Tostada vs Chalupa - What is the difference?

Mexican dishes are highly regarded in many parts of the world, and tostadas and chalupas are no exception! However, due to the similarities of these two Mexican dishes, many think they are the same.

Well, they are not!

So, what is the difference between a tostada and a chalupa? The key difference between the two dishes is that the tostadas base is usually a harder corn tortilla, while the chalupa uses softer dough tortillas. Another difference is the shape. Chalupas are usually boat-shaped and deep-fried, while tostadas are fried or baked flat. 

In this article we have compared all aspects of these delicious Mexican dishes. From preparation to ingredients, and from nutrition facts to how tostadas and chalupas are served and eaten, we’ve covered it all in this article.

What is a toast?

Tostada, which translates to “tostada” in Spanish, is the collective name given to many Mexican dishes that use a toasted tortilla as a base. This can carry many different ingredients such as dressing.

Like many other Mexican dishes, tostadas have become very popular in the US as well. They are considered Tex-Mex food.

Tex-Mex food is a fusion of Mexican and American cuisines. Other popular Tex-Mex foods are fajitas and nachos.

The word “tostadas” also refers to the simple toasted tortillas that are cut into triangles and served with guacamole, salsa, cheese, etc.

How is a tostada different from a taco?

Another common misconception surrounding tostadas is whether or not this little dish is another name for tacos.

The concept of these two popular Mexican dishes is pretty much the same, to be fair. There is a corn tortilla topped with all sorts of toppings: beef, beans, chicken, various vegetables, lettuce, salsa, and guacamole.

However, the key difference between a taco and a tostada is how they are served.

The tacos have a folded tortilla that contains all the delicious ingredients. The toasts are served open. They carry a flat, fried tortilla with all the fillings piled high. 

Due to the way these dishes are constructed, tacos are easier to hold and eat, while tostadas can be quite messy since you can’t fold the fried tortilla. It will just break.

What is a chalupa?

Chalupa is a popular Mexican street food often called “antojito.” The latter translates as “snack” and refers to street snacks and snacks.

Chalupas are fried tortilla shells shaped like a boat. The shells are filled with various ingredients that you will find in other Mexican foods. 

Is a chalupa considered a taco?

People who eat chalupas at Taco Bell think the chalupa is a type of taco only because this fast food restaurant chain serves it in a folded fried tortilla filled with different fillings.

However, a chalupa is not a cue either and its shape is nothing like a cue. It is shaped like a boat or served on a flat fried tortilla like a plate, which makes it resemble toast. 

Another difference between a chalupa and a taco is that the shell of the chalupa is usually crunchier than that of a taco. 

What are the differences between a tostada and a chalupa?

As you’ve probably already noticed, tostadas and chalupas have a lot in common.

But even if you think that these two dishes are the same, it is clear that they are different, with characteristics that set them apart from many other dishes in Mexican cuisine.

Origin

It is already clear that both chalupas and tostadas are Mexican dishes. Hence the similarities. And also that people think they are the same dish.

To be precise, chalupas originated and are most popular in the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Guerrero.

Tostadas, on the other hand, come from Mesoamerica, a historical region that includes the modern areas of central and southern Mexico. 

Ingredients

The tortillas used for toasts are usually corn. But you can also use wheat tortillas to make toast. 

As for the dressings, there is a wide variety of them that you can choose for your toasts. You can top them with different types of meat, such as pulled beef, pork, and chicken.

The second main ingredient in tostadas is kidney beans . If you’re vegan, you can skip the meat and double the refried beans for a hearty, healthy tostada.

Shredded lettuce, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa are other common ingredients in Mexican tostadas.

Starting from the base, the chalupas are made with dough. The thin layer of dough is pressed around a small mold that gives it the shape of a concave boat.

But keep in mind that you can also find chalupas that do not have the shape of a boat and have a simple round base very similar to that of a tostada.

The most common ingredients in a chalupa are shredded pork, chicken, salsa (red or green), chopped onion, lettuce, and chipotle chile. 

However, the traditional version of Cholula’s chalupas is very simple in terms of ingredients. It only includes sauce, cheese and lettuce.

In other regions of the country, the chalupas have beans, chorizo and shredded chicken, in addition to the three mentioned ingredients. In both cases, the tortillas are shaped like a boat.

But, as we have already mentioned, the Mexican chalupa is not always in the shape of a boat. It can also be in the simple shape of a toast and covered with all the ingredients just mentioned.

