They are generally a flat or bowl-shaped tortilla that is deep-fried or toasted, but may also be any dish using a tostada as a base.

[2] Tostadas are a standalone dish in Mexico and the American Southwest, and are also served as a companion to various Mexican foods, mostly seafood and stews, such as menudo, birria and pozole.

The Oaxaca region is known for its large tlayuda tostada, which is the size of a pizza and sometimes topped with fried chapulines (a variety of grasshopper).

This version of the tostada has its origins both in the totopos de maiz and the New Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.

In Guatemala, tostadas are often prepared with black beans, parsley, ground beef, and curtido.