on a tostada?
- Tomatoes
- All sorts of bell peppers
- Spicy peppers like jalapenos, poblanos, etc.
- Zucchini and yellow squash
- Eggplant
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Shredded lettuce (as a cold, crunchy topping)
- Green onions
- Olives (okay technically not a veggie, but…)
- Roasted corn
- Beans (okay legumes, but you get the idea!)
Ideas for customizing Grilled Vegetable Tostadas
- Add protein! If you want to add some protein options to these veggie tostadas, grilled shrimp, chicken, and pork go great. You can also use chickpeas and/or tofu for a vegetarian protein option.
- Mix up the salsa. You don't have to make salsa yourself either. Any kind of your favorite salsa will work on these. Or add a fruit salsa to mix up the flavor profiles a bit.
- Use a low-carb tortilla or high-fiber one if you want the added nutrients/less carbs.
- The best tortillas for making tostadas are the corn variety, but any kind will work. Just keep them on the smaller side, so they can get nice and crisp on the grill. Larger ones will be harder to crisp up, and even harder to eat!
- Use any kind of cheese you like — favorites of mine include pepper jack and queso fresco.
Ideas for using up leftover grilled vegetables
If you, like me, love leftovers, then you're in for a treat! We'll often make at least double the amount of veggies on the grill that we'll need for one meal because we look forward to tomorrow's leftovers as much as today's meal. Here are some ideas for leftover grilled veggies to get you started.
Make this recipe once, and you'll become a grilled veggie addict like me in no time!
- Add leftover grilled veggies to a bed of lettuce for a different take on salad. Part raw, part cooked, you'll love eating the rainbow this way. Although you can heat the grilled veggies back up and serve them warm over the lettuce, there's no need. They are great cold too!
- Make veggie quesadillas with leftover veggies and uncooked tortillas.
- Put the grilled vegetables on top of a veggie wrap or sandwich. Add hummus or another bean-based spread for extra flavor and protein.
- Grilled vegetables are amazing mixed into leftover pasta. Add a little olive oil and sprinkle with parm when warmed up to reawaken their flavor.
- Toss grilled veggies into a hearty soup base, like minestrone or another vegetable soup.