Spice up burger night with these super fun Smash Burger Tacos. It’s basically just a cheeseburger, but you eat it like a taco. Taco Burgers cook really fast, and you get to load them up with extra toppings. THE BEST!
Apparently, I live under a rock and come across things on social media about three months after everyone else, so when I came across these smashed burger tacos, I just had to try them. I’m obsessed. They are so easy to make, and they are so delicious.
Topped with my homemade Big Mac Burger Sauce, cheddar cheese, and lots of pickles, these are going to become a weeknight staple for us. On the side, we had some fried okra that I pulled out of the freezer, but you could serve french fries, fried corn on the cob, onion rings, or fried squash!
Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef – I used 90/10 beef. One pound of meat will make four small burgers or two really big burgers. (After a long day of hunting or hiking, my husband can eat a giant burger, but I can usually only eat a quarter-pounder!)
- Seasoning for the Burger Patty – I used a mix of a little kosher salt and black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce – this is how I always season my burgers.
- Flour Tortillas – These will hold together better than corn tortillas.
- Bacon – I cook bacon on the griddle before making the burgers to add a little flavor.
- Your Favorite Burger Toppings – American Cheese or Cheddar Cheese, Sliced Dill Pickles, Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, Big Mac Sauce, Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Grilled Onions, Caramelized Onions, or Pickled Red Onions
🍽 Equipment Needed
- A Large Cast Iron Skillet, Griddle, or Flat Top Grill
- An Extra (Clean) Skillet for Smashing down the burgers
🥣 How to Make It
First, season the ground beef and portion it into burger patties. You’ll want to make the burger about the size of a small ball – depending on the size of your tortillas. With small, 6-inch tortillas, I made the portions golf-ball sized. With large burrito tortillas, I made HUGE, half-pound patties, and I couldn’t eat the whole thing.
Prepare your tortillas and toppings while you heat up your stove or griddle – this recipe moves quickly. (If you don’t have a flat top grill, you can use a cast iron skillet to make smash burgers one at a time.)
Heat up a large skillet or the griddle to medium-high heat and grab an extra skillet or saucepan and make sure the bottom is clean. (You can use a burger press if you have one.)
Optional but delicious, cook a few strips of bacon to grease up and flavor the griddle. Once the bacon is cooked, set it aside.
Place the ground beef on the skillet, then top it with the tortilla and smash it down with the extra skillet. I can fit two at a time on my griddle.
Press down until the burger is thin – about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick, and cook for 2-3 minutes, and gently flip the tortilla over. The tortilla will absorb any grease on the griddle and get nice and crispy. YUM.
Add the cheese at this time, and if needed, cover it with a small pot lid to help the cheese melt. Let the tortilla crisp up for about 2-3 minutes but do not overcook.
Remove the taco burger from the griddle and add your favorite toppings – a drizzle of homemade burger sauce totally takes this recipe over the top. Serve while the burger patty is warm with a side of french fries, fried squash, or fried okra! (If juices run out of the burger, you can pat around the edges of the burger patty with a paper towel if needed.)
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
The beef will be cooked quickly as it is smashed thin. If you cook it for more than 3 minutes a side, it will get tough, so it will be better to aim for medium rare here.
Any tortillas will work, but flour tortillas are more durable and are less likely than corn tortillas to tear.
They can, but if you use high-quality ground beef, the tortilla should crisp up from the fat from the burger, and it should be delicious – not soggy or “wet.”
Yes! For my first batch, I made giant burgers and could not finish mine – I reheated it for lunch the next day in the air fryer. The tortilla got nice and crispy, and I added extra pickles and more cheese.
🥫 How to Store Leftovers
Once cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
🍔 How to Reheat Leftovers
For my first batch, I made giant burger tacos (almost burger PIZZAS!) and could not finish mine. I found that using the air fryer was the best way to reheat it. I reheated it for lunch the next day in the air fryer at 350°F for about 3 minutes. The tortilla got nice and crispy, and I added extra pickles and more cheese.
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Smash Burger Tacos
Ingredients
Smash Burger Tacos
- 1 pound lean ground beef Burger Seasoning – I use a mix of a little kosher salt & black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, & a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
- 4 flour tortillas
- 4-8 strips bacon use 1-2 strips per taco
Your Favorite Burger Toppings
- American cheese or cheddar cheese
- shredded iceberg lettuce
- dill pickles
- grilled, caramelized, or pickled onions
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
Big Mac Sauce Recipe
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar scant
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 ½ tablespoons dill pickles if you use sweet pickle relish omit the sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion finely minced or grated
Instructions
Smash Burger Tacos
- Season the ground beef & portion it into burger patties. You want to make the burger about the size of a small ball – depending on the size of your tortillas. With small, 6-inch tortillas, I make the portions golf-ball sized.1 pound lean ground beef
- Prepare the tortillas & toppings while you heat up the stove or griddle – this recipe moves quickly. (If you don't have a flat top grill, you can use a cast iron skillet to make smash burgers one at a time.)
- Heat up a large skillet or the griddle to medium-high heat & grab an extra skillet or saucepan & make sure the bottom is clean. (You can use a burger press if you have one.)
- Optional but delicious, cook a few strips of bacon to grease up & flavor the griddle. Once the bacon is cooked, set it aside.4-8 strips bacon
- Place the ground beef on the skillet, then top it with the tortilla and smash it down with the extra skillet. I can fit two at a time on my griddle.4 flour tortillas
- Press down until the burger is thin – about ¼ – ½ inch thick, & cook for 2-3 minutes, & gently flip the tortilla over. The tortilla will absorb any grease on the griddle & get nice and crispy.
- Add the cheese at this time, and if needed, cover it with a small pot lid to help the cheese melt. Let the tortilla crisp up for about 2-3 minutes but do not overcook.American cheese or cheddar cheese
- Remove the taco burger from the griddle and add your favorite toppings – a drizzle of homemade burger sauce totally takes this recipe over the top.shredded iceberg lettuce, dill pickles, grilled, caramelized, or pickled onions, ketchup, yellow mustard
- If juices run out of the burger, you can pat around the edges of the burger patty with a paper towel if needed.
- Serve while the burger patty is warm with a side of french fries.
Copycat Big Mac Sauce with Ketchup
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, pickle juice, yellow mustard, and ketchup until well combined.½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 teaspoons yellow mustard, 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons pickle juice
- Mix in the dry ingredients until the sugar and spices are dissolved.1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Finally, stir in the pickles or relish and onions and mix until everything is well encorporated.2 ½ tablespoons dill pickles if you use sweet pickle relish, 1 tablespoon onion
- Store the sauce in an airtight container or jar and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
Special Equipment Needeed
- 2 a large cast iron skillet or griddle
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
