So, Why Are We Eating Smash Burger Tacos Tonight?
Okay, you know those nights where you open the fridge and just stare, hoping the ingredients will jump out and assemble themselves? That’s honestly how I discovered these easy smash burger tacos. I was fresh out of patience — and almost out of groceries. Burger buns? MIA. Taco shells? Sure, why not! Plus, my son claimed he “didn’t like burgers anymore,” (two weeks later, burgers are cool again, of course). Anyway, these are such a hit now they practically have their own spot on our family calendar. If only they did the dishes too.
Why You’ll Love This (At Least, I Do!)
I break this recipe out when we’re craving burgers but want something a bit, I don’t know, more light and handheld? And less mess; no ketchup rivers down your sleeve here. My family goes wild for these — my daughter loads hers up with pickles, and I basically use these as vehicles for as much cheese as possible. Also, if you’re someone who doesn’t love cooking for hours (do you see my hand up?) you’ll appreciate how fast these come together. The only thing that ever makes me grumble is having to brown all the patties one at a time, but it’s actually pretty quick once you get the hang of it.
Stuff You’ll Need (Sub in Whatever Works)
- Ground beef: About 500g (or 1 lb in old money). I’ve used turkey breast in a pinch — not as juicy, but still pretty good.
- Small flour tortillas: Street taco size, ideally. Sometimes I just grab whatever’s on sale (my grandma swore by Mission brand, but honestly, I grab whatever is cheapest).
- Cheese: Slices of American cheese if you want the classic vibe. Or cheddar, mozzarella, even vegan cheese – you do you, mate.
- Burger toppings: Pickles, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onion, burger sauce (or just a squeeze of ketchup and mayo mixed, which is what I usually end up doing).
- Salt and pepper: To taste. I’m pretty heavy handed.
- Oil or butter: Just enough for the pan, I go for whatever’s within reach.
If you’re feeling fancy, throw in some hot sauce or jalapeños. Or don’t. No rules!
How I Actually Make ‘Em (Or, The “Sort-of” Method)
- Prep the beef patty balls: Squash about golf ball sized blobs of ground beef (roughly 40g-ish each) onto a plate. They don’t have to be perfectly round — sometimes mine look a bit like smashed meat potatoes, and that’s just fine.
- Heat up your pan: Get it really hot; medium-high at least. If you have a cast iron, brilliant. But a regular nonstick will do in a pinch (my old frying pan’s got more scars than a rugby player and still does the job).
- Smash time: Toss a ball of beef on the pan, place a tortilla right on top, and SMASH it down flat. Easiest done with a stiff spatula or one of those big burger smashers if you have one (otherwise, the bottom of a saucepan works!).
- Season & sizzle: Salt and pepper the exposed side, let it cook for a minute or two. This is when I usually sneak a cheeky bite of cheese, because why not?
- Flip (carefully!): Flip the whole thing — tortilla and beef — so the beef side is now up. Top with a slice of cheese. If it looks like a mess, don’t panic. Mine always do.
- Finish it up: Cover the pan for about 30 seconds so the cheese gets all gooey. Stack ’em up as you go. Repeat with the rest of your balls (err, beef balls, I mean).
- The fun part: Pile on all your toppings. A little lettuce, a few pickles, maybe some onion. Some people drizzle sauce here — others dunk. Follow your heart.
Jotting Down a Few Honest Notes
- If your tortillas go a strange golden color on the edges, that’s normal. They sort of crisp — and honestly, those are the best bites.
- Beef shrinks as it cooks, so don’t be afraid to go wide at the start.
- I tried making these with corn tortillas once. Tasted good, but they broke apart so beware if you’re feeling experimental.
Some Variations That Actually Worked (And One That… Didn’t)
- Turkey Smash Tacos: Swapped beef for turkey, added a bit more cheese to keep things juicy. Kids didn’t notice, so that’s a win.
- Pico de Gallo Topping: I got a little wild and threw on fresh pico one night. Actually, it was excellent — kind of a taco-burger party.
- BBQ sauce instead of burger sauce: Was too sweet in my opinion, but the husband loved it.
- Morning leftover version: Crack an egg on top before the cheese. Not quite breakfast; not quite dinner, but hits the spot at midnight.
Do You Really Need Special Equipment? (Probably Not)
If you don’t have a burger press, a spatula with a bit of backbone or even the bottom of a mug works for the all-important smash. Sometimes I just wash my hands and use the old double palm press. And while folks online rave about cast iron skillets, any frying pan that’ll get hot will do the trick. I used a battered nonstick for ages before I caved and bought a fancier one (didn’t make a bit of difference, honestly).
How to Store ‘Em (If You Have Any Left)
I mean. In my house, these tacos rarely make it past the dinner table. But yes, you can wrap them up in foil or pop them in an airtight container in the fridge for one, maybe two days tops. They’re not as crispy the next day, but I think the flavors blend better (plus, cold tacos with hot coffee has kind of become my guilty pleasure — don’t tell anyone).
Serving Ideas — Or, What I Actually Do
- We usually serve these smash burger tacos with big bowls of kettle chips or a salad that only gets picked at (truth time).
- If it’s summer, we drag everything outside and eat off paper towels, slap some watermelon on the side, and call it a picnic.
- On special nights, a side of crispy oven fries really makes the meal!
Little Pro Tips I Learned (The Hard Way)
- Don’t try to smash more than one taco at a time unless your pan is massive. I ended up with conjoined taco twins once, and although it tasted fine, it was impossible to flip.
- Let the beef get some real color on it; don’t rush this. I once tried to “save time” and ended up with floppy, pale patties that weren’t half as good.
- If you add too many toppings, they will fall everywhere. Actually, that’s half the fun — but kind of a pain to clean.
Wait, People Asked Me This?
- Can I use a different meat? Yup! Turkey, pork, or even those veggie ground things. I’ve tried most of them, and all work more or less OK — but beef is my favorite, if I’m honest.
- Do you season the meat before smashing? Actually, I find it works better if you sprinkle the salt and pepper right on the patty after it’s smashed. Keeps things tasting fresh.
- Can I make these ahead? Eh, I guess, but they’re so much better fresh. On second thought, you could prep the beef balls and toppings ahead, then smash ’em as you go.
- What’s the best sauce? I usually wing it – a little ketchup, mustard, mayo, sometimes Big Mac Style Sauce if I’m feeling retro.
- Any chance of making these in the oven? Probably… but I tried it once, and the tortillas just sort of steamed. Stove is best, trust me.
- Cheese alternatives? Sure! Use anything that melts — I’ve even used pepper jack. Something a bit punchy is actually great.
So there you have it: easy smash burger tacos that came form pure necessity, but now just feel like a Friday night tradition. Let me know if you try them! If you need taco inspiration, I found tons of variations over on Tasty (I get lost there for ages, fair warning).
Ingredients
- 500 g ground beef (80/20 blend preferred)
- 8 small flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 4 tablespoons burger sauce or mayonnaise
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
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1Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly oil the surface.
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2Divide the ground beef into 8 equal balls. Place a ball on each tortilla, pressing it gently to cover one side.
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3Place each tortilla beef-side down onto the hot skillet. Smash the beef into the skillet, pressing firmly. Season each with salt and black pepper.
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4Cook for 2-3 minutes until the beef is browned and crispy. Flip so the tortilla is on the skillet and sprinkle cooked beef with shredded cheddar. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese melts and the tortilla is golden.
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5Remove from the skillet and top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a drizzle of burger sauce or mayonnaise.
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6Fold the tacos in half and serve immediately while warm.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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