What is a chalupa? That is a question I get almost every
time I add it to our menu plan either as a post or in an email. I didn’t realize
that most people have never heard of a chalupa, or sometimes referred to as a
tostada. I am in Texas and believe me you probably won’t find a native Texan
who doesn’t know what a chalupa is.
The best way I can describe a chalupa is it’s kind of like a
flat taco or at least along the same premise as a taco. You start with a corn
tortilla that has either been fried or baked until it’s a crispy golden brown. You
can bake it at 350 degrees for about 6 minutes on each side. You will want to watch them closely while
they are in the oven or maybe not. When they get a deep brown (almost to the un-savable
point) they have a nice flavor also.
Normally a chalupa will have a base coating of hot refried
beans slathered over the top of the corn tortilla from one end to the next. I don’t
really recommend just using the refried beans out of a can because they lack a
lot of flavor. Here is a great recipe to jazz up a can of refried
beans. Then from there you can add
taco meat, fajita meat, or simply leave on just beans. You can also use fat
free refried beans and make these vegetarian. Normally I just leave on beans
unless I have some extra taco meat in the freezer.
Next it’s time for your toppings. I like cheese, lettuce, guacamole,
tomatoes (in that order), but you can add hot sauce, sour cream, salsa, onions,
Spanish rice, or whatever makes you happy.
I like to use this as a quick and easy go to meal. You will
always find corn tortillas in my freezer, either a can of refried beans or a
frozen bag of cooked pinto beans in my freezer, and you will certainly always
find lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream in my refrigerator. Those items
are staples in our home.
So there you have it! That’s what we call a Chalupa or in
other words a flat taco, or a quick and easy go to meal! Enjoy!
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