Smash Burger Tacos – Recipes From A Pantry

Jump to Recipe

Smash Taco Burgers are the BEST. I am talking one up from the classic smash burger. We still get the crispy yet juicy caramelized beef, melted cheese, tangy pickles and that burger sauce. But instead of a bun, this is smashed onto a tortilla. Fun, messy and sooooo good.

The teens love burgers and love pickles even more. Word gets around fast when these are on the menu, and our house turns into the weekend hangout spot. Watching everyone hover around waiting for the next batch is half the fun.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Sooo many reasons these have become a regular request around here.

• These are ready in about 20 minutes, great for busy weeknights.
• Budget friendly enough to feed a crowd using everyday ingredients.
• Easy to customize with everyones favorite toppings.
• You get that crispy smash burger crust in every bite.
• Great for game day, casual get-togethers, or weekend dinners.

Key Ingredient Notes, Swaps And Budget Tips

One thing I love about these smash burger tacos is that there is nothing fancy hiding in the ingredient list. I can usually pull most of this together with basic fridge and pantry staples, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.

• Ground beef: I like using 80/20 ground beef for these because it is usually cheaper than leaner beef and the extra fat gives the best crispy, browned edges. If I need to, I can stretch one pound of beef to make about eight tacos. Once I add load of toppings, the meal feels generous without needing loads of meat.
• Small flour tortillas: I use small flour tortillas because they are easy to press onto the beef and fold around the toppings. Store-brand tortillas work great. Corn tortillas tend to split when you smash the beef onto them and fold them.
• Cheese: American cheese is my go to for that classic cheesy burger, but cheddar, provolone, or smoked cheddar work too. Use whichever one you already have.
• Burger sauce: I skip the bottled burger sauce and stir together mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, and pickle relish or finely chopped pickles. It takes less than a minute, costs less, and is to my taste. I do get burger sauce when it is on sale.
• Toppings: Lettuce, onions, and pickles are my affordable go-to toppings.

How To Make Smash Burger Tacos

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below

1. Preheat the skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly oil it.
2. Mix ground beef with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions and roll into loose balls.
3. Place a beef ball on the hot skillet or flat grill. Immediately top it with a tortilla and smash it flat with a spatula.
4. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the edges are crispy. Flip the whole taco (tortilla + beef) in one motion.
5. Add a slice of cheese on top of the cooked beef. Cover with a lid. Let cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until the cheese melts and the tortilla is golden.
6. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate. Top with shredded lettuce, pickles, diced onion, tomatoes, and a drizzle of burger sauce. Serve right away as these are best hot from the pan while the beef edges are crispy and the cheese all gooey.

Bintu’s Tips For Success

These are the little things I pay attention which make all the difference.

• Keep the meat thin: The thinner you press the beef onto the tortilla, the better the crust. If the beef is too thick, it steams rather than sears. I use a heavy spatula or burger press to flatten the beef against the tortilla.
• Use high heat: You need a hot cooking surface for proper smash burger flavor. Feel free to use a griddle pan or griddle.
• Don’t flip too soon: Let the beef cook so it can brown properly before flipping.
• Go easy on toppings: I know it is super tempting to pile everything on, but too many toppings makes the tacos hard to fold and eat.

Best Toppings For Smash Burger Tacos

The classic burger toppings never fail. If you’re feeding a crowd (looking at you, hungry teens), set out bowls of toppings and let everyone build their own. Our go to’s are shredded lettuce, pickled onions, and pickles. The teens pile on extra pickles. Every single time.

Optional extras include crispy bacon, tomatoes, jalapeños, avocado, guacamole, yellow mustard and hot sauce. These are extras rather than must-haves. Add them when you have them, skip them when you don’t. The tortilla smash burgers will still be delicious.

Serving Suggestions

These smash tacos are filling on their own, but I usually add a simple side like Air fryer potato wedges, onion rings, my fav dill pickle pasta salad, buttery grilled corn on the cob. If I’m feeding a crowd, air fryer fries and a big bowl of southern coleslaw usually disappear first.

If I have any leftover taco burger beef, I turn it into burger bowls, loaded fries, quesadillas, or nachos the next day. It is such an easy way to get another meal out of the same ingredients.

More Burger Recipes

Make Ahead and Storage

To make ahead, mix the burger sauce up to 3 days ahead, but shred and chop the toppings, portion and roll the beef earlier in the day. Then cook as needed.

The cooked beef will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store leftover cooked beef, toppings, and sauce separately in airtight containers. I don’t recommend storing fully assembled tacos, as you will end up with soggy tortillas and toppings. Reheat the beef in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through and crispy again.

Did you make this recipe? It is awesome! If you enjoyed it and want to really help this site, please do leave a rating, a comment and pinning this recipe to your favorite Pinterest boards. We really appreciate your shares. 🙂

Get The Smashed Burger Tacos Recipe