This is the type of dish everyone will want the recipe for. The veggie-packed salsa is vibrant and refreshing, the homemade tostada shell is the perfect crunchy base, and the tangy smashed feta holds everything together. Plus, you can make the salsa ahead of time so day-of assembly is quick.

A corn and bean salsa you’ll want to put on repeat

The salsa in this recipe is reminiscent of Texas caviar, though my version is far from traditional. I’ve added corn, black beans, and avocado, and swapped the Italian dressing for a lime vinaigrette. If you have a Texas caviar recipe that you already love (or really, any bean salsa recipe), feel free to use that here.

No matter your exact formula, the key is chopping everything the same size. That way, you can really pile the mixture high onto your tostada shell and get a little bit of everything in every bite. I’m not promising it won’t be messy, but I am promising it will be worth it.

more smashed feta recipes to try:

smashed feta tostadas with corn and bean salsa

serves 4 (makes 8 tostadas)

Ingredients

For the corn and bean salsa:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • Freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted very dry 
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed, and patted very dry
  • 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced (or 4 diced mini peppers)
  • 2 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed*
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup loosely-packed finely-chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1 avocado, diced (optional; wait to add until just before serving)

For the smashed feta and assembly:

  • 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • Olive oil spray

Instructions

Make the corn and bean salsa:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lime zest and juice, honey, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and several grinds pepper.
  • Add the black beans, black-eyed peas, bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld while you make the smashed feta.

Make the smashed feta:

  • In a medium bowl, combine the feta, lime zest and juice, cilantro, and oil. Smash with a fork until fully combined and spreadable.

Make and assemble the tostadas:

  • Brush or spray the tortillas lightly with oil.
  • To bake: Heat the oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Divide the tortillas between two baking sheets in a single layer and bake, flipping halfway and rotating the baking sheets top to bottom, until lightly browned and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total. Season with salt.
  • To air fry: Heat the air fryer to 350°F. Air fry in batches in a single layer, flipping halfway, until lightly browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes total. Season with salt. 
  • Stir the avocado into the salsa, if using. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Divide the feta between the tostada shells, spreading it the edges. Top with the salsa.
My favorite way to slice corn off the cob: Lay the corn cob flat on a cutting board. Slice off a strip of corn, rotate so the flat side is on the cutting board, and continue until all of the kernels are removed.
Storage: The salsa can be made up to 3 days in advance. (Store it in an airtight container in the fridge).