Aspect

The tostada tortilla is fried or toasted, giving it a plate shape. In some cases, the fried tortilla can look like a shallow bowl that actually contains all the ingredients.

Traditional boat-shaped chalupas obviously look very different from tostadas.

But if you make them with the flat fried tortilla, you won’t be able to tell the difference between a tostada and a chalupa unless the person who made them tells you which tortilla base is used for each.

Taste and texture

If you put the same ingredients on the tostada and on the chalupa, they will taste very similar. Only the base tortilla will make the two taste slightly different. 

In terms of texture, tostadas and chalupas are very similar. They feature the winning combination of a crispy tortilla and soft fillings.

Some ingredients, like chopped onion and lettuce, will add some crunch and freshness to the filling part of the tostadas and chalupas.

When choosing the ingredients for a tostada or chalupa, make sure not to use too many wet ingredients. This will make the fried tortilla soggy and the dish lose its crisp appeal.

Preparation

The basic steps for making tostadas and chalupas are very similar. You have to fry or bake the base tortilla, prepare the fillings and assemble these delicious salty bites. 

You can use corn tortillas as a base for the toasts. If you have run out of them, wheat tortillas also work.

As for the chalupas, you can use softer corn tortillas. But many chalupa recipes suggest making the tortillas from scratch.

This is definitely a better option if you want to be able to build authentic looking sloops. You can make tortillas from scratch for the chalupas using masa flour.

When it comes to making tostadas and chalupas, there is one key thing to keep in mind: make sure to assemble your chalupas and tostadas just before eating them.

Of course, they are not the type of dishes that you can make even half an hour before the arrival of your guests.

Wet ingredients in chalupas and tostadas, like guacamole or salsa, will make everything soggy and soggy.

Can you make tostadas and chalupas healthier?

You can make your tostadas and chalupas healthy by air frying the tortillas or baking them instead of frying them. The next step is to choose healthy dressings.

Luckily, the topping options for these two Mexican dishes are endless. You can choose the healthier ones and skip the fried meat, unhealthy cheese, ingredient with too much sodium, etc. 

You can also make your tostadas and chalupas vegan, keto, paleo, gluten-free, and omit any ingredients you’re allergic to.

How to serve them

Due to its small size, toasts are often served as an appetizer. But, depending on what you put in the tortillas and how filling they are, the tostadas can be a stand-alone meal or a snack.

You can serve the tostadas alongside other Mexican dishes for a hearty Mexican-style dinner. They go well with Mexican soups such as pozole, birria, and menudo. 

You can also serve toast with stews and seafood dishes. If you do, be aware of how heavy the rest of the items on your menu are, and adjust your toast ingredients accordingly.

If you’re serving toast as a main dish, you’ll need a side dish to go with it.  Decide the garnish for the toasts taking into account the ingredients that you are going to use for them. 

For example, if you are going to use beef as a topping, rice and beans would be the best combination as a garnish. But if you’re going to serve a tostada topped with just vegetables, serve it with beans or a little guacamole.

As for the chalupas, they are usually served hot for lunch or dinner . But again, depending on what you put in the chalupas, you can eat them as a snack as well.

Like the tostadas, you can serve the chalupas as a side dish or make them the main meal, accompanying them with garnishes that complement the ingredients you have used.

How do you eat tostadas and chalupas?

If you have ever eaten a tostada or a chalupa, you will know that it is almost inevitable to dirty them when eating them. But this doesn’t mean you should try to eat these comfortable Mexican meals with a knife and fork.

You can start picking up and eating some of the toppings with a fork if the tostadas and chalupas are too full of various ingredients.

Once you have done this for a while, it is better to continue eating tostadas and chalupas with your hands in order to fully enjoy their delicacy.

So how should you eat toast? The fried tortillas are very crunchy and easily crushed. So trying to fold it like a dowel is not the best idea.

Try to hold the toast by pinching it with your thumb and forefinger on one side and holding it without pinching on the other . So you can control the ingredients of the toast if they try to fall.

There’s also a toast-biting technique that will help you avoid creating a mess throughout your eating space.

Start with a small bite not in the center, but where the toast has the least coverage. Next, work towards the center part of the toast. But even so, you will most likely need quite a few napkins.

As for the chalupas, they are easier to eat because they are shaped like a boat. Just hold them in your hands and start with small bites. If the chalupas are similar in shape to tostadas, eat them using the technique described above.

That being said, you can eat the tostadas and chalupas in the way that suits you best. After eating them a few times, you’ll come up with a strategy that works for you.