tostada

noun

tos·​ta·​da tō-ˈstä-də 

variants or less commonly tostado

tō-ˈstä-(ˌ)dō 

plural tostadas also tostados

: a tortilla deep-fried in hot oil

also : a tostada that is topped with a mixture of ingredients (such as seasoned meat, cheese, and lettuce)

Examples of tostada in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

They’re paired with small plates, such as mushroom tostadas topped with avocado mousse and serrano. —Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2024

The octopus is boiled and sliced thinly to give it a little bite and the tostadas it's served with offer textural contrast. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 22 Apr. 2024

Leon served chicken tostadas with avocado, chipotle crema and beet sprouts. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 30 June 2024

What to eat: Two crispy tostadas ($8) topped with avocado, sumac-spiced onions and feta. —Megan Stringer, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish tostada, from Spanish, feminine of tostado, past participle of tostar to toast, roast, from Late Latin tostare — more at toast entry 2

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tostada

noun

tos·​ta·​da tō-ˈstäd-ə 

: a fried tortilla

Etymology

Mexican Spanish tostada, a feminine form of tostado "fried," from Spanish tostado "toasted"