These trending smash burger tacos are a tasty treat and so easy to make! They are made up of a thin, crispy beef patty cooked right on the tortilla and then topped with cheese, lettuce, onion, and delicious burger sauce. 

The secret to making these quick and easy tacos is pressing the meat portion onto a hot, flat surface like a skillet or Blackstone griddle. In under 30 minutes, from start to finish, you’ll be eating a perfectly cheesy, meaty taco burger! They are great for a quick and easy dinners, casual weekend gatherings, or game day parties.

Choosing the right ground beef

As with any burger, it’s important to use the right ground beef. We recommend using an 80/20 ground chuck or a chuck-sirloin combination. It will have the right lean-to-fat ratio that results in a juicy, flavorful patty. It’s also crucial to use the right amount of meat per taco. We recommend 1/3 cup or 2.5 ounces of ground meat per tortilla.

Smashing tool

You will need a smashing tool or press for this recipe However, if you do not own one, you can still make these smash burger tacos. See below for options.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef chuck, or 80/20 (sub with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Small flour tortillas (You can also use corn tortillas or small gluten-free tortillas)
• American cheese slices (sub with cheddar cheese or pepper jack)
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Thin-sliced red onion (or white onion)

Smash burger taco sauce

This sauce is our take on a homemade big mac sauce. If you’d rather use thousand island dressing, that’s fine too! However, if you have the ingredients an a few extra minutes, this sauce is well worth it!

• Real mayonnaise
• Sweet relish (or dill pickle relish)
• Ketchup
• Yellow mustard
• White vinegar (distilled)
• Paprika
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Combine mayo, ketchup, relish, ketchup, mustard, and remaining sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Taste, add more salt and seasonings to suit your needs.

Making smash burger tacos

• Divide and roll your beef into 2 1/2 ounce balls and let them stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Preheat your flat-top griddle to medium-high heat. If using a cast iron skillet on the stovetop, preheat to medium-high heat a few minutes before cooking the tacos. 

Smash burger options

You can approach this in two ways. Option 1 is the spread version, and option 2 is the smash press version.

• Option 1: Place one beef ball on a 6-inch tortilla. Use a knife or spatula and gently smear the meat across the entire height and width of the tortilla. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place the tortilla on the hot surface, meat side down. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until browned and cooked. Use a metal spatula to press the edges gently. See second image (top right) in photo collage above. This will help with even cooking and getting a good crust on the edges.
• Flip, add a cheese slice on top of the meat, and sear the tortilla side for 1 minute.

• Option 2: Once the griddle is hot, season the balls with salt and pepper and place them on your griddle. Lay a tortilla over the top.
• Using a smash burger, press down firmly on each tortilla, flattening the beef patty into a thin layer.
• Cook for 1 minute, then press down again to let the edges cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until burger patty is cooked through.
• Flip, top the meat with a slice of American cheese, and cook the tortilla side for another 1-2 minutes. The cheese will melt and the tortilla will be lightly toasted.

Assembling smash burger tacos

Top your smash burger tacos with your desired amount of chopped lettuce, red onions, and a dollop of the special sauce. You can also add chopped tomatoes and sliced dill pickles, pico de gallo, salsa, hot sauce, or your favorite burger toppings.

Store leftover cooked tacos (without toppings) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in skillet on the stovetop.

More recipes to try!

• Oklahoma Onion Smash Burgers
• Best Burger Recipes

Print

Smash Burger Tacos

These trending smash burger tacos are a tasty treat and so easy to make! They are made up of a thin, crispy beef patty cooked right on the tortilla and then topped with cheese, lettuce, onion, and delicious burger sauce.

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine American Food

Keyword big mac tacos, smash burger, smash burger tacos

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 26 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 508kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck 80/20
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 small flour tortillas or corn, or gluten-free tortillas, 6 inches
• 6 slices American cheese
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1/2 cup thin-sliced red onion or white onion
• For sauce:
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sweet relish
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar distilled
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt add more as needed

Instructions

• Divide and roll your beef into 2 1/2 ounce balls and let them stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Preheat your flat-top griddle to medium-high heat. If using a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop, preheat to medium-high heat a few minutes before cooking the tacos.
• You can approach this in two ways. Option 1 is the spread version, and option 2 is the smash press version.
• Option 1: Place one beef ball on a 6-inch tortilla. Use a knife or spatula and gently smear the meat across the entire height and width of the tortilla. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place the tortilla on the hot surface, meat side down. Cook for 2 minutes until browned and cooked. Use a metal spatula to press the edges gently. This will help with even cooking and getting a good crisp on the edges.
• Flip, add a cheese slice on top of the meat, and sear the tortilla side for 1 minute.
• Option 2: Once the griddle is hot, season the balls with salt and pepper and place them on your griddle. Lay a tortilla over the top.
• Using a smash burger, press down firmly on each tortilla, flattening the beef patty into a thin layer.
• Cook for 1 minute, then press down again to let the edges cook for an additional minute.
• Flip, top the meat with a cheese slice, and cook the tortilla side for another 1-2 minutes.
• For sauce: Combine mayo, ketchup, relish, ketchup, mustard, and remaining sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Taste, add more salt and seasonings to suit your tastes.
• Assembling smash burger tacos
• Top your smash burger tacos with your desired amount of chopped lettuce, red onions, and a dollop of burger sauce. You can also add chopped tomatoes and sliced dill pickles if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1063mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 419IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 3mg

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