Tostada Waffles

Tostada waffles take the flat fried tortilla base of a tostada and swap it for a crispy cornmeal waffle, which turns out to be a surprisingly solid upgrade. The ridges and pockets of the waffle hold onto the taco-seasoned beef, melted cheddar, and cool toppings better than a flat tortilla ever could.

It’s weeknight-friendly Tex-Mex cooking with one clever twist, and the kids will actually ask for seconds.

The cornmeal in the batter is important. A standard waffle batter has no business pretending to be a tostada, but adding two tablespoons of cornmeal gives it a hint of corn flavor and a bit of grittier texture that reads as tortilla-adjacent.

Blending everything in a blender rather than whisking by hand gives you a smoother, more emulsified batter. Don’t overblend, pulse just until the flour is moistened, over-mixed waffle batter turns tough from gluten development.

Half a cup of batter per waffle is right for most irons. Bake until deeply golden, about 2 minutes, don’t pull them early or the topping weight will turn them soggy.

Pro Tips

• Use lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) to avoid greasy waffles, fatty beef pools under the toppings
• Hold finished waffles in a 200°F (90°C) oven on a rack while you cook the rest, never stack them, stacking traps steam and softens the crisp
• Warm the taco meat right before serving, lukewarm meat on a hot waffle is a letdown
• Set up toppings buffet-style so everyone customizes their own

Variations

• Swap ground beef for seasoned black beans or crumbled chorizo for different proteins
• Add diced avocado or guacamole for extra creaminess
• Use pepper jack instead of cheddar for built-in heat