Easy Viral Smash Burger Tacos

What is a Smash Burger?

So… what is a smash burger? A smash burger is exactly what it sounds like—a burger that gets smashed onto a hot griddle! 🍔🔥

Instead of shaping a thick patty, you roll up some ground beef into a loose ball, then press it flat with a spatula until it’s super thin. For this recipe, it gets a tortilla laid on top first!

Why smash it? Because that high heat + pressure creates a delicious crispy, caramelized crust on the outside, while keeping the inside juicy and flavorful. Yum!

These burgers cook fast, get extra crispy edges, and are often layered with gooey cheese. Think diner-style meets gourmet street food. Bottom line: this smash burger recipe is to die for and you’re going to love it!!

Smash Burger Tacos Recipe

When looking for smash burger recipes, I discovered that they go by many names and they’re not always in taco form. You might have heard them called…

• Classic Smash Burgers (thin patties of meat, usually more than one, on a bun)
• Big Mac Tacos (or Big Mac Smash Burger Tacos) – more like what I’ve made here… a burger served on a tortilla with classic burger toppings and homemade Big Mac sauce and folded like a taco, but with no taco flavors. 
• Taco Burgers – another name for what I’ve made here.

Whatever you call them, this smash burger recipe is the best thing I’ve made in a long time (or at leat the best new thing)and the whole family was crazy about them!

Tools Needed

• Large Cast Iron Skillet or Blackstone Griddle – you’ll need a large, flat surface that can get really hot. For the 4th of July, I did Blackstone Smash Burger Tacos so I could cook 12 smash burgers at once.
• Scale and/or Large Cookie Scoop (optional) – to portion out the ground beef
• Burger Press or Large Flat Spatula – I have this burger press and it’s perfect for smash burgers!
• Tongs
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife

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Burger Press

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12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

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Blackstone Griddle

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Ingredients

These ingredients could not be more simple. You can find everything you need for Smash Tacos at your local grocery store!

Burger Ingredients

• Ground Beef – Using freshly ground beef with a moderate fat content such as 80/20 is key for juicy, flavorful smash burgers. If you use leaner beef, your burger will dry out and you will not have juicy meat. If you prefer, ground turkey or plant-based meat substitutes work well too, though they may alter the resulting patty (less richness and juiciness).
• Flour Tortillas – fajita tortillas (6-inch) are the best size. I have seen some use corn tortillas or other small flour tortillas. If you choose corn tortillas, you will have a softer taco.
• Provolone or Muenster Cheese – these are our preferences but you could also use American cheese, cheddar cheese, or any other cheese you prefer to get a good cheese melt.
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Oil for cooking – olive oil, avocado oil or even vegetable oil
• Lettuce – iceberg lettuce was our choice, but you could use green leaf lettuce or even spinach if you like.
• Tomato
• Pickles
• ​Red Onions

Burger Sauce Ingredients

• Sweet Relish – you could also dice up some bread and butter pickles or use dill relish if you don’t like the added sweet flavor
• Mayonnaise
• Dijon Mustard – you could also use yellow mustard
• ​Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika
• ​Black Pepper
• ​Dash of Worcestershire Sauce (optional)

How to Make Smash Burgers

This Smash Burger Taco recipe is really easy to make (cooking only 1-2 minutes on each side) and versatile enough that you can make everybody happy!

1. Drizzle oil into a large skillet or onto a Blackstone and pre-heat it to medium-high heat. 
2. Divide the ground beef into six equal-sized balls (2.5-3 ounces each) and place one on each tortilla.
3. Season each ball with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the balls while you make the sauce.
4. To make the smash burger sauce, add all the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix until well combined. Store in the fridge in a small bowl or a squeeze bottle.
5. Place a ball of the meat mixture on the hot skillet or griddle, with a tortilla centered on to, Press down firmly with a hamburger press or large spatula until the beef patty is about 1/2 inch thick.
6. Cook for about two minutes. Reduce to medium heat if the edges of the tortilla begin to burn.
7. Flip the tortilla over and cook the opposite tortilla side for about one minute, or until the meat is cooked through. These cook quickly because they are so thin so watch the tortilla to keep from burning it. 
8. Transfer the burger to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and immediately place a slice of cheese on the hot burger to melt. 
9. Repeat steps 5-7 until all the burgers are prepared.
10. Top each thin patty with your favorite toppings; I recommend lettuce, pickles, onions, and tomatoes.
11. Drizzle the homemade burger sauce generously over each taco burger and serve immediately.

Variations for Smash Burger Toppings

Crisp lettuce, diced tomatoes, burger pickles, and sliced red onions are traditional burger toppings that are delicious with this recipe. If you want to skip the smash burger sauce, you could use your favorite sauces instead.

Here are some other alternative toppings:

• BBQ Sauce
• Avocado or Guacamole
• Crunchy Slaw
• Bacon
• Ranch Dressing
• Sauteed Mushrooms 
• Caramelized or Pickled Onions
• Jalapenos
• Swiss Cheese, Sharp Cheddar or other stronger cheese
• Pickle de Gallo (Pickle Salsa)

Pro Tips

#1 Use a hot, flat cooking surface
Cooking smash burgers requires a very hot griddle or cast-iron skillet to achieve that iconic crispy crust. This high heat quickly sears the beef, locking in juices and flavor.

#2 Smash with a sturdy spatula
Press the burger firmly but not so hard that you lose all the juices. A heavy burger press or a flat, metal spatula is ideal for smashing evenly and creating those beautifully caramelized edges.

#3 Don’t go crazy with toppings
Keep the portion of beef and toppings balanced; overstuffing the taco can make it hard to eat well… quite messy. My Daddy loved his burger without any toppings at all, but adding a few can definitely amp up this recipe for maximum flavor.

Vegetarian Smash Burgers

Substitute the beef with smashed black bean patties or seasoned portobello mushrooms for a hearty, meatless alternative.

What to Serve with Smashed Burger Tacos

For our 4th of July get-together, we served potato salad, baked beans, and deviled eggs with our burgers. Here’s a full list of ideas for side dishes:

• Fries or Tater Tots
• Onion Rings
• Potato Salad
• Baked Beans
• Salad
• Coleslaw
• Pickles
• Corn on the Cob
• Mac and Cheese
• Deviled Eggs
• Chips

​Leftover Smashburgers?

Place cooked burgers in an airtight container and toppings in separate airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

To reheat your and keep them crispy, these are the methods I recommend:

Air Fryer. This was how we got best results!  Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Place a leftover taco burger in the basket on parchment paper and heat for 4-6 minutes, checking halfway through. This method crisps the edges while warming the inside nicely.

Oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with foil, cover loosely with foil on top of the meat to prevent drying, and heat for 10 minutes, or until warmed through. 

You might also try to reheat in a skillet with a lid or in the microwave but we didn’t have a lot of luck with these methods.

​FAQ

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