Short Rib Tostadas with Chipotle-Lime Slaw
Juicy short rib meat and crunchy radishes, piled onto crispy tortillas, and topped with a creamy, chipotle-spiked slaw. There’s an unbelievable amount of flavor and texture in this dish and it comes together in just minutes.
About the ribs: I chose ribs that are cut flanken-style, meaning cut across the ribs instead of between them. This style of cutting means a shorter cooking time! Added bonus? Flanken-style ribs deliver more meat-to-bone ratio in every bite.
Pro tip: You can make these with leftover meat from my Braised Short Ribs.
If you don’t want to use ribs, or want to save time, you can use any pre-cooked meat. You can make this dish with leftover cooked chicken, steak, or pork from a previous meal. You can also use rotisserie chicken meat.
You can make the chipotle-lime cole slaw in advance. The slaw can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cabbage will soften, and flavors will evolve. For a crispier slaw, serve soon after assembly.
These tostada shells are homemade, but you can buy them pre-made. To save time, you can purchase pre-made tostada shells, which are sold in the Mexican food aisle of the grocery store. I suggest you warm the shells on a baking sheet, in a 250-degree oven, for a few minutes before serving.
Short Rib Tostadas with Chipotle-Lime Slaw
Ingredients
For the Short Ribs and Tostadas
- 3 pounds flanken-style short ribs, or English-style short ribs that have been butterflied to create long, thin strips of meat on the bone
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 8-12 street taco or small taco size corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
For the Slaw
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 cups shredded cole slaw mix, or a combination of shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse the short ribs in cold water to remove any bone fragments, pat them dry, and transfer them to a large shallow dish. Add the tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and turn to coat, working the oil and spices into the meat with your hands. If you have the time, marinate for 20 minutes, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Coat a grill pan, griddle, or outdoor grill with cooking spray (or vegetable oil) and preheat to medium-high.
- Add the ribs to the hot pan/grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned and a meat thermometer registers 200 to 205 degrees.
- To make the tostada shells, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Arrange the tortillas on the prepared pan, spray with cooking spray, and season with salt. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chipotle chiles, sugar, and lime juice. Fold in the slaw mix. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Arrange the tortillas on a flat surface and top with the short rib meat, slaw, and radishes.