Smash Burger Tacos

Smash burger tacos are the best of both worlds, where crispy-edged burgers meet taco night in the most delicious way. They’re quick to make, packed with juicy beef, melty cheese, and all your favorite toppings for an easy meal everyone will love.

Why Make It: Quick to prep, fun to serve, and packed with delicious cheeseburger flavor.
Flavor: All the fun of a taco with the flavor of a cheeseburger with melty cheese, pickles, and burger sauce.
Time-Saving Tip: Swap the sauce for Thousand Island dressing.
Serving Suggestions: Serve these with fries, coleslaw, or a crunchy pickle on the side.

all of the ingredients in smash burger tacos

Ingredient Notes

Ground Beef: Lean beef helps keep the tacos from getting too greasy, but it’s best to avoid extra-lean beef so the meat still browns nicely and stays juicy.
Tortillas: Use 6-inch flour tortillas so they cook evenly and get nicely crispy around the edges. This recipe has only been tested with flour tortillas.
Cheese: American cheese melts the smoothest and gives that classic smash burger flavor.
Toppings: Finely diced onion adds crunch, thin-sliced pickles add tang, and shredded iceberg or romaine adds cool crispness.
Sauce: The mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, mustard, and onion powder combine into a quick sauce for that classic burger-shop flavor.
Variations: Optional add-ins like tomato, shredded cheddar, jalapeños, or bacon crumbles all work well here, but it’s best to keep toppings light so the taco folds easily.

adding ground beef to tortillas to make Smash Burger Tacos

adding tortilla to cooker to make Smash Burger Tacos

top view of open faced Smash Burger Tacos on plate

How To Make Smash Burger Tacos

Make the sauce and prep the toppings.
Press beef onto the tortillas and season.
Cook beef-side down until browned, then flip.
Top with cheese and cook until melted (full recipe below).

Prep at Beginning: These cook in just a few minutes so it’s helpful to have everything ready. And preheat skillet for the best crust.
Press Beef Thin: If it’s too thick, the inside begins to steam.
Press to Edges: The beef shrinks, so be sure to press all the way to the edge.
Use Medium-High Heat: This helps the beef brown well.
Do Not Move Too Soon: Let the beef form a crust before flipping.
Use a Wide Spatula: It makes flipping much easier.
Keep Warm for Crowds: Hold finished tacos on a sheet pan in a low oven.

Save It For Later

Refrigerator: Cooked beef tacos can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep toppings and sauce separate.
Reheating: Reheat tacos in a dry skillet or air fryer to bring back some crispness. Add toppings after reheating.
Freezing: Freeze cooked beef portions without lettuce or sauce for up to 2 months. Tortillas may soften a bit after thawing, so freezing the cooked meat separately is the better option.

Burger Night Upgraded

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, mustard, and onion powder. Refrigerate for serving.
Divide the beef into 6 equal portions.
Place one portion of raw beef onto a tortilla and press/spread across to the edges. Repeat with the remaining beef and tortillas.
Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the beef.
Heat a large nonstick skillet (or a griddle) over medium-high heat. Place the tortilla, beef-side down, onto the hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the beef is crisp and golden brown.
Flip each taco so the tortilla side is down and top with a slice of cheese. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is browned.
Remove from heat and top with diced onions, pickles, shredded lettuce, and a drizzle of the burger sauce. Serve immediately.

No time to make the sauce from scratch? Use Thousand Island dressing instead.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store meat and sauce separately.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

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