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

The cuisine leans toward coastal Mexican fare, like ceviche with corvina and habanero; bluefin tuna tostadas and smoked salmon tostadas; and a seafood and basmati rice casserole with shrimp, octopus, calamari and sea bass. —Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025

New appetizer plates include an $18 mango shrimp ceviche with cucumber, jalapeños, onion, cilantro, and avocado, served with a tostada and an $18 scallop crudo with aguachile, cucumber, Fresno chiles, avocado and cilantro. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

Moon Rabbit At Moon Rabbit, banh xeo, a crisp crepe filled with shrimp, pork belly, and coconut cream, is presented as a tostada. —Bao Ong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025

The runny yolk with the salsa on a crunchy tostada? —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for tostada

• armada
• entrada
• espada
• hamada
• jornada
• kannada
• posada
• quebrada
• ramada
• sagrada
• arthropoda
• intifada

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"