Zach travels for work 6-7 times a year.
Cooking for one is hard. Most recipes make too much. You end up with leftovers for days, or you waste food. It’s easier to just make something simple and quick. But I still want it to be nutritious. Balanced. Something that actually feels like a meal and not just snacking.
This bean and corn tostada is one of my top three one-person meals. It’s not a lot of leftovers. It’s something that wouldn’t fill Zach up for a “meal” – he needs more protein, more volume. But for me, when he’s traveling, it’s perfect.
No heavy cooking. Minimal dishes. Fast cleanup. And tasty.
Recipe? Or Hack?
This is a combination of both.
It’s a hack because I’m using canned beans, frozen corn, and jarred salsa. Packaged, convenience foods. But I’m putting them together in a way that’s still healthy, balanced, and satisfying.
It’s also a recipe because there’s a method here. The roasted corn makes a difference. The proportions matter. The way you assemble it matters.
So: recipe-hack. Or hack-recipe. Call it what you want.
Why This Works for One Person
This makes just enough for one meal. Two tostadas. No huge batch of leftovers that you have to eat for three days straight.
If there are leftovers – if you don’t use all the bean and corn mixture – I’ll throw it over some bagged mixed greens and take it to work for lunch the next day. It keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days.
But I usually start with one can of beans and add just enough of the other ingredients to make it balanced. What’s left over is left over, but it’s not a ton.
Minimal Dishes, Fast Cleanup
One bowl. One sheet pan (or air fryer basket). One pan for toasting the tortillas (or use the air fryer for that too).
When you’re cooking for one, easy cleanup matters. You don’t want to spend 20 minutes washing dishes for a 15-minute meal.
Taking Care of Myself
When Zach is traveling, I cook differently than when we’re both home. I don’t make big meals. I don’t roast a whole chicken or make a pot of soup that will last all week. I make things like this. Simple. Quick. Nutritious. Just enough for one.
It’s a way of taking care of myself. Not just grabbing whatever’s easy or ordering takeout every night, but actually making something balanced and good.
I miss cooking for us when he’s gone. I miss having someone to share a meal with. But this works. It’s what I need when it’s just me.
Recipe Notes
Roasting the Corn: You don’t have to roast the corn, but I highly recommend it. The roasting adds an earthy, slightly sweet, caramelized flavor that you don’t get from just thawing or microwaving frozen corn. It’s worth the extra few minutes.
Corn or Flour? I use corn tortillas because they crisp up nicely in the pan or the air fryer and are a little less starchy than flour. But flour will work, too. It’s your preference.
Beans: You can use pinto beans instead of black beans if you prefer, but I love black beans. They’re my go-to.
One Person Bean & Corn Tostadas
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 12 oz frozen corn
- 3 tbsp salsa of your choice
- ½ each avocado diced
- ¼ small red onion minced
- 2 small flour tortillas
- sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven, toaster oven, or air fryer to 400F
- Roast the corn. Spread the frozen corn on a sheet pan . Roast in the oven or air fryer at 400°F until some of the pieces are just browned and starting to char. This takes about 10-12 minutes in the oven, 6-8 minutes in the air fryer.12 oz frozen corn
- Toast the tortillas. While the corn is roasting, dry toast your flour tortillas in a pan over medium heat until they're browned and crispy. Or air fry them for 2-3 minutes. You want them crispy enough to hold the toppings without getting soggy, but not so hard they shatter when you bite into them.2 small flour tortillas
- Mix the filling. In a bowl, combine the drained and rinsed black beans, the roasted corn, the salsa, the diced avocado, and the minced red onion. Mix it all together.15 oz canned black beans, 3 tbsp salsa of your choice, 1/2 each avocado, 1/4 small red onion
- Assemble. Spoon the bean and corn mixture onto the toasted tortillas. Top with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, and/or a dollop of sour cream if you want.sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro
What are your go-to one-person meals? What do you make when you’re cooking just for yourself? Let me know in the comments.
