Smash Burger Taco
This post may contain affiliate links.
It’s easy to make the viral TikTok Smash Burger Taco with this simple 10 minute recipe! This dish combines two of my favorite things, burgers and tacos, in the easiest recipe that you’ll want to make for dinner every week. Use a Blackstone, griddle, or a skillet on the stove, to make these “Big Mac” style tacos at home!
I’m not one to jump on a lot of recipe trends. I like to keep things classic around here. But I kept seeing this smash burger taco pop up on my Instagram feed, and knew that I had to try it. After all, these smash burgers are one of the most popular recipes on the blog, and I love tacos!
After trying this viral TikTok recipe, I knew that I had to put it on the blog. It has everything you love about a smash burger, stuffed inside a crispy tortilla, topped with everyones favorite Big Mac toppings. A flavorful burger patty, topped with melted cheese, lettuce, onion, and special burger sauce, you really can’t beat the taste!
This recipe works best on a Blackstone, flat top grill, or griddle. But don’t worry, if you don’t have one available, you can also make it in a skillet on the stovetop. You’ll just have to make the tacos in a couple of batches.
This recipe is easy to make in 10 minutes, making it perfect for a simple weeknight meal, quick weekend lunch, or a great game day snack!
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I recommend 80% lean ground beef, labeled 80/20, meaning 80% lean and 20% fat. This will give you the perfect amount of fat to make flavorful, juicy burger tacos!
- Hamburger seasoning – this easy blend of 5 spices, includes salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. It adds great flavor to this smash burger taco recipe, and it’s easy to mix up in 5 minutes or less. Click the link for the recipe, mix up a big batch and store it in your pantry for anytime you want to make burgers! If you don’t want to make the seasoning mix, you can simply season the ground beef with salt and pepper.
- Flour tortillas – for this recipe you’ll want “fajita size” tortillas that are 6 inches wide.
- American cheese – you can absolutely use sliced cheddar cheese, swiss, or your favorite cheese. But for a traditional smash burger flavor, good ol’ American cheese slices is where it’s at!
- Shredded lettuce + diced onions – to top the smash burger tacos.
- Sliced dill pickles – to top the tacos. Bonus points if you make my homemade pickles!
- Burger sauce – a delicious combination of mayonnaise, ketchup, chopped pickles, and dijon mustard makes the special sauce used to top the smash burger tacos. You can easily make it at home in 5 minutes, or purchase burger sauce on the condiment aisle at the grocery store. The Magnifisauce from Trader Joe’s is my favorite store-bought burger sauce.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
If you don’t already have burger sauce prepared, be sure to prepare the burger sauce before making the smash burger tacos following the link provided.
- Portion out the burger patties. Season the ground beef with hamburger seasoning. Portion out the ground beef into eight 2 ounce balls. (I recommend using a kitchen scale to get the precise measurement.)
- Create the smash burger tacos. Preheat a flat top, griddle, or large skillet on the stove, over high heat. Once hot, add the balls of beef, top each ball of beef with a tortilla, then use a large spatula, or burger press, to smash the tortilla on the beef, flattening the ball of beef below the tortilla. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the burger over so the tortilla is facing down on the griddle. Top each burger patty with a slice of cheese and cook for an additional minute, or until the cheese melts.
- Add the toppings. Remove the smash burger tacos from the griddle and top with lettuce, onion, pickles, and burger sauce. Serve immediately.
If you’re making these tacos on a smaller griddle, or skillet on the stove, you’ll probably have to make the tacos in 2-3 batches. Luckily they only take 3 minutes to cook, so it’s still quick and easy to make all of the tacos!
If you want to add other toppings to these burger tacos, feel free to add tomatoes, avocado, mayo, or yellow mustard.
Recipe notes
- To make appetizer-size tacos, use 12 of these “street taco” size flour tortillas that are just over 4 inches in size. Form the seasoned ground beef into twelve 1.5 ounce balls of beef. Follow the instructions the same otherwise, just making 12 smaller tacos, instead of 8 medium-size tacos. I love this idea for parties, or game day.
- Always make sure the griddle is hot before adding the burgers. Adding burgers to a hot griddle is important for cooking safety. It will also give you a beautiful sear on the outside, while keeping the burgers super juicy on the inside. Smash burgers should be cooked over high heat, between 400-450 degrees fahrenheit.
- If you don’t have a griddle, you can make the burgers in a skillet. Depending on the size of your skillet, you’ll probably only be able to fit 2, or maybe 4, burger patties in the skillet at a time. I recommend a cast iron skillet, or cast iron griddle pan if you have one available. A cast iron skillet can be used on the stove, or on a grill, to make these burger tacos.
- This recipe makes 8 smash burger tacos. I recommend serving 2 tacos per person as a meal.
What to serve with them
Grab a smash burger taco and pair it with any of these delicious side dishes!
- Air Fryer Onion Rings
- Animal Style Fries
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Cheesy Grilled Potatoes
- Chili Cheese Fries
Or for a Tex Mex spin, serve them with chips and guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, or queso.
More taco recipes
Fill up your calendar with each of these taco recipes to make Taco Tuesday a weekly tradition!
Smash Burger Taco
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 1 tablespoon hamburger seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 8 6 inch flour tortillas, fajita-size
- 8 slices American cheese
Toppings
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ½ cup diced onions
- ½ cup dill pickle slices
- ½ cup burger sauce, click link for the recipe
Instructions
- Combine the ground beef and hamburger seasoning, then divide the mixture into 8 two-ounce balls of beef.
- Preheat a flat top or griddle to high heat.
- Once hot, add the balls of beef to the hot flat top. Top each ball of beef with a tortilla, then use a burger press, or large heavy spatula, to smash the tortilla on the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Use a spatula to flip the ground beef, so the tortilla is facing down on the griddle.
- Add a slice of cheese on top of the burger patty on each tortilla. Cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Remove from the flat top and add the lettuce, onion, pickles, and burger sauce.
Notes
- If you don’t have a griddle, you can make the burgers in a skillet on the stove over high heat. Depending on the size of your skillet, you’ll probably only be able to fit 2, or maybe 4, burger patties in the skillet at a time. I recommend a cast iron skillet, or cast iron griddle pan if you have one available. A cast iron skillet can be used on the stove, or on a grill, to make these burger tacos.
- Always make sure the griddle is hot before adding the burgers. Adding burgers to a hot griddle is important for cooking safety. It will also give you a beautiful sear on the outside, while keeping the burgers super juicy on the inside. Smash burgers should be cooked over high heat, between 400-450 degrees fahrenheit.
- This recipe makes 8 smash burger tacos. I recommend serving 2 tacos per person as a meal.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
